My writing day begins in that blissful half hour between actually waking and putting foot out of the comfort of the bed. If I am lucky my thoughts fly fast and furious, which will encourage me later in the day when I sit down to write. Back home after the school runs I have a good read of the paper and a cup of hot sweet tea before I commence. Depending on what stage a book is at, I choose my companion. A good manuscript pad and pen if I am starting, and the computer if I'm on the second stage. At the moment my head is full of all kinds of strange things, dragons and witches and giants and a castle surrounded by a pool of slithering squirming eels that give me the shivers even thinking about them, as I am putting the final touches to my new children's book In Deep Dark Wood, before going to print. Few adults are fortunate to be able to spend a vast part of their day exploring and charting the places that I visit in the creation of my books.
Through the day the phone rings, often requests from schools to come and meet their pupils. This is one of the privileges of being a children's author, getting the chance to meet young readers. However as the diary is running over a year ahead, unfortunately I often find myself saying no. Around midday the postman arrives and the dog barks loudly at the heavy thump of letters arriving. Wonderful letters! Once a week I try to sit down and write back to all the children who write to me. Taking a break, I either head out to Sandycove or Seapoint for a walk, the sea breeze blowing the cobwebs away. All literary endeavour stops at three o'clock when I collect my son James from school, though I tend to scribble secretly in a small notebook in the school car-park. I've had to learn to write everywhere and anywhere, as time is something I always seem to be short of.
There is wild excitement at the arrival by courier of the proofs of my first adult novel, The Magdalen, which is due out in October. In the book I tried to explore the reasons why Esther, a young country girl, is forced to give up her child. It is a strong story about the women in a Magdalen laundry. My English publishers are very excited about it, but naturally I'm a bit nervous as it is a new departure for me. Collecting, homework and preparing the dinner and family chat become the priority as my three daughters, Amanda, Laura and Fiona, return from school and college. If I am deep in the writing I will work well into the early hours, writing while they sleep, especially when finishing a book. Otherwise an hour or two is enough, before my husband James persuades me to drop down to Gleesons for a drink and a bit of peace on our own.
There is a stack of books by my bed as I am an avid reader, but usually once my head hits the pillow I fall fast asleep, dreaming of the books I plan to write.
Marita Conlon-McKenna is a award-winning writer of children's books. Her latest, In Deep Dark Wood, is due from O'Brien Press next month, and her first adult novel, The Magdalen, will be published by Transworld in October.