Latest news with #grief
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Gráinne O'Hare on Belfast's literary boom: ‘It's a city of great storytellers'
Tell us about your first novel, Thirst Trap. Thirst Trap is set in my home city of Belfast . It's about three best friends who live in a crumbling house-share together, still grieving the death of the fourth member of their group a year after her passing. The three women are struggling to move on from the home and the life they all shared together in their 20s. Nights spent partying have become a sort of desperate distraction from their losses and their fears about the future. How did the story evolve as you wrote it? Did it surprise you? The novel sort of grew up alongside me. It started as a patchwork of scenes about Belfast women just going out and about their lives in their mid-20s. The characters got older with each fresh draft of the novel, and as they – and I – approached 30, I finally worked out the story I wanted to tell. The novel isn't anywhere near the same one it would have been if I'd finished it when I was 25, and I'm glad. What or who made you want to be a writer? I grew up loving funny writers – Jane Austen and PG Wodehouse , Victoria Wood and French and Saunders. I started writing because I wanted to capture that kind of humour in my own words. Are you conscious of being part of a new wave of Belfast writers such as Michael Magee, Susannah Dickey, Rachel Connolly, Róisín Lanigan, Aimee Walsh, Wendy Erskine, Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin? Aimee Walsh and I actually met doing an MA at Queen's [University] ; we've been great friends for over a decade and it's such a joy to see our names together as part of a Belfast literary boom. Belfast is a city of great storytellers and it's heartening to see not just a proliferation of Belfast novelists, but the variety and multitudes within everyone's work. READ MORE You've been shortlisted for the Francis MacManus Short Story Competition and the Bridport Prize, and twice came in the top three of the Benedict Kiely Short Story Competition. Duchess is great! Can you see common themes emerging? Looking back on all my short stories, a lot of them have themes of female friendship similar to those in my novel. I also find I write a lot more about fertility, pregnancy , and motherhood in short fiction ( Duchess being one example). Tell us about your PhD on 18th-century women's life-writing at Newcastle University. My research is about the ways in which misogynistic tropes were used in British print media to undermine the Methodist church in the 18th century, and the ways in which Methodist women preachers used memoirs, journals and letters as a platform to argue for the legitimacy of their leadership. I'm not a Methodist but these women were so alive on the page that I wanted to dedicate my research to highlighting their lives and voices. I passed my PhD examination in May, which I'm really proud of. I got to fill in 'Dr Gráinne O'Hare' when I was connecting to free wifi in a pub last week. Delighted. You are media editor of Criticks reviews for the British Society of Eighteenth-Century Studies. Any recommendations? The Great is my favourite 18th century-based series, it's so funny and original. Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) would be my top film recommendations. Which projects are you working on? Right now, I am working on my second novel. Have you ever made a literary pilgrimage? I did recently fulfil a long-term dream of going to Chatsworth House, which was home to Georgiana Cavendish in the 18th century and Debo Mitford in the 20th, as well as being a possible inspiration for Austen's Pemberley. What is the best writing advice you have heard? I always come back to this advice from Stephen King , when he said, 'sometimes you're doing good work when it feels like all you're managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position'. You are supreme ruler for a day. Which law do you pass or abolish? That's a no-brainer. I would legislate for a free Palestine . Which current book, film and podcast would you recommend? Naomi Booth's latest novel Raw Content is one of the best books I've read this year. A recent film I remember really enjoying was The Outrun – Saoirse Ronan can do no wrong. At the moment I'm enjoying a weekly pop-culture podcast called Everything Is Content. The most remarkable place you have visited? The Greggs Champagne Bar. It opens in Newcastle city centre over the Christmas period, you sit and eat a sausage roll with a knife and fork, and there is a £425 bottle of Cristal on the wine list. I would love to know who is pairing that with their steak bake. Which writers, living or dead, would you invite to your dream dinner party? Aimee Walsh and James Conor Patterson – great writers, great craic. Also Nancy Mitford, Carrie Fisher, Evelyn Waugh and Donna Tartt. The best and worst things about where you live? See above: the Greggs Champagne Bar. No, in all seriousness – Newcastle is a beautiful city and the people are great craic. The worst thing is that the crisps are not as nice as they are in Ireland. The English cannot be trusted with potatoes. A book to make me laugh? Reasons to be Cheerful by Nina Stibbe . A book that might move me to tears? I cried at I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue last year. It's a really funny book but I also found it very touching. Thirst Trap is published by Picador
CTV News
5 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
Woman declared dead in bureaucratic nightmare
Vancouver Watch A Vancouver woman grieving the loss of her husband is dealing with a bureaucratic nightmare.
