About
My roots go back to a small estate deep in the Mountains of Mourne, near the Silent Valley, in County Down, Northern Ireland. This is the view from the back window of the farm house:
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The meadow and the ring of trees
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I went to school in Dublin, drank way too much, studied English and history, then business, then IT at Oxford University. While a student, I worked as a kitchen porter in a club near the Bank of England.
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A few years later I was announced into the main bar at the House of Commons. I was in the company of a famous Chelsea supporter. The champagne was flowing. After that I spent ten years working in the City of London, the creaking hub of world finance. I met my wife in London and we had some great years there. Soon after our daughter was born we came back to Dublin. That was in the year 2000.
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I was first published by a school newspaper when I was ten, for a short story about aliens getting lost. The Istanbul Puzzle was my first novel to be published (Jan 2012), The Jerusalem Puzzle my second (Jan 2013), and The Manhattan Puzzle will be my third (Oct 2013).
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In 2007 I won the Outstanding Novel Submitted award at the Southern California writer’s conference. I flew back to Ireland on cloud 999. It wasn’t about the money. There wasn’t any. It was about knowing I was on the right track. I missed the award ceremony and only found out after it was over that the agents and editors attending had picked me out of over 300 unpublished novels submitted. The Istanbul Puzzle was the novel they had chosen. The same novel was shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of 2012, five years later.
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I am a member of the UK Crime Writer’s Association, the Society of Authors, the Irish Writing Centre, two “live” writing groups in Dublin and online writing communities in England and the States. My research has taken me all over the world, from San Francisco to deep in the Arab world. And I still enjoy looking at the stars and listening to the stories of strangers.
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What keeps you going?
I know it’s a cliche, but I dreamed of becoming a writer when I was a child telling adventure stories to friends on my street. Two of those friends committed suicide before they reached the age of 21. Ireland was a place of repression, secrets and shame back then. It still is. I dedicate my writing to their memory.
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When I’m not writing or looking after my family or at the gym you can find me walking on the beach if it’s summer, and if it’s not, in the wooded hills around Dublin listening to the forest. And
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What books would you like to have written?
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The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly From the very first page you are drawn in by the author’s insight in to the world of law in LA. Michael’s alluring voice and the ever present sense that something is about to happen keep you reading right to the end.
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River God, by Wilbur Smith, creates an enthralling world and pulls the reader forward relentlessly, making you want to know, now, what happens next.
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The Blue Zone by Andrew Gross takes you on a journey like a car moving at 200 miles an hour, with you strapped in the back seat as the road unfurls in front of you, twisting and turning.
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And my motto? Not All Who Wander Are Lost – Níl gach uile fhánaí caillte
hi would you be interested to write a book on – the life of an indian in the middl east – relating to the migrant work force which sweated and built the middle east of now, total story of an indian ordinary man, his entry, work,living and earing, and so on and on….
if you have not been to this part of the world, then you should – Bahrain invites u
contact
It sounds like you must have written some very intriguing pieces. I would also like to write a historical novel. You’re doing great and keep at it!
Thanks Nicole..wishing you well…Lp
Impressive blog. I’ll look out for your books. Wished I had your drive. I’m dreaming to much
Thanks Ashen…it’s been a long time coming…no easy road, unfortunately, but persistence pays off in the end.
Like that …
I’m technically challenged, but learned a lot through having a book on authonomy. My second reply – Like that – leads to my website. If you can spare the time …
Btw, I really appreciate your sharing of the books that helped your writing skills. Thanks
Hi…I liked your web site Courseofmirrors. It’s well laid out, clean, great design. Wishing you well with your books.
Hey Laurence,
Congratulations for your publishing deal! And thanks for the follow on twitter, mainly because it lead me to your site where I received a good boost of inspiration.
