Book Review for

 

MURPHY’S TROUBLES

By

Rex Owens

 

Propelled by insatiable grief, patriotism, and youthful naivety into a decades-long double life, a popular Irish author’s secret ties to the Irish Republican Army finally implode in Murphy’s Troubles, Rex Owen’s soulful political thriller.

A Catholic from far southern Ireland, Ian Murphy joins the IRA after the violent death of his childhood friend, an IRA volunteer fighting to liberate Northern Ireland from British rule.

But after thirty years of living as both a best-selling novelist and the secret author of an infamous IRA training manual and other published IRA propaganda, Ian’s dual existence is upended by family tragedy and a lover’s betrayal.

Some of the story’s most wrenching scenes come as Ian’s lover, a married, aggressively professional, award-winning newspaper journalist, stumbles upon his secret and must weigh whether to share it with the world. The couple’s subsequent confrontation, in a dank pub cellar, is rawly emotive. 

Emotions run deep, in fact, throughout the story, as Ian deals with other deaths, the accidental maiming of his young niece in an IRA bombing, the demise of his affair and bitter recognition of the role he has played in the IRA-related deaths of thousands of people. His tortured existence is further complicated by an increasing propensity to drown his sorrows in alcohol.

Ian’s struggles, however, lead him to chart a new course, working for peace rather than violent confrontation. Love – and love lost – can cloud our minds but can also clarify, is the message.

The story charts the characters’ motivations for setting their lives on a particular course, the hard choices they must make to stay on that path or divert from it, the courage required to do either, and the repercussions of it all.

Owens does his homework, offering a credibly researched, albeit fictionalized, primer on the IRA and its place in Irish history. Historical context is woven into the novel in a clear, concise way that will appeal to readers in and outside of Ireland, including those only marginally familiar with the country’s politics and past.

The novel could have been improved by clarifying one key point in the plot’s chronology, a scene early on in which Ian, in despair after his niece is injured, crashes his car into a British barricade. Owens places enough importance on this explosive crash to lead the novel with it. But did it occur before or after his lover’s betrayal? That’s never clearly stated, even in careful retracing of the text. Recapping this scene by coming fully back to it, rather than leaving its place in the overall course of events to the reader’s imagination, would have brought the story full circle and might have lent important context to Ian’s mindset.

This omission isn’t fatal, however, to this otherwise excellently researched and well-penned, deeply human story about life-changing decisions, reverberations and the potential for renewal.

-Inkspots Reviews

Author Discussion, Book Reading and Book Signing 

ARCADIA BOOKSTORE

Sunday - May 11, 2014

2:00 p.m.

102 E. Jefferson Streeet
Spring Green, WI

http://www.readinutopia.com

I’ve always been a person that need a carrot out in front me, like a reluctant horse, to get me to move along.  My wife likes to say I’m goal oriented.  That’s kind but the truth is that without something to grasp for I fall into lethargy.

Earlier this year I gave myself the goal of finishing the first draft of my second novel.  I knew, in general, what I wanted to write but I was plagued by the lack of a writing routine and a concrete idea of what meant in daily work.

I decided that “second novel” was too vague.  I felt comfortable with writing about 80,000 words in MURPHY’S TROUBLES, so I made that my goal for the second novel.  Next, I needed a specific target to aid it, 2014 for completion was too vague too.

For no particular reason, I decided I wanted to finish the very ROUGH draft by November 30th.  My previously shapeless goal was not taking on a real form.  For years I have used a seven day week as my work unit.  I learned a method based on a Stephen Covey book to set a goal that needed to be completed in a week, and then figure out what needed to be done to meet that goal.  The last step was to create blocks of time to work on the tasks that would result in a completed goal.

To write 80,000 words by November 30th would mean slugging out about 1700 words a week. Unfortunately, I had false starts the in January and February and part of March, meaning I now had only 38 weeks to write my 80,000 word novel.  I need to write about 2100 words a week to make my goal.  Now that’s something you can bite your teeth into.

I purchased a big white board calendar and put my week goal in large numbers at the top.   Each day I write on the board how many words I’ve written.  To date, I’ve cranked out over 18,000 words a week, about double my goal!

Shizam!  It’s working.  I’m now confident that I’ll make my goal, I can relax. My creativity and imagination are in high gear and I’m enjoying the writing without stress.  That’s the POWER of a goal.

           

Growing up my Mom worked at home.  She had a set weekly routine that varied very little.  Mondays were washing.  Tuesdays were ironing.  Wednesdays were for vacuuming.  Thursdays were for special projects like cleaning windows, polishing silver, dusting etc.  Fridays were for sewing.  Saturdays were for grocery shopping and all other forms of commerce.  Sundays, except preparing dinner after church, were for resting.

This organized, orderly life made me a person that appreciates routine and cleanliness.  Some have called be fastidious but that’s someone else’s judgment.  I know what makes me comfortable.  As I’ve grown older I must admit that my standards for housecleaning have become lax, or more flexible might be more accurate.  My office isn’t tidy but everything has a place and I depend on that to find things when I want them.  About once or twice a year I do a cleaning and toss out what’s not been used in several months.

Unlike my Mom, I don’t have a routine.  I’ve come to practice ‘just in time cleaning’.  There’s minimum amount of house cleaning that my WASP upbringing demands.  However, dust balls have grown in the living room, the duster doesn’t see the light of day often and the vacuum doesn’t leave the closet very often.

 I have developed the demand model for cleaning, which is my confession.  We invite people over for a meal or some other social event and to prepare for their visit the house gets a thorough cleaning.  I’m lucky that my wife and I divide the chores based on what we can each tolerate.  I clean bathrooms for instance and either vacuum or steam clean floors.  My wife dusts, organizes the kitchen and makes sure the living room is comfortable and presentable.

How many of you wait until company is coming over to clean your house?  It’s ok.   

One good reason to attend local writer’s conferences and writer’s programs is to build community.  Through the Madison Writers’ Institute I met Valerie Biel.  We write in completely different genres, Valerie writes for teens and tweens, I write adult fiction.  We have in common a keen interest in Celtic culture and we have both traveled to Ireland with our families.  Valerie was one person I sent both my book cover and my back of book blurb to when I was developing them for publication.  Of more than ten people I sent materials to, Valerie to the time to make significant suggestions for improvement to my back of book blurb.  Her suggestions went “click” with me and I incorporated them into what is now my back of book blurb.

Last week Valerie went live with her website:  www.valeriebiel.com.  She has worked with her website designer for over a year and had very specific elements she insisted be included in the site.  For example, there is a butterfly at the top of the site that mimics flight.  There is also a centipede to click into for fun facts and activities about the Amazon.  Her photographs are lush and give a glimpse of both Ireland and the Amazon.

Valerie’s first young adult novel, CIRCLE OF NINE – BELTANY is due for launch this summer.  The page on her website provides a stunning synopsis and she shares her inspiration for the story.  It’s clear from her inspiration that Valerie thinks like an author.

I admit, by comparison, my website, is static and not as visually appealing.  Mine also doesn’t include all the social media links that Valerie has incorporated.  Mine is a DIY site, while Valerie’s is professionally designed by MediaNet.  Please visit www.valeriebiel.com and treat yourself to a profound experience.  

On April 4-6 the UW Madison held its’ 25th Annual Writers’ Institute.  I have been attending the Institute each year since 1997 so this was my 18th year.  Last year I was honored to participate on the Success Panel to share with attendees my experience publishing articles with The Writer Magazine.

This year I was able to sell my debut novel, MURPHY’S TROUBLES, at the mid-day Book Sale on Saturday.  Imagine having over 300 writers look over your book and considering buying it.  The room was huge for the Book Sale, with 45 authors competing for sales.

Initially I was asked to share a 24”round table with another author.  He hauled out two 8 ½ x 11 plaques and three books and placed them on the table, leaving me no room for my books and book marks.  I tried asking politely to have him display one book and one placard.  He didn’t budge.  Then I demanded that he remove all but one placard and one book.  He grunted and complied.

Before I turf war worsened he was moved to his own table.  I brought only 10 books to sell, expecting to sell none.  I didn’t have a fancy display, just my books and some book marks.  People passed by without saying a word and making direct eye contact didn’t work to gain their attention.

Next, as people passed by I offered them a book mark.  The book mark is a replica of my book cover and people would begin to read the back of the blurb on the book mark.  I then handed them a book suggesting it would be easier to read.  It worked.  When a person read the blub, it leads to questions and soon we were engaged in a lively conversation.

Competing against 45 other authors, some famous like Michael Perry, I sold 5 books.  I also talked with very interesting people who shared their experiences of traveling in Ireland with me.  One woman shared the story of how she was trapped in Northern Ireland with her parents because the border was closed at night.

Meeting other authors, hearing life stories and selling a few books, it doesn’t get any better.

Sixty-three years ago today I appeared in our world, several weeks early, tiny and underweight.  It wasn’t that I was unexpected; I just chose my own time and thought April Fools’ Day would be a momentous start.  I languished in the hospital in a private room for about a week before I was allowed to be taken home.  I was spoiled from the first day.

