The new novel from Booker longlisted author Elaine Feeney, Let Me Go Mad in My Own Way, is due out next week and will be launched in Kennys’ Bookshop in Galway City next Tuesday, May 27, at 6pm. Novelist and poet Elaine will be interviewed by Sarah Kenny of the bookshop and tickets are free.

This is the third novel from Athenry woman Elaine, who is also the author of four collections of poetry.

Her debut novel, 2020’s As You Were won the Kate O’Brien Award, the McKitterick Prize and the Dalkey Festival Emerging Writer Award. She followed it with How to Build a Boat, which was longlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize and shortlisted for Irish Novel of the Year. Elaine, who lectures at the University of Galway, previously taught in St Jarlath’s College, Tuam.

Like her previous books, Let Me Go Mad in My Own Way is set in the West of Ireland. Its central character is Claire O’Connor whose life has been on hold since she broke up with Tom Morton, and moved home from London to care for her dying father.

When Tom moves locally for work reasons, his unexpected return stirs up haunting family memories trapped in the walls of the old house nearby. As past secrets are revealed, Claire must learn whether she can escape her history to make a future for herself – and if finding herself also means facing herself.

Elaine will be interviewed at Kennys’ next Tuesday, at 6pm and all are welcome. Signed copies of the book will be available at the event and from the bookshop’s website.

Tickets for the interview are available at www.kennys.ie/ or from 091-709350.

Pictured: Novelist and poet Elaine Feeney.