In my relatively short life as a writer (months of hard work compared to your years) I’ve reached peaks of creativity and hit deep caverns of darkness. It is a wild emotional ride as you no doubt know yourself. I wouldn’t change it of course. Reading through your website has been a wonderful breath of salty sea air to waken my creative senses to strive on.
I’m looking forward to reading ‘The Istanbul Puzzle’.
Wishing you much success!
Thanks Jack, your comments greatly appreciated. I loved your web site, so right, so easy to read, such beautiful images and ideas. The emotional ride never ends, I must tell you, but this is the road that will take you places you might not even dream about.
This road is The Fulfillment Road. It heads up for a long stretch, then goes over a small hill and heads up, steeper again, towards the mountains in the distance. Stay as near the track as you can & good luck. See you over the next hill!
Hi Laurence P. O’Bryan,
Noted you have chosen to follow me on Twitter (seldom go there, time restraints), so I have chosen to follow you. I will get some of your work, sounds like I am destined to become a fan of your work.
Best regards,
Michael Phelps
Hi Michael….many thanks…my first doesn’t come out until January 19….but it will be on ebook then…you can order from Amazon already…look for The Istanbul Puzzle and I’d love to have you as a reader…No 2 will be The Jerusalem Puzzle..that should make a buzz!
Great to hear from you and all the best to sunny Florida!
I like your site and admire your professionalism. It’s not enough to write a book; the major part is finding readers. I set up Writers Readers Direct, an ebook publisther/bookstore, to help midlist writers who are no longer being taken on by traditional print publishers to reach readers who appreciate their work. I’m taking the site off the air for the moment as I’ve fallen foul of an outfit which sets traps for heffalumps. I was a heffalump. Be warned should you be invited to register with the World Business Guide – don’t sign anything!
Hi Susan,
Many thanks for your kind words. I have fallen into a few traps in my time. I wish you well digging your way out and hope all is good soon.
L
I have pre-orderd your novel, now which one would you suggest i start with as Ive never read anything by your good self before.
regards ray
Ray,
Many thanks for pre-ordering. This is my first published novel. I’ve been writing for 12 years and finally Harper Collins agreed to publish a series. The second will come out January 2013 and the third, with a fair wind, January 2014.
Wishing you well and safe and I hope you enjoy The Istanbul Puzzle when it reaches you a little after Jan 19.
You’ll also receive a txt with a clue around that time and details on other events.
Kind regards….and welcome on board!
Laurence O’Bryan
Hi Laurence,
Have enjoyed reading your blog and have posted a link to it at
http://www.canterburybooks.co.uk/web-sites
Let me know if you have any feed back about your entry on the above page.
Best regards,
Mike
Mike,
Many thanks for your comment and for listing me. All the best with everything.
Laurence
Hi Larry,well done,it’s just the sort of novel I love to read and I shall look out for it in our local Waterstones,best wishes from your cousin Mike Jago in Hampshire!
Hi Mike….many thanks for your kind words. It should be everywhere in the UK, but if you ask in Waterstones they might be encouraged to place it in a good position!
All the best to you and your family for 2012!
Laurence
So enjoying the Istanbul Puzzle – thank you
So glad to hear it. And thank you for taking the time to let me know. Truly appreciated.
Laurence,
Just finished your book. Excellent. Apart from being a great way to spend a few enjoyable hours over a number of days, I liked the tourist information about your Summer 2011 visit to Istanbul…..It’s definitely fired up my interest in visiting this historic city..
Good luck with your next novel and may I wish you and your family health and happiness…
beir bua agus ádh mór,
Cathal1958
Cathal,
Many thanks for getting in touch. It is an amazing city. I really appreciate all your comments.
The next one should be good too.
The Jerusalem Puzzle!
Beir bua agus beannacht,
Laurence
Dear Laurence:
Thanks for offering to follow me on Twitter. I’d be happy to send you a copy of The Mule Tamer if you’d have it. Let me know,
John
http://www.themuletamer.com/index.html
Dear Laurence: What a vivid picture you draw here! I loved this self description. Thank you for connecting with me @CinemaProfound on Twitter. I’m really looking forward to your tweets and to getting better acquainted.
