Renowned crime writer Patricia Gibney comes to Longford for Granard Booktown Festival

Granard Booktown is more than just a local festival. Its international dimension sees writers and readers flocking to Granard from as far away as the USA.

There is still a strong local focus and a heavy presence of Irish writers. Patricia Gibney is a crime fiction author who's trip to Granard will be less arduous than most.

Hailing from Mullingar, Westmeath her debut novel, The Missing Ones, was published by London based digital publisher, Bookouture, in March 2017.

To date there are thirteen Detective Lottie Parker books published in the series as ebook, Print On Demand, and audio. The Lottie Parker series has over two million sales.

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“I was approached by John Connell," Patricia told the Leader, “He emailed me and said he'd like to have me at the festival. So I said yes, great. Granard has become one of the prime book festivals in the country. And I'm really excited to be involved.”

In its first year the Granard Booktown Festival created a strong sense of identity. There is a combination of structure and informality that has made it an instant winner for all who attend.

Patricia's contribution takes place in Granard Library: “Anne Griffin, who also lives in Mullingar, is interviewing me. We're together on stage, and will chat about what we do and how we do it.”Those in attendance will also get to hear how Patricia passed the two million book sales: “I'm published digitally by Bookouture .They're a London-based digital publisher. So my books initially come out as an e-book, an audio book, with a certain number of print on demand. As it is digital, you get an international audience. Your book is available at the press of a button.”

Patricia regularly appears in the list of best sellers: “I have 13 books published as e-book and audio books. Ten have been published in Ireland as paperbacks. The most recent one, Little Bones, spent six weeks on the Irish bestsellers.”Although the publishing model is not as lucrative as people may think, Patricia has enjoyed phenomenal success: “I'm really lucky that my books actually took off. The Missing Ones sold 100,000 copies in the first few months. I was more surprised than anybody.”

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Anyone who has listened to Patricia's audiobooks will note a consistency: “I've had the same narrator on all of my books, Michelle Moran. Though London-based she's actually from County Meath.

”The programme for the discussion is not set in stone and Patricia says the audience will have an input into what develops: “Broadly speaking we'll talk about writing.

At the festival you will have readers and you will have writers.I'll talk about how I came to writing. We'll cover topics interesting to the writers and the readers in the audience. I'll also talk about my books and particularly the most recent one, Little Bones.”

Patricia Gibney in discussion with Anne Griffin will take place in the Library, Granard on April 20. book tickets for any Booktown event online.