First-time authors are often celebrated for getting their books published but sometimes only a few hundred or thousand copies are ever sold. One local Mayo author however whose second book has just been published is now featuring in the top five best-sellers books in Ireland.
JP Rodgers, a native of Kilmovee who emigrated to Manchester where he lived for many years, is currently enjoying terrific success with his latest book, Eggshells & Broken Dreams. The book is a follow-up to Rodgers’ original For the love of my mother memoir, which described in harrowing detail some difficult times growing up in the west of Ireland.
“I always dreamed about becoming a writer but having left school at 15 I never thought it would happen. When I did eventually sit down and write my memoir and then sent it off to publishers, I received dozens of rejections with one telling me it was ‘unpublishable’,” he recalled.
RTE Nationwide is now to run a feature on Rodgers’ story in an upcoming edition in June, while the Sunday Worldnewspaper and other national media bodies are queuing up to talk to the man himself, otherwise known as John Paschal.
“I ended up self-publishing my book and going round to book stores selling it. A London agent bought it up and offered it around to 12 publishing houses and Headline who put in the highest bid ended up publishing 100,000 copies!”
JP’s memoir ultimately became a huge hit and while he himself admits it was a perfect fit for the ‘misery market’, his new book, which continues his life story is much more cheerful.
The stories detail some legendary west of Ireland characters who may be familiar to some readers. There are also references to the ‘Spailpin’ - the term used to describe returned Irish emigrants who on their visits back home to Ireland were noted for their new style and dress sense that set them apart from the natives.
JP has meanwhile become a big hit and will be in Easons in Ballina from 4pm this afternoon (Friday May 28 ) to sign copies of his new book. All are welcome.
