Though I live now in the US, I grew up in a country at war with itself during a period know as The Troubles. The spot in Ireland where I grew up is known as Glenullin (Glen of the Eagle). It’s stunning with blazing yellow gorse growing on heather-clad hills and the scents of fecund, responsible agriculture.    

As a teenager, I wanted only to get away from Northern Ireland. Now, I’m so grateful I grew up there. The experiences molded me into the person I am. It’s also informed my writing, compelling me to create flesh-and-blood characters who find themselves in conflict with the norms and expectations of the societies in which they live, whether in Ireland, Mexico or the US.