1. What is your book about?

My book is about a girl called Ró (Róisín) who lives in a small town on the west coast of Ireland. She has been struggling at school, as she has dyslexia, but has managed to keep it hidden from her very laid back teacher. However, a new teacher, Ms C, arrives and she quickly spots what is going on with Ró. Ró and her best friend Cian (the Bean) enjoy going to the bay to see the wild dolphin, Sunny, who lives there and she finds a comfort in nature. It is also a story about families, friendship and growing up.

2. Who is your favorite character from your book?

I think Ró is my favourite character because she tries so hard and never gives up. She is much braver than I could ever be. But I also love Ms C. She is loosely based on my favourite teacher, the teacher who had the biggest impact on my life. Good teachers are worth their weight in gold and can really change the course of your life.

3. Ró is dyslexic, why was it important for you to make her dyslexic?

I wanted Ró to be dyslexic to celebrate all the wonderful talents dyslexic children have. Sometimes the education system, which was designed for neurotypical children, can make them feel that they aren’t valued. That their talents don’t count as mush as others do. I wanted to show them that this is not the case. I struggled with dyslexia (and still do) and my son also does, so I felt it was a story I was equipped to tell and it was important for me to tell it.

4. Where did the idea for your book come from?

I was chatting to an editor (the lovely Gráinne Clear) about a different book I had written and it came up in the conversation that I had dyslexia and she suggested I write a book about that. I suppose it was something that was so much a part of me I’d never thought about writing about it but once I started I couldn’t stop!

5. If you were stranded on a desert island what 2 books, 2 movies and 2 animals would you bring?

Well the 2 books would be: 1. The Oxford English dictionary (all the volumes) so I would never run out of new words to learn and 2. The Complete Works of Emily Dickinson, as she is an amazing poet and I will never tire of her poems. I keep a copy of her poems beside my bed. Films : Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society. These are classic, timeless films and full of heart and what it means to be human. Robin Williams is just awesome in both. What a loss he is to us all. Animals: I have allergies to most animals with hair or fur so I think it would have to be 2 tortoises, and they live so long I wouldn’t have to miss them when they died. Also, they would enjoy the warm climate on the island!

Read the review of Wider Than The Sea here