'Lifeboat' launch in 'the good ship Woodbine Books'

When Hazel Gaynor celebrated the release of her latest book yesterday in Woodbine Books, it was more than the Kilcullen launch of The Last Lifeboat, writes Brian Byrne. It was a sigh of relief that even if Covid is in the 'It hasn't gone away, you know' place, things are relatively normal once again.

"I hadn't had a book launch since 2018, and that one was right here in Woodbine, for The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter," she reminded those who had come to wish her well with the latest publication. She paid tribute to the 'incredible crew of the good ship Woodbine Books'. "You have such a special bookshop," she said. "I'm lucky enough to go to a lot of bookshops, and there isn't anything like you guys out there, you just have some magic here, you always do. You're incredibly supportive to all authors and we are so lucky to have you here."

To a scene-setting atmosphere generated by the declaration of war with Germany by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlin, and a radio news report from American journalist Edward R Murrow during the London Blitz — complete with haunting and chilling air raid sirens in the background — the author outlined the situation that had resulted in the programme to evacuate English children across the Atlantic to Canada, and the incident where one of the evacuation ships was torpedoed that inspired The Last Lifeboat. She then read a short extract, where the main character realised she had crossed the line from simply being a volunteer escort to becoming personally involved with the children she had been charged to mind, as they left their families to voyage into the unknown.

Hazel now has seven books of her own published to New York Times Best Seller acclaim, as well as three co-written with her American writer friend Heather Webb.

She thanked those present who had bought her books, representing all her readers, saying 'I'm nothing without anybody reading my books'. "It is really special to me to be here in Woodbine Books and see friendly faces who have been with me on this journey from the very humble beginnings. Now, 11 years later, I'm lucky enough to have ten books ... and I'm really just getting going!" — a happy writing promise to those same readers for the future.

The official Irish launch of The Last Lifeboat was in Dublin on Thursday night. Next week Hazel is on a promotional tour of bookshops in the midlands of England, including a trip to her native Yorkshire, before continuing 'the tour' in London. "Then it's back home to Calverstown." 

And back to work on the next book, already well in train. This local writing story is far from over ... 

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy