This month we got to talk to long-standing Irish children’s author, Brian Gallagher.
TPP: Who or what inspired the characters of Tim, Deirdre and Joe?
BG: They’re purely figments of my imagination, but I liked the idea that two of them would be twins, and that Deirdre would be feisty while Joe would be both sporty and bookish.
TPP: Why did you set the story in 1911?
BG: I wanted the mystery elements to be the focus of the story, so I set it several years before the decade of the Lockout, the Easter Rising and the Great War, so that those big historical events wouldn’t intrude on the storytelling.
TPP: What do you love about writing mystery stories?
BG: I love the satisfaction of dreaming up twists and turns for the plot.
TPP: How long have you been writing?
BG: Over 40 years!
TPP: Why did you want to become a writer?
BG: I love storytelling, and the idea of creating families, friends and an entire fictitious world for my characters.
TPP: Can you remember the first book you ever read and loved?
BG: The Secret of the Pantomime Cat, by Enid Blyton.
TPP: Who are your favourite authors?
BG: David Lodge, Bill Bryson, Caitlin Moran, James Plunkett, John D Sheridan, J.K. Rowling, Ian McEwan, Ken Follett and Nick Hornby.
TPP: What would you be if you weren’t an author?
BG: Unemployed! I can’t imagine doing anything else now, though before I became a full-time writer I worked in a research lab.
TPP: What is your favourite book of all time?
BG: Strumpet City by James Plunkett. A wonderful novel full of great characters.
TPP: Aside from reading and writing, do you have any hobbies?
BG: Tennis, cycling, golf and music are what I enjoy in my free time.
TPP: What is your favourite part about being an author?
BG: The fact that every writing day is a miniature voyage of discovery. I also love the feeling of magic that comes from sitting down with a blank piece of paper in the morning and ending the day having created a scene that didn’t previously exist.
TPP: What is your number one tip for aspiring writers?
BG: Know the climax of your story from the beginning and finish every project that you start.
