Hazel Gaynor, Kildare author: “Dedicated hours for ‘work’ and research key to success as an author”

We’d all love to be aspiring writers and we’d like to think there’s nothing more to being a best seller than thumping out a good idea/plot, throw in a few appealing characters and you’re home and dry. Not so, according to best selling author Hazel Gaynor.

Hazel, who lives at Sunnyhill, Kilcullen with husband Damien and children Max (13) and Sam (almost 11), says:

“I treat my writing now as ‘job’. I have a gorgeous attic space and once the children are gone to school, I’m at the desk by 9am, till about 2.30pm. I use those hours to do my research, thinking and updating my website – there’s always ‘work’ to be done”.

As a mother, she finds life is busy but will always make use of free time in the afternoon, if she can.

“Take last Saturday; they were all gone off to rugby so I took advantage of the time to ‘catch up on myself’. If you sat and waited for a moment/muse to arrive, nothing would ever get done!”

She recently launched her latest book The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter at Woodbine Books, Kilcullen where there was great support from the local community, along from fellow writers and publishers.

There I met fellow writers Carmel Harrington along with Kildare authors, Orla McAlinden (The Accidental Wife and Flight of the Wren) and Amanda J Evans (Hear me Cry, Finding Forever and Save her Soul) from Ballymore Eustace, both of whom are now award winning authors.

Already, I’m nearly finished The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter and I’m loving it. A historical novel, set in bleak islands off the Northumberland coast, it’s based around Grace Darling, a real life heroine from centuries ago, and how her life criss-crosses with tragic Sarah, and Matilda, an Irish girl sent off ‘on a holiday’ for being single and pregnant in Ireland in the late 1930’s.

Carmel Harrington author-with Kildare author Amanda J Evans and Mary P Byrne of HarperCollins Publishers

Add in the reclusive Harriet who mans a lighthouse in Newport, Rhode Island, US, a suitably distant relative who is chartered with Matilda’s care, and you have a cracking read!

Historical romance entails research, and Hazel did in fact go to join her sister in Northumberland and took the boat over to the island from Seahouses Harbour to visit the actual lighthouse where Grace Darling made her daring rescue.

“I went into the lighthouse, into Grace’s bedroom and looked out the same window and view featured in the book” said Hazel who furthered stayed in Wicklow Head lighthouse, an 18th century lighthouse - “Just to get a real feel of the place. I’ve heard since it is haunted - but glad I didn’t know that at the time!”

Coming from a background in HR, having worked for some major corporations, how or why did she decide to pursue a career in writing?

Tanya Flanagan and Aine Anderson, Naas

“I’ve always loved books; I used to make up little stories as a child. I didn’t think about it really – as I turned 40, that’s when I started writing, and submitted little articles to another Kildare newspaper whilst I was a stay at home mum. And from there, it took off. I’m feeling very blessed with my success to date.

“I’m constantly excited about it, my writing! I’m busy co-writing a new book with another author, Heather Webb who is based in the US. “Meet me in Monaco” is based around the wedding of Grace Kelly and Prince Ranier. We co-wrote “Last Christmas in Paris” together, based in the WW1 era.

“We are heading off to Monaco in the next month and I’m really looking forward to seeing the palace, local towns and of course, it’s set in the perfumeries of Gras”.

Again, she stresses the emphasis of being strict on oneself and doing the research. “The mount of knowledge you absorb, there’s just so much to discover in writing novels.”

Deborah, sister of Woodbine Books proprietor, Dawn Behan with their mother Bridget Behan, all of whom work in the Kilculllen bookstore