When I tell people my birthday is April 1st, they ask:  “Really?”  Would I make that up?  Growing up all my friends played pranks on me on my birthday.  I was naive and fell for their pranks year after year.  I learned to laugh at myself and that has been a valuable lesson throughout my life.   I used to be reluctant to tell people my birthday is April 1st but those days have faded into history.

Many well known folks have been born on April 1st including:  William Manchester, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Lon Chaney and Wallace Berry to name a few you may recognize.  They have in common a life in the arts.  I made my debut into the arts by publishing my debut novel, Murphy’s Troubles, in November 2013.   I am fortunate that the third act of my life that is creative, imaginative, expressive and fulfilling.

The origin of April Fools’ Day is shrouded in mystery and intentional misdirection.  It really doesn’t matter.  We have one day out of 365 devoted to humor, pranks, joviality, jokes,   and hoaxes.  I believe the world would be a better place if we had a few more April Fools’ Days. 

Recently I heard a report on NPR about reading in America.  Since I was driving while listening to the report I wasn't confident I heard what I thought I did.  So, in the week the world wide web turned 25, I searched on Google for "reading statistics."

This is what I found:
    - Percent of U.S. high school grads who will never read a book after high school               33%

    - Percent of college students who will never read a book after they graduate                     42%

    - Total percentage of U.S. families who  did not buy a book in 2013                                 80%

Fortunately, several weeks ago I met with a local book club to discuss my novel, Murphy's Troubles.  I was invited to attend their discussion and was even asked to lead the discussion.  I prepared background material on Ireland, talked about my path to write and publish the book and then prepared a series of questions to spark discussion.

Two members of the group had traveled to Ireland and two others had Irish heritage.  I asked the members to be frank with me because that's how I grow as a writer.  They were frank but not unkind.  I was surprised how some of the club members reacted to various characters in the novel. We talked together for just over two hours.

As an author there is nothing better than sharing the experience of your book with readers.  The data shows we are not a book reading nation, however, there are enclaves of book clubs that maintain a fierce devotion to books whether hard copy, trade paperback or ebooks.

It's generally accepted that during the Dark Ages Irish monks saved the knowledge of Europe by copying and maintainng books.  Book clubs are keeping reading and discourse alive and well and by doing so saving the world.

Self-Publishing in the Digital Age
Plus a short Reading from Murphy's Troubles
by
Rex Owens
7:00 p.m. Wednesday March 19, 2014
Beans n Cream Coffeehouse
345 Cannery Square, Sun Prairie, WI

I am working on my second novel and having a bad time of it.  Writing my second novel some days I feel like Sisyphus.  My first novel took fourteen years to write and I worked on in in bits and pieces with UW-Madison Writer's Institute classes; UW-Madison's Weekend with your novel; , UW-Madison's critique groups; and, UW-Madison's Writers by the Lake.  I did it this way because I was still in the work-a-day world and used these special classes to devote myself to writing in short, intense bursts of learning, energy and creativity.  In those days I thought being free from the stardard job would be a panacea for my writing life.

My career ended abruptly one Friday morning when I learned that my managers' salary was dragging the company I worked for into the financial abyss, twelve others got the same news that day.  I am fortunate to have a pension so financial security was ensured and I saw this change as my chance to finally finish my first novel.

Murphy's Troubles was published in November 2013, it had taken four years.  I've finally settled on what to write for my second novel, only because the protagonist, Ian Murphy scolded me in a dream and said he wasn't finished telling his story.  My working title for the second novel is:  There Was Sadness, There was Joy.  As I began to write I discovered I don't have a writing routine.

I have complete control of my time and yet I struggle to develop any sort of writing routine.  The entire book is in my head, of that I am certain.  I found myself obsessing with chapter one, which has been written and re-written at least 25 times.  There is some part of me that has to have the first chapter exactly right before I can move on.  So, I'm accepting that as part of my writing routine.  I've also been indecisive about point of view, that demon that haunts me whenever I splash a work across the screen of my lap top.

Just this week I've settled on first person point of view.  While some consider it limiting, it allows a more personal, in depth story.  I want to see the world only through Ian Murphy's eyes because that's the only way I can convey it on the page - the way Ian wants the story told.

I will be working on having a writing routine for a long time to come.  Who knows, maybe my routine is not have a routine.  I know there's a lot of advice to just sit down at the keyboard every day, same time, and do my thing.  That approach seems to be common among writers.  For me, it doesn't feel right; maybe I'm fighting the self-discipline it takes.

So, a lot of days I feel like Sisyphus, pushing the boulder up the mountain only to watch the boulder roll down and do it again tomorrow.