May 25, 2023
Gráinne O’Brien has been the Children's Book Buyer at O’Mahony’s, one of the largest independent booksellers open since 1902, for the last ten years.
She’s taught creative writing workshops at 3rd level, and is the Head of Publishing at Walls of Limerick. She co-founded Silver Apples Magazine in 2014 and has gone on to publish many talented emerging writers within it. In 2018, she completed the MA in Creative Writing in UL and received an Irish Arts Council Agility Awards in both 2021 and 2022.
She is represented by Sallyanne Sweeney from MMB Creative. Her first book, "A Limerick Fairytale" was published by The O’Brien Press in Spring 2023 and debuted as a bestseller. Gráinne has spent the last decade of her life sharing her love of books and reading with children. This book is inspired by them.
Founder of Rontu Literary Services, her philosophy for feedback on writing is that it shouldn’t be coarsely critical, but rather respectful of the work that’s been presented with constructive critiques. She’s been published, and rejected, many times. Rontu grew from the ashes of her own negative experiences in the publishing world
Gráinne says that Limerick is like a "scrappy little sister" and powerful women are "her brand." In this month's episode she tells us about her favourite childhood books, moving from California to Bunratty in her formative years, drawing on her teens at Villiers School to write her forthcoming "verse novel", and gives some vital guidance to other writers looking to get published. She also gives shout-outs to fellow writers, Alex Dunne, Sarah Gilmartin and Dan Mooney, and a big thanks to her O'Mahony's colleague, Jack, for teaching her to TikTok.
Find out more about Gráinne at https://www.rontuliteraryservice.com/about
Link to buy A Limerick Fairytale children's picture book: https://www.omahonys.ie/a-limerick-fairytale-p-10545101.html
Photo of Gráinne by Nicole Roche
The Limerick Lady is a grassroots movement based in Limerick, Ireland, with a focus on promoting conversation around gender, visibility, gender balance and the arts. It was founded in 2016 by award-winning (and losing) singer-songwriter Emma Langford, who hosts the podcast alongside fellow award-winning (and losing) Limerick woman, theatre-maker and musician Ann Blake.
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