Shauna Mc Eleney: A Loving Tribute to Ireland

Born in county Donegal, Ireland, Shauna is a true Irishwoman through and through! She went to university in Northern Ireland studying English Lit, where, by her own admittance she was a terrible student who wasted lots of good reading time! After her degree, she then moved to Galway on Ireland’s West coast. Despite taking some time to travel, Shauna’s heart belonged to Galway, so she moved back to get her master’s in film and stayed for 15 years before moving to the UK where she now lives with her partner.

Shauna was gracious enough to sit down with me today, though that might have had something to do with the quality spuds I picked up at the local super, to discuss her journey into the world of horror writing!

Q: Who has been your biggest supporter(s) throughout your writing career?

A: Probably my partner, Nat. She writes as TC Parker and has pushed me kicking and screaming to complete anything. My parents have also been really supportive which is why I dedicated my first book to them.

Q: What does it mean to you to be an author?

A: Sharing stories, for one, but mainly telling the stories I’d want to read. I have LGBT characters because they represent me, or an aspect of me. This was missing from books I read growing up, and representation really does matter.

Q: What is your writing process like? Do you listen to music, snack, make loads of phone notes when inspiration randomly strikes, etc.?

A: Chaotic. I pantsed Awake in the Night completely; literally didn’t always know how a paragraph would end. I don’t recommend that! I have tried to plot my new book, but I find it really hard to do that – I just want to get straight into it. I don’t snack or listen to music when I write, but I do take lots (too many) of breaks.

Q: Is there a genre or subgenre that you want to explore that you haven’t yet? Conversely, are there any that you’ll never write?

A: I would love to write comedy. I’ve written some comedic scripts in the past. I thought they were funny; the BBC did not agree. There might be a comedy horror in my future. I also, conversely, fancy writing a kitchen sink drama. Maybe a day in the life of one female character where she goes through a life changing event. I’m not sure there’s anything I definitely wouldn’t write. Maybe a straight romance 🤣

Q: What has been the hardest part of your career as an author so far?

A: Marketing and marketing. I hate it. It’s hard to talk about your own book all the time. I’m an indie author and beating your own drum constantly is exhausting, and sometimes a bit boring. Battling people’s perceptions about self-published books has also been challenging. I work hard on my books; they have editors, and the covers are never (and will never be) AI generated. I have seen as many errors in traditionally published books than in most good self-published.

Q: What do you consider to be your greatest strength and weakness as an author?

A: Weakness is definitely lack of planning and structure around writing time. I have to make myself finish stories because sometimes when I’ve thought it out in my head, I regard it as ‘done.’ Turns out, I have to write it down, too.

Strengths, I’m not sure. I think I write characters well. I try to make them real people. Too often, I read amazing plots with characters I don’t care about. I much prefer a more simplistic story written about people that feel genuine.

Q: At some point in our lives, we’ve all heard the negative comments: You’re not good enough.” “You’ll never make it.” “This is the worst thing I’ve ever seen.” “You don’t belong.” How do you move forward when faced with negativity?

A: Ignore it. Readers’ opinions are untouchable, so just let it go. I’ve been lucky so far, but I have had some Goodreads reviews that have been very frustrating. Mostly about spelling “mistakes” from American readers. I’m an Irish author and the book is set in Ireland – if someone says something is ‘aul’ instead of ‘old’ it’s not an error, it’s how people speak here. It’s deliberate.

I didn’t say that I was good at letting it go!

Q: What advice would you give to women who are wanting to write, especially if it’s something others might perceive as “outside of the norm”?

A: I would say, do it! Go for it! There is too much norm. Horror needs more diverse voices, and I can’t wait to hear yours. Write what you want to read.

Shauna’s new book, Where the Bluebells Lie, comes out in May! This story is told in two timelines: Maggie in 2023 coming home to Ireland to take care of her father and Maggie’s mother, Laura, in 1993 dealing with a broken marriage while a serial killer prowls the streets. While Maggie takes care of her father, something sinister is stalking the streets, and it’s not long before the killings start up once again. Heavily influenced by Irish folklore and true crime podcasts, Shauna brings back her signature style and beautifully written sapphic characters with Where the Bluebells Lie. This honestly sounds so good, and I’m officially putting my name at the top of the list for preorders once it’s finished!

If you’re looking for something to read while you wait for Shauna’s new release, check out “dark, funny, and inventive” To Coventry, TC Parker’s latest release, or “beautifully written with a badass, strong female lead” The Haar by David Sodergren. Also check out her suggested favoured authors: Paula D. Ashe, Laurel Hightower, Sonora Taylor, Tananarive Due, Catherine McCarthy, Sara Tantlinger, Samantha Kolesnik, TC Parker, and CJ Tudor.

To support Shauna directly, Awake in the Night is on sale for $0.99 on Amazon all week to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. You can also check out her website and follow her on Instagram, so you don’t miss out on any updates!