About the Author
The one-liner:
Claire Hennessy is the author of nine novels for teenagers, and lives and works in Dublin, Ireland.
The one two-paragraph bio:
Born in 1986, Claire Hennessy is the author of nine novels for teenagers. She wrote her first book, Dear Diary…, when still in primary school, and it was published by Poolbeg Press when she was thirteen. She continued writing throughout secondary school and college, and her ninth book, Every Summer, was published in 2009. She is currently working on her next book.
Claire regularly does author visits and writing workshops for schools, libraries, and festivals, as well as teaching evening classes for adults. She is a director of the Big Smoke Writing Factory creative writing school in Dublin. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter, or send her an email.
And the slightly more rambling version:
Some silly questions I dislike: do you enjoy writing? Well, of course. I mean, doesn’t that go without saying? Does one tend to spend hours in front of a computer frantically typing (or wishing one was frantically typing instead of secretly hoping the idea-in-head will leap, perfectly-formed, onto the screen) because one hates coming up with stories and characters and twists and dialogue?
Another one is: what do you do apart from writing? But this is mostly because it makes me feel bad about not having any musical ability, or artistic ability, or athletic ability… oh, you get the idea. My hobbies and interests are very book-centric. I enjoy reading, and writing, and gazing adoringly at books in bookshops even though I know I really shouldn’t buy them because I have so many tomes waiting to be read at home. It’s a quiet life, really.
In college I opted for a degree that would let me read a lot: History and English. Reading for academic purposes is slightly different to reading for pleasure, and I still haven’t read all The Classic Works Of Literature One Should Read (or for that matter know much about The History Of The World), but it was infinitely more delightful than I imagine science or business might have been. (I also studied psychology for a bit because I thought I wanted to be Deanna Troi, but that’s a whole other story.)
I find it strange when people say they want to write a book but ‘don’t have the time to read’, or ‘don’t want to be influenced by anyone else’, it seems to me to be missing the point a bit.
I teach creative writing workshops; I don’t think anyone necessarily ‘needs’ to take a class in order to learn how to write but I know they can be useful in terms of thinking about writing critically, having stuff workshopped, and carving out the time to write. In 2009 I co-founded the Big Smoke Writing Factory, which provides creative writing workshops and classes in Dublin city centre.
I can never really come up with a good explanation for how I started writing. I think it’s to do with being a bookworm, and with being one of those head-in-the-clouds kids; the combination of the two means that the daydreamy-stories are more likely to make their way into print form than into, say, a painting or a song. Some of my teachers remember me as a little thing, five or six years of age, scribbling away in a corner. I learned to type early, which probably facilitated writing longer stories. Sometimes it’s hard work, but like the best work it’s incredibly rewarding and the best kind of play, too. You know, mostly.
The Irish Times once said this about me: “….she comes across as Hermione Granger with a playful streak.” This is either deeply cringeworthy or kind of cool; I haven’t decided yet.
I hate getting my picture taken. That’s me on a trip to New York, hiding behind a giant tea. But on a happier and sparklier note, I am very fond of tea. Especially giant-sized teas. I also like: history (see above re: degree!), feminism, wine (Good wine. I have this theory that you only really become a grown-up when you have a spice rack in your kitchen, but actually appreciating wine rather than gulping down the cheapest bottle they had in Tesco comes a close second), musicals (favourites: Wicked, Les Miserables, and almost any musical episode of a TV show), stand-up comedy (appreciating rather than doing), yoga, TV shows on DVD (boxsets are a thing of beauty and wonder), and coloured tights. Oh, and books. I know I mentioned them earlier but just in case you’d forgotten…
My favourite things about being a published writer: seeing my words in a proper, real, with-a-cover-and-everything! book. Having opinions on bookish things being taken seriously (sometimes). And best of all, hearing from readers who liked one of the books, or could relate to one of the characters, or who thought it felt real, or who just couldn’t put it down. When you read a lot you know exactly what this experience is like, and to have someone experience that with your own work is just about the coolest thing ever.
Photo credits: Andy Maranzi, Gillian McNally
More?
Email: clairehennessy at gmail dot com (please read the FAQ page first)
Twitter: twitter.com/clairehennessy
Facebook: facebook.com/clairehennessywriter
Reading list: over at goodreads
