New writer readings/in conversation pieces: Session III

The last of three sessions with new authors: Session Chair, Geoffrey Wall, literary biographer, translator, and freelance travel-writer from the University's Department of English and Related Literature, in conversation with new writers:

Kathleen MacMahon is a journalist on RTÉ News' foreign news desk. Her first published book, So This is How It Ends, attracted the biggest book deal of 2011 and attracted the largest ever advance from a UK publisher.

So This is How It Ends, dubbed a love story for our times, follows American Bruno Boylan, a banker who loses his job with Lehman Brothers in 2008. The main character comes to Ireland looking for his ancestors a month before the election between Barack Obama and John McCain.

Essie Fox’s The Somnambulist, a Victorian gothic mystery, has been selected as a TV Book Club Best Read of 2012.

Before taking up writing, Essie worked as an illustrator – designing greetings cards, gift wrap, and decorative
ceramics. Before that she worked in a Dickensian office in Bloomsbury’s Museum Street, employed as an editorial assistant by the publishers George Allen & Unwin. So, in a way, it almost feels as if she has come full circle, returning to her very first love which is the world of books.

Essie is currently researching her second Victorian novel. She also writes the popular blog, The Virtual Victorian.

Sophie Coulombeau is a University of York PhD student and winner of the 2011 Route Author Competition. Her novel provisionally titled Rites beat off strong competition from a group of exceptionally talented authors under the age of 30 to win a publishing contract. Her book tells the story of a group of four teenagers who make a pact to lose their virginity away from the watchful eyes of parents and priest. Ten years later, they look back on the events and unravel how it all went horribly wrong.

• Kathleen McMahon talks about her book deal (video)
• Essie Fox's blog, The Virtual Victorian
• Sophie Coulombeau: Route Publishing Young Author Award

Admission: by free ticket only, available from yorkfestivalofideas.com/tickets