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Archive for the ‘on writing’ Category

3-day Fiction Workshop with M. J. Hyland and Trevor Byrne

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

The Faber Academy in London is hosting an intensive three day fiction workshop with M.J. Hyland and Irish novelist Trevor Byrne (10-12 September).
Maria’s sessions include:
Day One:A short manuscript from each participant will be edited, critiqued and workshopped by Hyland. Hyland will also take participants through the essentials of writing vivid and compelling fiction.
Day two: Part One: A masterclass in finding the [...]

A female Holden, just as cynical and sensitive, but with less self-conscious verbiage

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

After the death of J.D. Salinger, the Guardian book blog takes a look at the challenges facing authors creating a young narrator. Maria’s debut novel, How the Light Gets In gets a mention, with narrator Lou being described as
“a contemporary, female Holden, just as cynical and sensitive, but with less self-conscious verbiage”
You can read the [...]

Video interview - Can creative writing be taught?

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

MJ Hyland’s short video interview with The Wheeler Centre on the
question of whether or not creative writing can be taught:

Interview with Vulpes Libris

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Vulpes Libris has published an interview with Maria.
You can read the full interview (by Lisa Glass) here.
Here’s a little taster:
LG: Yes. Your characters are young and appear to be exploring what’s what in the world. They also seem uncomfortable in their own bodies. I’m thinking of Patrick’s physical awkwardness, Lou’s emerging sexual power and tendency [...]

MJ Hyland to run a Faber & Faber Academy writing workshop

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

In 2010 MJ Hyland will be running a writing workshop for the *Faber & Faber
Academy *in Manchester. The workshop will be held on Saturday 13 March and
MJ Hyland’s session is Session No.9.
For details and how to enrol go to:
Faber & Faber Writing Academy

MJ Hyland interviewed on Australian TV

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Maria was recently interviewed by Australian TV (ABC), and the 9minute interview is now online. In it Maria talks about her goals as a writer, the difficulties she faced when writing This is How, and gives some advice to aspiring writers. You can view the interview online here.

Video interview with Maria in Melbourne’s The Monthly

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

Maria returned to Australia for this year’s Melbourne Writers’ Festival, and Australian magazine The Monthly has posted online the video of this extensive interview with Michael Williams, where Maria discusses her approach to writing This is How, but also to writing generally.
You can see the video online here

Interview in the Boston Globe

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Maria is interviewed in The Boston Globe, which describes This is How as ‘extraordinary’.
The full interview is online here.
Here’s a quick extract:
Q: How did Patrick Oxtby arrive in your head?
A: I read Tony Parker’s book “Life After Life: Interviews with Twelve Murderers’’ and I was struck by the case of a young man who lived [...]

MJ Hyland at the Dublin Writers Festival (June 6th)

Monday, May 11th, 2009

MJ Hyland will be appearing, alongside novelist Steve Toltz, at this year’s Dublin Writers Festival on June 6th.
[To buy tickets for the event - click here]
The theme of the event will be ‘What does it take to trip a man up – to send him on a crash course with his own inevitable shortcomings?’. Maria [...]

MJ Hyland at the Hay Festival (Sunday 31st May)

Monday, May 11th, 2009

For details of the festival, and to book a seat for the event check here.
MJ Hyland will be appearing, alongside DBC Pierre and Paolo Giordano, for an event at this year’s Hay Festival on Sunday 31st of May.
Maria will be reading from her new novel ‘This is How‘, described by the festival organisers as ‘this [...]