‘He Loves Me Not stayed with me after I read it’

When a writer who has sold millions of copies of her books says she read your latest thriller in a day, that is praise indeed. It’s what happened when Patricia Gibney launched ‘He Loves Me Not’ by Lorraine Murphy at the library in Mullingar last Thursday week.

The million selling author said she was delighted that Lorraine asked her to introduce her latest book: “Lorraine Murphy is one of those gentle, beautiful people who make an impact on you once you meet her, just like her latest book, which we celebrate tonight. He Loves Me Not made an impact on me and stayed with me long after I’d finished it.”

Patricia read the book last month when she was on holiday, “when I usually love to linger over a book because I have the time to do that”.

“But He Loves Me Not grabbed my attention from early on and I finished it in a day. For me as a writer when someone says, I read it in a day, I’m thinking how? It took me months to write. But I recognise that it is testament to good storytelling that grabs the reader and won’t let go until the last page. Lorraine has the gift of storytelling.

“I read a lot, but rarely finish a book in a day, so that tells you just how thrilling He Loves me Not is.”

Patricia told the audience that He Loves Me Not is Lorraine’s third psychological thriller. “And if you haven’t read Into the Woods or Be Careful What You Wish For, now’s the time.”

Thanking Patricia for her remarks, Lorraine said she was trying her luck when she asked her to do the launch: “I never expected the answer to be yes from the author of the number one Irish crime book ‘Her Last Walk Home’ this week, but here we are!”

Moving on with her thanks, Lorraine put the library staff at the top of her list. She said: “They never eye-roll when they see me coming and always make me feel like a real writer.

“Thanks to the family on duty tonight, Brendan, Ben, Anna and Eva, and thanks to you all for coming here on a Thursday evening to help me launch my third book.”

Lorraine gave an overview of her writing background, which began when she led the PR for the national campaign, Our New Ears, continued with articles in local newspapers, and was encouraged at the Inklings Writing Group.

She wrote a book during the Covid-19 pandemic and then found a publisher: “Not for the book I’d written, of course, but for a new story ‘Into the Woods’ about a deaf child who went missing, and set at the diving board on Lough Owel, where I swim with DDL.

“There have been two more books since, one audiobook, one about to be released read by Aoife McMahon, who read normal people and other books by Sally Rooney, Marian Keyes, Sheila O’Flanagan and Cecilia Ahern.

“Thank you so much Patricia. You have been a kind and gracious shining light to me and it means so much to have you launch my book tonight,” Lorraine concluded.

Love-in with local library is mutual

Lorraine Murphy is on the record as saying that Mullingar Library is her favourite place to write; she loves the facility, and reserves the same table each time she goes there for a writing session.

The love-in is mutual, Edel Scally, local history librarian with Westmeath Libraries, told the Westmeath Examiner at the event to launch Lorraine’s book.

Edel, who was MC for the evening, said she and her colleagues at Mullingar Library were delighted to facilitate the launch.

“Lorraine is a phenomenal lady. She is such a huge part of our library here. She has, on numerous occasions, facilitated creative writing courses with us. She’s also been here throughout most of her journey, writing her third book.

“She was on seat number 20, down on the bridge. She would be here for maybe half an hour, or three hours, whatever she can. She was here, she wrote – and she’s just such a lovely person.

“She’s brilliant, and one thing I love about her is the fact that nothing daunts her – if we ask her if she’s available to do something for us, she’ll figure out a way, she’ll work it into her timetable.

“She’s a busy woman; she works, she’s a mother, she’s a wife, she’s a homemaker, she’s working in so many different organisations, works for charities, and yet she still will always try to find time for us.

“And it’s wonderful to have somebody like that. She often says to us that she sees Patricia Gibney as a huge inspiration – to us now, she’s [Lorraine] a huge inspiration.”

Edel made the point that to have one book published is huge, and a lot of writers don’t get past their first. She was the person that actually did it, she said.

“To be asked to write a third book, to be asked to do it – that’s huge. And as I said, she’s like another member of the staff when it comes to things here; she’s absolutely brilliant.”

Edel said that both Patricia [Gibney] and Lorraine [Murphy] use Mullingar and people and events as their inspiration – “it becomes its own world, its own people, its own characters”.

“That is something that both ladies have said to us on numerous occasions, and Patricia reiterated tonight. It’s nice to hear, and it’s nice to see local authors using Mullingar as their inspiration.”

In the conclusion of her remarks, Patricia said: “Being here in Mullingar Library this evening to celebrate Lorraine’s third book is fitting, as Lorraine tells me this is her favourite place to write. And being a writer is not easy. It’s not easy to find the time, the inspiration, the head space, to write or to research.

“So, to have facilities, which are all free, provided by Westmeath Libraries, is a blessing to writers. Long may it continue.”

He Loves Me Not is published with Dublin-based Inkubator Books; it is available at the library, from Just Books and on Amazon.