‘Writing is something I’ve always wanted to do’
Buncrana author proud of debut novel and already planning a second
A Buncrana grandfather who recently realised a lifetime ambition by publishing his debut novel is already working on a second book.
Released last May, Patsy Lafferty’s first book, ‘From Thunder To Sunshine’, centres around the fictional lives of two girls from a seaside town in the north-west of Ireland.
“Writing a novel is always something I’ve wanted to do and I finally decided to go ahead and do it after retiring from employment about two and-a-half years ago,” said the former HSE worker.
Patsy, an ex-care attendant at Buncrana Nursing Unit and NowDoc driver, said he has garnered much positive feedback in recent weeks but is more than willing to accept criticism too.
“Everyone who has picked up the book so far has been fascinated by it; readers have told me they have found it difficult to put down – but maybe that’s because they felt obliged to finish it because they know me personally,” Patsy smiled.
“I am more than open to criticism on the book though because that’s the only way you can learn as a writer,” he added.
Aged in his sixties and a keen reader, Patsy has been inspired by writers such as Stephen King among others over the years. He is delighted to have finally published his own novel.
“I’m very proud of the fact that I have written it,” he said.
It took him a year and-a-half to complete ‘From Thunder To Sunshine’, written mostly on a laptop at home.
“I wasn’t sure that I would ever become an author but I suppose I had the willpower to do it and once I started it, I felt I had to finish. Whenever I wrote the first forty pages or so, I said to myself – I can’t stop here.”
“It took a lot of discipline to stick at it. There were times when I would take a break from the writing and then go back to it at a later stage. You need a lot of patience,” Patsy revealed.
He isn’t quite sure where his ideas come from.
“It’s difficult to know. Sometimes an idea will come into your head and it will be perfect for the book but there are other times when it won’t fit the story. Writing is a learning process – you are learning what works and what doesn’t all the time,” Patsy explained.
With his first book on sale at Mac’s Newsagents, Buncrana, the talented local father-of-four is currently penning his second novel ahead of a probable 2015 release date.
