When Silence Hurts

Anne`s earliest memories are of storybooks and her delight in them. She stacked them  in boxes and in presses, earning her the name “ bookworm” with her family, while they acted as a spur to make her an able reader before starting school. Anne studied social science at UCD and worked in the field of professional social work for many years. However, a serious accident forced her to change careers and she studied history and folklore while caring for her Dad. Anne has had short stories and non -fiction published in a range of magazines over the years. She has also contributed to Sunday Miscellany on RTE Radio. She writes short stories and non-fiction pieces for Ireland`s Own magazine as well as monthly articles for Ireland`s Eye magazine.  Since the start of the Pandemic she has written regularly in a local online newsletter, on various topics including history, folklore, nature and spirituality. She is passionate about animal welfare and care of the earth. Anne grew up in Meath ( where she still lives) close to two castles: Dunsany Castle and Killeen Castle and within walking distance of the legendary site of the High Kings of Ireland at the Hill of Tara. These historic areas are  woven into the landscape of her novels as well as other prominent places from the Boyne Valley like King John`s Castle in Trim. In her first novel: "Reapers of Justice," there is an interesting chapter featuring the protagonist Sarah and no less a person than Michael Collins, a leading figure in the War of Independence. Family lore has always maintained that her mother ( Delia Collins) was distantly related to the great man but Anne has yet to find empirical evidence to prove this. This novel has been longlisted for the Carousel Aware Prize (The Cap awards) July 2023. Her second novel : "When Silence Hurts," was featured on Liveline - Joe Duffy show - on RTE Radio on December 21st 2022. Anne will be one of the speaker`s at The International Writer`s Festival, Dublin, in September 2023. Both novels are also stocked in  prestigious libraries in the USA including The Library of Congress, The New York City Library and the library of University of Notre Dame. She has recently completed a third novel set in Ireland during WWII. It will be published shortly.