Hi Louise, thanks for doing this interview. Could you tell us a little about yourself please?

I have lived in Letterkenny my whole life, although I went to university in Galway, lived in France for a while to work as an au pair, and did a bit of backpacking with Ray in South America before we got married. These days, I’m never too far from dear old Donegal!

I studied English at university, so I’ve always enjoyed writing, particularly creative writing. I had no intention of writing a book though, mainly because I never imagined I’d have the time! During lockdown, when everyone else was making banana bread, I decided I’d write a story for my kids to have as a keepsake of that crazy time for us all.

You began the Dragonterra series for your own children, but later they were published. Did that involve a lot of rewriting; did you, for example, have to remove parts that might have meant something to your own children but nothing to others?

I used my children’s names in the story of Dragonterra – Lucy, Evan and Conor – but thankfully the plot has universal appeal for other children to enjoy. I didn’t need to rewrite it for publication, but I did pore over the story and edit it painstakingly to make it the best version it could be for other little readers.

It was nerve-wracking, putting it out there for people to read, but I’m so glad I took the leap of faith, because the feedback and support have been wonderful. I really appreciate it.

In Dragonterra, the main characters have a rucksack full of magical objects. Most of these objects were inspired by my children. For instance, my son Evan was obsessed with compasses for a while, so a magical compass features in the story. And my dad used to rub a balloon on his head and stick it on the wall when I was small. I thought it was a fantastic magic trick as a child, so the characters in Dragonterra do this to great effect to outsmart a wizard.

So yes, there are little nods to my own memories and to my children’s interests in the stories.

I didn’t tell my children that I had written a story until Dragonterra was ready for them to read, so they had no real input in that adventure. However, when I was writing Series 2, Return to Dragonterra, the secret was out and they were full of ideas!

I was told that our cat, Stella, had to get a mention for instance.

My son, Evan, inspired me to include a magical trident in the sequel. And a child in a school I visited mooted the idea of including a sky shark in Series 2. I was happy to oblige!

Fantasy has always had a very loyal following, but it has definitely become more mainstream thanks to the likes of Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and the Twilight series.

I enjoy reading a wide range of genres as an adult, but as a child, books about far off lands and magical adventures were a firm favourite. Enid Blyton’s Wishing Chair and The Faraway Tree captivated me.

We could all be doing with a bit of escapism from the real world these days, and fantasy is a great genre for feeding the imagination, too. Children are enthralled by magic and so open-minded about its existence; it’s a pleasure writing magical stories for them to enjoy.

Is teaching a more difficult or more rewarding job these days?

I’ve been teaching for almost 20 years. Generally, I find that if I’m nice to students, they’re nice back. It’s as simple as that. I’m lucky that I teach in Loreto Letterkenny where teachers and students have a great rapport.

Teaching is such a rewarding job and working with young people is a privilege. Failing a Euromillions win, there’s nothing I’d rather do than teach!

On a similar note, what kind of reactions do you get from your Parenting column? (I’m asking because these days, even the most innocuous things seem to cause controversy…)

When I was approached to write the Parenting column, my gut instinct was actually to run for the hills! I was worried that people might think I was preaching and that I would come under fire for expressing opinions that others disagreed with.

I am absolutely winging it as a parent myself and I state that on a regular basis! I’m an admin of Letterkenny Babies Facebook page, so I can use a lot of the issues raised there as content for the column.

I like reading the same books as my eleven year old daughter, Lucy. We’re both reading The Hunger Games series at the moment. It’s lovely being able to talk about the plot and characters with her, and I like to think it makes it a more engaging experience for Lucy, too.

Mind you, she’s an avid reader; it’s me who struggles to keep up with her! There are loads of brilliant Young Adult fiction books out there. We won’t run out any time soon.

I presume, with children at home and at work, and a regular column to cover, there’s not always a lot of time left for fiction writing – how do you set aside the time?

I don’t set time aside, but if I was to choose between dealing with a sink full of dirty dishes or churning out a few words on the laptop, it’d be a no-brainer! I pick creativity over chores every time and I don’t beat myself up about it.

I try to write my weekly article on a Sunday evening before the week runs away on me. I can imagine my students sitting down to cram in their weekend homework at the same time I’m tapping away at the Parenting column.

Future plans? Could there be, say, a tricksy adult murder mystery novel in you? Or are you brushing up on an uber-villain role for a new theatre outing?

I have no plans to write a book for adults, but who knows what the future holds?! I’ll definitely be returning to the stage soon though (if anyone will cast me in a role, that is!),

I’ve been involved with various local drama groups over the years and I’ve had such a great time with them and made friends for life. Being the panto villain is so much fun. I love unleashing my cackle on an unsuspecting audience – oh yes I do!

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I may as well indulge in some shameless self-promotion while I’m here! I recently published another children’s book called Dream Beasts. It’s a magical adventure about a leprechaun, aimed at kids aged 8+ and it’s available in most book shops in Donegal and online at www.dreambeasts.ie.

Dream Beasts was recently shortlisted for a national book award, the CAP Awards. The winner will be announced in a ceremony in Dublin in October. A win would be amazing, but I’m up against some stiff competition. Some people swear by manifesting and I’m willing to give anything a whirl! Fingers crossed for Dream Beasts!

If anyone else would like to take part in this interview, to raise a profile or an issue, please contact Paul at Dnthirddegree@gmail.com