Gerry McCullough, born and brought up in North Belfast, is an award winning short story writer, with a distinguished reputation. She has had between forty and fifty short stories published, broadcast, or collected in anthologies. In 2005 her story Primroses won the Cuirt Award (Galway Arts Festival) and she has won, been short listed, and been commended in a number of other competitions since.
Gerry lives just outside Bangor, not too far from Belfast. She is married to singer-songwriter and radio presenter Raymond McCullough, and has four children.
Gerry's first novel, Belfast Girls, was published by Night Publishing in 2010 and is currently in the top ten for Women's Literary Fiction. She now has another romantic thriller published, and a book of 12 Irish short stories.
Danger Danger
Danger Danger:
Two lives in parallel – twin sisters separated at birth, but their lives take strangely similar and dangerous roads until the final collision which hurls each of them to the edge of disaster.
Katie and her gambling boyfriend Dec find themselves threatened with peril from the people Dec has cheated.
Jo-Anne (Annie) through her boyfriend Steven finds herself in the hands of much more dangerous crooks.
Can they survive and achieve safety and happiness?
Review for Danger Danger:
SUPERB THRILLER, November 3, 2011
By
This review is from: Danger Danger (Kindle Edition)
I loved this book. From the very first line I was hooked. From the vivid, poignant birth of seventeen-year-old Marie Sinclair's twin babies and her heart-breaking decision to keep only one of them, leaving the other twin for adoption - to the dramatic edge-of-your-seat climax.In this second novel from the prize-winning Irish author of the best-selling "Belfast Girls", Gerry McCullough has reached a new level of story-telling. McCullough has the gift of knowing just how much to tell her readers, foreshadowing the danger in each of her short, cinematic scenes and then leaving you with bated breath, furiously turning the pages to follow the action in her easy flowing style of literary prose.
Katie Sinclair and Jo-Anne (Annie) Gordon have never met but their destinies are irrevocably entwined. Every scene is filled with action, emotion and danger as we follow the parallel stories of the two girls, both caught up in the clandestine machinations of their lovers - Katie's Declan and Jo-Anne's Steven. And the mysterious and charismatic Rory Carmichael whose charm and appeal Jo-Anne finds increasingly irresistible.
The fear is palpable. I could feel my pulse rate increasing as each scene unfolded. I have no hesitation in recommending this exciting thriller, and in giving it the richly deserved five stars.
Links to Danger Danger:
Second Book.
The Seanachie: Tales of Old Seamus.
A 'lovable rogue', Seamus is an unusual character, with his own eccentric view of what's right and what's wrong - poaching, for instance, is all in a day's work to Seamus. At the same time he is sensitive to those in trouble - or troubled by others - with often the offer of wise advice or even, when he deems it necessary, direct intervention.
The scheming, pushy and unsympathetic get their come-uppence, while the weak and those at wit's end find that things amazingly turn around after all - sometimes with Divine aid, other times a little human help behind the scenes! Something very right and pleasing about this - and I think Seamus would agree.
Not all of the stories involve Seamus personally tweaking events to achieve the desired outcome, but all give the satisfaction of things having worked out properly in the end. I DO have a favourite - The Cuckoo Clock - simply because of the delightful sense of poetic justice it evokes.
The Seanachie: Tales of Old Seamus:
The first collection of twelve short stories featuring Old Seamus, the Seanachie, or in the Irish, storyteller – a lovable rogue from the fictional Donegal village of Ardnakil – whose amusing yarns and escapades are narrated by his old friend, Jamie. Funny, nostalgic, sometimes romantic – Seamus's stories will often bring tears to your eyes – but they may be tears of laughter! These stories were first published in the popular Irish weekly magazine, 'Ireland's Own'.
Review for The Seanachie:
Very satisfying sense of poetic justice!, 6 Feb 2012
By
preciousoil (Northern Ireland) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Seanachie: Tales of Old Seamus (Kindle Edition)
Narrated by his friend, Jamie, this first collection of Gerry McCullough's, 'Tales of Old Seamus,' will have you reading hungrily right to the end. Readers of 'Ireland's Own' have been able to enjoy these stories for several years - but now they are available to everyone. Each story features a different reminiscence from Seamus - the Seanachie in question - and the reader can sample just one at a time, or devour the whole collection in one go.A 'lovable rogue', Seamus is an unusual character, with his own eccentric view of what's right and what's wrong - poaching, for instance, is all in a day's work to Seamus. At the same time he is sensitive to those in trouble - or troubled by others - with often the offer of wise advice or even, when he deems it necessary, direct intervention.
The scheming, pushy and unsympathetic get their come-uppence, while the weak and those at wit's end find that things amazingly turn around after all - sometimes with Divine aid, other times a little human help behind the scenes! Something very right and pleasing about this - and I think Seamus would agree.
Not all of the stories involve Seamus personally tweaking events to achieve the desired outcome, but all give the satisfaction of things having worked out properly in the end. I DO have a favourite - The Cuckoo Clock - simply because of the delightful sense of poetic justice it evokes.
Links:
Thanks heaps for posting this, Soooz!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your encouragement, Ron!
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Gerry! I am so proud of you and Soooz both. You're two of the most succesful indies I know, and both of you deserve it. Keep 'em coming girls.
ReplyDeleteThanks to, Gerry, I have a signed copy of Belfast Girls, which I enjoyed immensely. Also a kindle copy of Danger Danger and her husbands the Whore...
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to sort out popping over to Belfast this year and having a dinner out and a few glasses of red.
All the lady authors I've met in the last few months, and their works, have been top drawer.
Raggsy xx
Tom, you're a diamond, as ever! Hope you'll keep 'em coming too!
ReplyDeleteRags, thanks! Looking forward to our get together, if it works out. All the best with your own Lallapaloosa, out today (and FREE, everyone!).
ReplyDelete