I’ve seen this Diana in my favourite museum – Paris’ Louvre.
Laurence, hi! We’ve been following each other on Twitter for a while but it’s nice to put a blog to a name, thanks for following mine back! I too spent some time at Oxford (reading politics rather than IT, though, and I’m still technologically challenged as a result!) and… weird stuff! My first story (about age 10) was called “The ITs from Jupiter” about some aliens who … got lost on earth, and found with the help of some kids (one of them being me, obviously). Very nice to make your blogquaintance!
Nicky,
Very nice of you to pop over to comment. That is a real coincidence about our alien stories. Did you watch Dr Who? I think that was a seminal influence on me anyway.
Good luck with Sophie’s Turn. It sounds very interesting. All the best. L
Hi again! No, I didn’t watch Dr. Who, I don’t think it was on in Germany then, or if it was, it passed me by. But I was very much in love with a cartoon character by the name of Captain Future and **he** had a seminal influence on me… Thanks for your good wishes and likewise! Look forward to keeping up to date with your blog. X
Hi Laurence and thanks for the follow on twitter (#WTSNF) my twitter account is another arm of my website which is a great resource for writers of all types and abilities. You can have a look at what’s on offer by clicking on my name on the left. I urge anybody who is currently on a project, thinking about a project or just plain stuck to stop by. There is plenty to get your juices flowing and a lot of resources, many of which are free.
Hi Laurence, just finished the ‘Istanbul Puzzle’ and loved it. Bought it months ago during a 5h flight delay in Gatwick mainly because I want to visit Istanbul. What luck! Haven’t made it to Turkey yet but even more determined now! Looking forward to the ‘Jerusalem Puzzle’…. Keep writing!
Geraldine, many thanks for getting in touch. So glad you liked it. I think you will like The Jerusalem Puzzle too! All the best from Dublin. L
Albania. Nobody knows anything about Albania, except that Mother Theresa was born there, and they once had a Guinness record-holding (in the field of chain-smoking) King called Zog. And most people don’t even know that. Yet there it is, slap bang in the middle of Europe, a mystery all by itself. Edward Lear passed through it, on one of his tours, but I don’t think there’ve been many updates since…
Sorry – that last was meant to be a suggestion for the next Mystery – internet connection failed and returned me to the previous page…
Thanks Anastasia!
O zot e di cdo të thotë pas…
Një mijë vjet në sytë e tu janë një ditë
Një ditë është një cast
Një cast është një njemijë vjetë
Ku hëna është një tjetër shtëpi!
by Nexhat Hakiu
Albanian poetry sounds good to me!
Albania is now officially on the list of possibles!
Laurence
I think I might like Albanian poetry almost as much as I like Polish poetry – which is a lot. I don’t know if one can get treatment for it… Anyhow, did you know that the name of Albania in Albanian – shqiperia, if I’m not wrong – is a pun? Meaning, not only “Land of the Eagles” (very beautiful, very Balkan), but “the people who understand each other”. No wonder they’re acing the poetry…
Great post.
Hey Laurence, I hope to attend your talk on the 26th in the writers centre. I am hoping to pick up some tips on how to promote my book and to hear some stories about the trials and tribulations of a successful Irish author
I look forward to meeting you Larry.
Hi Laurence, thanks for following me on Twitter. I like your site and have bookmarked it.
I have published Spate of Violence on Amazon Kindle books but there is currently a hitch with the Amazon.com site, hope they fix it soon.
Congratulations on your success. I’ve been writing for years, was one of the winners of the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair competition in 2012 with FREEFALL and am currently looking for an agent as the one who signed me on at the time closed down the business a few months ago.
You’ve given me a much-needed boost with your success story. I’ll be buying both your novels in the next day or so.