The Sun
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
EastEnders actor and pop star shares heartbreak after losing his beloved brother
AN EASTENDERS actor and pop star has shared his heartbreak after losing his beloved brother. The actor, who is now based in LA and aged 49, joined BBC kids TV as angel-faced Tegs Ratcliffe in 1988. 5 5 5 Responding to the latest Instagram post from the legendary Lewis Capaldi - EastEnders Sean Maguire wrote a heart breaking comment. The actor said: "Lewis been a fan for a while. Don't like talking about this sh***. "But having a tough time just now. Lost my brother six months ago. Holding it together. "But dropped my kids off this morning and played 'someone you loved' and hit differently. Then burst into tears. "I didn't know I needed it. Maybe I did. Had to pull the car over and keep singing and crying. "Thank you for the therapy. Really thank you. You helped me get back up. X" The emotional and heartfelt post comes weeks after Sean announced his brother's death on his own account. The star wrote at the time: "I've struggled to find the words or even choose the pictures for this. "Because it means that it's real but for those who don't already know our beloved brother Darren Maguire passed away on Saturday, 11th January. "He passed away peacefully surrounded by his family. He was a truly remarkable man, friend, son, brother, and father. Inside EastEnders heartthrob Sean Maguire's idyllic family life "He was so loved by everyone that knew him. I'm still in so much shock. "I can barely form a sentence, but I know the world has lost one of its most beloved people and I have lost my best friend. "We love you Darren and we'll never stop loving you. Now go make them laugh and dance heaven." Sean joined BBC kids TV as angel-faced Tegs Ratcliffe in 1988. Yet his character was forced to quit Grange Hill school in 1991 when his step-dad secured a job in Germany. The English-American performer later spent a year in Albert Square as troubled teen Aidan Brosnan. Joining the soap as a 17-year-old in 1993, Sean took on tough storylines focused on homelessness and drug abuse which culminated in a near suicide attempt. While he was stopped from taking his own life by girlfriend Mandy, he blamed her for ruining his life and fled to Ireland. Sean became a pop star after leaving EastEnders, scoring eight top 30 hits including Good Day which peaked at number 12 in the UK. And he joined the cast of Scott & Bailey in 2012. Sean swapped grey Britain for sunny California in 2000 and became a US citizen just in time to vote in the presidential election. His career has gone from strength to strength in the States. He played the lead role in 300 parody Meet The Spartans, starred alongside Kevin Hart in fantasy comedy Krod Mandoon, and took over the part of Robin Hood in ABC's Once Upon A Time. In addition to acting, he also teaches aspiring thespians through his business The Players Conservatory. But most of all Sean is a proud dad of three with his former cop wife Tanya Flynn. 5 5
Daily Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Telegraph
‘Don't want to do it': Jason King's commitment after daughter Jordan Liberty's suicide death
Don't miss out on the headlines from Health. Followed categories will be added to My News. Jason King would give anything to have those difficult, awkward conversations with his daughter. Even the toughest talk is easier than facing the silence of her death. Mr King lost his daughter Jordan Liberty to suicide and while he would prefer to keep his grief to himself, he knows talking about it can save others. Within hours of posting on social media about his plan to make a documentary honouring Jordan, Mr King received a very special message. 'It was from a young person who saw my post just at the right time,' he told 'That person was about to go off social media, delete accounts, preparing for the end but seeing the post stopped it. 'Knowing it has already helped one person is motivating, as hard as it is for me. I really don't want to do it but the more we talk about it, the more we can make change.' Jordan Liberty died by suicide. Now her dad Jason King is making a documentary about it to help others. Mr King said there are so many things he wishes he could go back and say to 18-year-old Jordan. 'I would say I love you, I miss you every day. I'm doing this for you. I'm making this film because your life mattered,' he said. 'I want others to feel the love you couldn't always feel for yourself. You couldn't stay but your story can still help others.' He wishes he could say 'tomorrow will be better' but he knows Jordan must have had many of those better tomorrows, just not enough to keep her alive. The documentary will explore Jordan's journal notes, her friendships, her trials and triumphs. 'The doco is inspired by a desire to find out more about who she was, unpack what happened to her and really focus on how we can find joy and hope in the aftermath of something like this,' said her grieving dad who has learnt to be kind to himself. Jordan was 18. Jordan's dad's documentary will focus on 'who she was'. 'That has meant being sober for the last 18 months,' he said. 