Beginner's Pluck: 'I wrote books but I never thought I could be a writer'

Karen O'Connor's debut, 'Meeting Mae', is a heartfelt novel about friendship, choices, and secrets.

Karen O'Connor author

A quiet, sensitive child, Karen got a typewriter for her eighth birthday, and later, wrote a book for her family.

“But I never thought I could be a writer,” she says.

Karen became a mother at 17 — and instead of taking up her college place, took a Fás course in electronics.

“I worked for Intel for three or four years, then took a secretarial course and did various administrative jobs. One in a beauty school.”

That led to holistic work in massage therapy and aromatherapy.

“Then I got into childcare and ran a pre-school for a few years. So I’ve always been learning and evolving.”

Karen had continued to write for herself, and in her 30s started having small reflective pieces published in Ireland’s Own magazine.

“Then I decided to write a book.” She wrote two but having received countless rejections took a creative writing course in Maynooth. 

Citing mentor John McKenna, she says: “That was mind-blowing. I learned skills and met people with the same dream.” Karen has now written several novels, but always kept returning to the first, Meeting Mae.

Who is Karen O’Connor?

Date of birth: 1975 in Dublin.

Education: Palmerstown Community School. Maynooth University.
Creative writing for Publication. “And I’m starting an MA in Applied Spirituality at SETU. (South East Technological University.)”

Home: Leixlip, Kildare. “But Palmerstown is my real home.”

Family: Daughters Rachel, 31, Aoife 19 and Orlaith 17.

A grandchild, Odin 4. Dog Reggie

The day job: “I work as a freelance writer in property administration.”

In another life: “I come from a musical family and as a kid wanted to be a singer. But I was too shy.”

Favourite writers: Brené Brown; Eckhart Tolle; Liane Moriarty; Cecelia Ahern; Fredrik Backman; Sebastian Barry; Maeve Binchy.

Second book: “I’m two-thirds the way through. I’ve a three-book deal.”

Top tip: Just keep going. “I sit down five or six days a week.”

Website: www.karenoconnorwriter.com 

Instagram: @koconnor75

The debut

Meeting Mae. Poolbeg Press: €16.99 / Kindle: €2.31.

Desperate for a third child, Susan Quinn is struggling with fertility treatment when she befriends Mae — a lonely older neighbour. 

They tell each other secrets, but Susan oversteps.

The Verdict: A heartfelt novel about friendship, choices, and secrets.