Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My debut novel, Kelegeen, was published by BWL Publishing, Inc. in March of 2018. I am currently working on the sequel.
Kelegeen is historical fiction set in Ireland during the Great Hunger (aka the Potato Famine).
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Kelegeen is my first book. When I was working on my undergraduate degree in history my professor suggested I keep a diary as if I was a priest in Ireland at the time of the Great Hunger. Since I’ve always loved creative writing I really enjoyed that assignment. When it was completed, I realized I had the basis for a novel. After many years, a lot of hard work, and several rewrites, it became Kelegeen.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t write with competing words. What I mean by that is there can’t be people talking, a TV or radio on, or music with lyrics playing. If someone has the TV on in the house and I can hear it, I have to put on instrumental music or some sort of white noise to block it. I also like to write while listening to Mozart.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite book is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I fell in love with that book when I was young. I identified with Jo March so much I wanted to be her. I also loved the Nancy Drew series. When I got a bit older I found that I loved the classics. Jane Eyre is my favorite, but I also love Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables and The Blithedale Romance. Along with all those, I devoured books by Stephen King and, later, Anne Rice. In high school and for a while afterwards I read all the historical romance novels I could get my hands on. From there I went on to historical fiction and historical non-fiction. All of it put together has had an influence on my writing.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the sequel to Kelegeen. It is set in Worcester, Massachusetts in the 1850s and follows the lives the characters who came to America to escape the Great Hunger in Ireland. The title will be Erin’s Children.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m pretty active on Goodreads, but I think I get quite a bit of promotional use from Facebook.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Expect to do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to promoting your book. Learn all you can about marketing using social media and otherwise. Like it or not, in this day and age, writing the book is only the first half of your job. Promoting it is the second half. If you’re anything like me the second half is harder. Start learning how to do it now before it hits you all at once. This is true whether you are traditionally published or self-published.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Don’t think of yourself as an author only. Think of yourself as the CEO of Eileen O’Finlan.” This advice came from the marketing company I hired to help me. I literally had to learn from square one how to market my book even though it was traditionally published. It was and continues to be a steep learning curve, but I’m very appreciative of that advice. Marketing is not enjoyable for me, nor does it come naturally. I’d much rather spend my time writing. The cold, hard fact is that authors have to do most of their own marketing these days. That’s just the way it is and the sooner you embrace it the better off you’ll be.
What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading The Institute by Stephen King, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, and The Priority of Christ by Robert Barron.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Completing the sequel to Kelegeen, researching for my next novel which will be set in 1830s Vermont, and finishing a cat-themed story.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott because I can read that book over and over and never get sick of it
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – another book I can read multiple times
Catholicism by Robert Barron
Since for the most part, I don’t like to read books more than once, I’d take a few books that look really interesting, but I haven’t read yet and hope they’re really good!
Author Websites and Profiles
Eileen O’Finlan Website
Eileen O’Finlan Amazon Profile
Eileen O’Finlan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account