'Like so many Australians, especially blokes, I self-medicated in unhealthy ways to try to get through hard times. This increased as I grieved Jordan, and I realised that if I was going to honour her life, make it count, I needed to get real about howI was turning up in my own life. 'The difference has been profound. By being more present and having a better relationship with myself, it has improved all my other relationships, including with my two other children now aged 12 and 15, and the one I now have with Jordan's memory and how I deal with the ongoing grief. It's made the difficult talks I still have to have so much easier.' New research by News Corp's Growth Distillery with Medibank found two thirds of 18- to 30-year-olds say they would find it hard to tell their parents or older close family members that they are struggling with mental wellbeing. For that age group, parents are the number one relationship that they wish they could talk to more, with almost half saying so. Half of all parents of 16- to 30-year-olds said they would find it hard to tell their children they were having challenges or struggling with mental wellbeing. Jason King is making a documentary to help other parents and vulnerable young people. Picture: Adam Edwards He will make sure Jordan's death was not in vain. Mr King says for people living in regional Australia, the problems seem to be amplified. 'Being in a remote area or small town when we lose someone, particularly a young person, it can impact the whole community,' he said. Mr King wants other parents and young people to know it's never too late. He will make sure Jordan's death is not in vain. To support the Jordan Liberty Project visit Originally published as 'Don't want to do it': Jason King's commitment after daughter Jordan Liberty's suicide death
News.com.au
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Don't want to do it': Jason King's commitment after daughter Jordan Liberty's suicide death
Jason King would give anything to have those difficult, awkward conversations with his daughter. Even the toughest talk is easier than facing the silence of her death. Mr King lost his daughter Jordan Liberty to suicide and while he would prefer to keep his grief to himself, he knows talking about it can save others. Within hours of posting on social media about his plan to make a documentary honouring Jordan, Mr King received a very special message. 'It was from a young person who saw my post just at the right time,' he told 'That person was about to go off social media, delete accounts, preparing for the end but seeing the post stopped it. 'Knowing it has already helped one person is motivating, as hard as it is for me. I really don't want to do it but the more we talk about it, the more we can make change.' Mr King said there are so many things he wishes he could go back and say to 18-year-old Jordan. 'I would say I love you, I miss you every day. I'm doing this for you. I'm making this film because your life mattered,' he said. 'I want others to feel the love you couldn't always feel for yourself. You couldn't stay but your story can still help others.' He wishes he could say 'tomorrow will be better' but he knows Jordan must have had many of those better tomorrows, just not enough to keep her alive. The documentary will explore Jordan's journal notes, her friendships, her trials and triumphs. 'The doco is inspired by a desire to find out more about who she was, unpack what happened to her and really focus on how we can find joy and hope in the aftermath of something like this,' said her grieving dad who has learnt to be kind to himself. 'That has meant being sober for the last 18 months,' he said. 'Like so many Australians, especially blokes, I self-medicated in unhealthy ways to try to get through hard times. This increased as I grieved Jordan, and I realised that if I was going to honour her life, make it count, I needed to get real about howI was turning up in my own life. 'The difference has been profound. By being more present and having a better relationship with myself, it has improved all my other relationships, including with my two other children now aged 12 and 15, and the one I now have with Jordan's memory and how I deal with the ongoing grief. It's made the difficult talks I still have to have so much easier.' New research by News Corp's Growth Distillery with Medibank found two thirds of 18- to 30-year-olds say they would find it hard to tell their parents or older close family members that they are struggling with mental wellbeing. For that age group, parents are the number one relationship that they wish they could talk to more, with almost half saying so. Half of all parents of 16- to 30-year-olds said they would find it hard to tell their children they were having challenges or struggling with mental wellbeing. Mr King says for people living in regional Australia, the problems seem to be amplified. 'Being in a remote area or small town when we lose someone, particularly a young person, it can impact the whole community,' he said. Mr King wants other parents and young people to know it's never too late. He will make sure Jordan's death is not in vain.
