We sat down with Irish fantasy author Claire Wright to learn about the books that made her.
What are you reading at the moment, Claire?
Currently reading The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue and I’m completely hooked. I already know it’s going to occupy my mind well after I finish it.
How do you feel when you see your new book, Realms of Trials and Trickery, on a shop shelf?
I’m almost embarrassed because I don’t know how to handle how proud I am seeing my books out in the real world. It’s a privilege I may never get used to.
How long did it take to pen this book?
My latest one took a year to write. It’s a sequel so the characters and world were like returning home after an extended holiday.
What is the first book you remember loving?
Under The Hawthorn Tree by Marita Conlon-McKenna was the first book that made a significant impact on me. As a child I was equally fascinated and disturbed by the idea that the unspeakable hardships and suffering of the Great Famine could have happened to children like myself.
A book that changed your life?
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black was the first fantasy book I read as an adult, making me fall back in love with the genre. I’d been attempting to write a contemporary thriller at the time and reading about faerie courts and betrayals was like an epiphany. This was the type of book I wanted to write. Once I came up with my Irish fantasy concept, it finally felt like I was writing something I’d want to read. There’s still a crime to solve in book one, but with the added whimsy of magic intertwined.
A book that got you through a hard time?
The Throne of Glass series was a comfort reread for me during a particularly difficult period. I couldn’t face reading anything new so I found it therapeutic. Although these books are fantastical, they deal with real issues like loss and grief in a way I resonated with at the time.
A plot you wish you’d thought up?
The Red Wedding scene in George R.R. Martin’s A Storm of Swords is utterly iconic.
A book that should be on every shelf?
I find this difficult to answer because I’m a book collector! Pride and Prejudice holds a special place in my heart and I have a few copies on my shelf.
A book you listened to on Audible and loved?
Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson. I love witchy books but the fact that Nicola Coughlan narrated it made it even better.
An author you admire?
Holly Black is a genius at creating tough heroines with real human flaws. Her world-building is completely immersive with plots that make you feel a sense of foreboding at every page turn.