Irish Book Award would be ‘ultimate achievement' for Patricia

Mullingar crime author, Patricia Gibney’s novel, The Stolen Girls, has been shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards 2018. Shortlisted for the Ryan Tubridy Listener’s Choice Award, our local author says it is a major achievement to have been nominated and is asking people to go online to vote for her.

With winners to be announced on November 27 at a gala dinner in Dublin that will be filmed by RTÉ, voting is open until midnight on November 20. Everyone who votes is in with a chance to win €100 in Book Tokens.

Past winners of the Listener’s Choice Award include, Mary O’Rourke, Michael Harding, Majella O’Donnell, Liz Nugent and last year, John Connolly took home the award. Mullingar man, Niall Breslin, won the popular non-fiction award in 2015 with his book, Me and my Mate Jeffrey.

Mother of three Patricia began writing as a form of therapy after her husband died of cancer, aged 49, in 2009. The Missing Ones, her debut crime novel featuring Lottie Parker, became a bestseller in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. The Stolen Girls is book two in the series. “I am so honoured to have The Stolen Girls shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards and to tell the truth, a little bit gobsmacked,” Patricia told the Westmeath Examiner. “Since my first book, The Missing Ones, was published in March last year, it has been a whirlwind time and I now have five books published. My books have topped eBook charts internationally, been listed on USA Today bestsellers and the print editions of The Missing Ones and The Stolen Girls featured in Irish bestseller lists – and then to reach over one million sales in just over a year – this latest accolade is just fantastic. To win this award would be the ultimate endorsement of my writing, as it is voted for by the public.”

Bressie also on shortlist

Musician and former Westmeath Gaelic footballer and Leinster Rugby player, Bressie, is also shortlisted this year in the children’s book category. The Magic Moment is a picture book that helps children explore difficult emotions and face their fears, written by Niall and illustrated by Sheila Dempsey.

Vote here: https://bit.ly/2TAVXvd