Betimes Books is proud to announce the launch of The Red Orchestra in Blue, a powerful and timely new historical novel by acclaimed playwright, screenwriter, and director Joe O’Byrne. 📅 Date: Tuesday, May 6th, 2025🕡 Time: 6:30 PM📍 Venue: Goethe-Institut Irland, 37 Merrion Square, Dublin 2🎤 Guest of Honour: Christian Resch, Minister-Counsellor and Deputy Head … Continue reading Upcoming Book Launch: The Red Orchestra in Blue by Joe O’Byrne
My Music, My Motor by Colin O’Sullivan
I need a quiet place to write, a near-silent environment. I can just about take the low hum of a refrigerator, or the laptop’s electronic whirr. But a ticking clock will drive me up the very wall on which it hangs, a buzzing fly can have my concentration broken in mere seconds. Outside jackhammers, thunder … Continue reading My Music, My Motor by Colin O’Sullivan
Soundtrack for Maiko Moans by Colin O’Sullivan
Excerpt from Maiko Moans by Colin O’Sullivan
What Maiko remembers most is how plain the girl was, yet how much effort she had put in to surmount all that. She hadn’t much to go on. Her head seemed too big for her body, her shoulders too rounded, as if she shied of her own being and was forever pulling inward on herself; … Continue reading Excerpt from Maiko Moans by Colin O’Sullivan
book launch of Catherine Dunne’s new novel: A Good Enough Mother
EILEEN, 1960
EXCERPT FROM A GOOD ENOUGH MOTHER When the train pulls into Euston Station, I wake with a jerk. I wake in the same way now, all these decades later, after one of my bad dreams. They always start at the same place: seeing myself as I step out onto that platform, into the freezing, clattery … Continue reading EILEEN, 1960
MAEVE 1979
EXCERPT FROM A GOOD ENOUGH MOTHER Monaghan Joanie was barely fourteen. They had taken her baby from her while she slept. Sometime during the night, a couple of weeks earlier, they’d slipped into the nursery and taken him. One of the other girls, Grace, had awoken to the sound of their habits, shushing across the … Continue reading MAEVE 1979
Book Spotlight: Marshmallows
This month’s Spotlight read is Colin O’Sullivan’s fifth novel, Marshmallows. A mysterious three-act noir that subverts traditionally jubilant depictions of Christmas Eve, O’Sullivan’s play masked as a novel imbues the holiday season with an element of thriller, fitting as a perfect post-Halloween read on the lead up to the festive season. Centring around boyfriends Ben and David … Continue reading Book Spotlight: Marshmallows
A review of “Hear Us Fade”, a new novel by David Hogan
“We are but single notes in the discord, strings plucked once, sound and resonance Hear us fade...” —From Death in Hilton Head, an unpublished epic poem by Rex Nightly It is June 2029. The state of California. In San Francisco the uncontrolled forest fires are moving closer burning all that is in its path to … Continue reading A review of “Hear Us Fade”, a new novel by David Hogan
Award-winning short story by David Hogan
Congratulations to David Hogan for winning the 2nd place in the 2020 San Diego Public Library Short Story Contest! Betimes Books published Hogan’s debut novel, The Last Island, in 2013. The novel was a finalist in the San Diego Book Awards, and the e-book version was a bestseller in Australia and the U.K. Hogan's stage … Continue reading Award-winning short story by David Hogan
Excerpt from SOUL CATCHER, a novel by Dimitri Bortnikov
Translated from the French (Repas de morts) by Svetlana Pironko, in collaboration with Dimitri Bortnikov. Coming out on October 26, 2020 ...................................................“She was bringing waterlilies. From a good distance. Long stems. Long… In her mouth. She was swimming like a long replete reptile. I was making waterlily crowns. Garlands… She was wrapping herself into the … Continue reading Excerpt from SOUL CATCHER, a novel by Dimitri Bortnikov
“A haunting read”
A new review of Colin O'Sullivan's novel The Starved Lover Sings by Marvin Minkler of Modern First Editions: Colin O'Sullivan is one of the most remarkable and original writers currently turning out one outstanding novel after another. Killarney Blues was the author's debut, which won the French Prix Mystère de la Critique, followed by The … Continue reading “A haunting read”
“Life at its fullest” – Marvin Minkler about “Dirty Pictures”
"Rembrandt is quoted as saying, “Without atmosphere, painting is nothing.” Without atmosphere, neither is a great novel. Patricia Ketola's debut novel, Dirty Pictures, is poetic at times, sad, humorous, gripping, joyful, thrilling, and hopeful. A thoroughly captivating tale, rich in atmosphere, that is near impossible to put down. Still recovering from the death of her … Continue reading “Life at its fullest” – Marvin Minkler about “Dirty Pictures”
“A Poet of Darkness”
We are happy and proud – overjoyed, really! – to share with you a few lines from a letter that the great American post-modernist writer Richard Kalich wrote to us and the Irish writer Colin O’Sullivan after having read his work for the first time (Colin’s novel, The Starved Lover Sings). Such an endorsement, coming … Continue reading “A Poet of Darkness”
“If you are in the mood for something different, this may be it.”
Dirty Pictures by Patricia Ketola reviewed by Paul Burke in NB Magazine This novel is extremely well-written, it reads like a page-turner and the story is fascinating, but it won’t be for everyone, it might even be described as niche. Here’s why I think it might not appeal to some: If you want a straightforward … Continue reading “If you are in the mood for something different, this may be it.”
A beautifully creepy new short story from Colin O’Sullivan
Dear Readers, This is a dark and creepy season. To cheer you up, Colin O'Sullivan offers you this new story, "The Shadow Babes" It might be scary, but it ends well. Click on the image and enjoy!
REMINDER: The Dark Manual promotion on Amazon UK
We don't want you to miss it! Until the end of October, Colin O'Sullivan's chilling and thought-provoking novel THE DARK MANUAL, due to become a TV series, is promoted on Amazon UK, and you can read the e-book for £0.99 only!
October treat: Amazon UK promotion for Colin O’Sullivan’s novel “The Dark Manual”
During the whole month of October, readers in the UK & Ireland can buy The Dark Manual here for £0.99! This is, of course, a Kindle edition. Print edition is also available on Amazon, the Book Depository (free delivery worldwide), etc. Or maybe you prefer to watch it on TV? It's coming, but it will … Continue reading October treat: Amazon UK promotion for Colin O’Sullivan’s novel “The Dark Manual”
More praise for “The Dark Manual”
Review published on Book Nudge / Book Noir, August 31, 2018. The Dark Manual defies easy categorisation; it’s a literary novel, a very desperate tale of love and loss, a noir thriller, of real and imaginary threats and a sci-fi speculation (which could be read as prescient future gazing). O’Sullivan has carved himself a distinct … Continue reading More praise for “The Dark Manual”
“Exciting Poetic Thriller” – exactly!
We just have to share this reader's review! It's wonderful when somebody REALLY gets the book! Thanks to @fatorange23, whoever he/she is, for sharing this with other readers: 5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting Poetic Thriller 4 August 2018 - Published on Amazon.com Format: Paperback In order to be a great writer one’s style must … Continue reading “Exciting Poetic Thriller” – exactly!
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