What people say about me…….
“In second place we have ‘The Red Dress’. This piece came in in the first hundred stories I read and it sat in my mind and called to me almost daily. It’s a raw story of pregnancy-loss and hope. The story is told with a quiet ferocity with lots of good original language and, though bleak, it ends on a mercifully high note. The writer is still learning, I feel, but she has great talent and a good eye for the off-beat and the difficult.” Nuala Ni Chonchuir, Award Winning Writer and Judge of The 2008 Sean O Faolain Prize
‘Anna May is one of the funniest, sharpest writers I have had the pleasure of working with. Whether it be a comment piece or blog, a script or piece of prose, she has a knack of getting straight to the heart of the matter or character concerned. Her words have made me laugh out loud and on more than one occasion, shed a tear. There is an energy and poignancy to her work that take the breath away.”
Siobhan Curham, Author and Writing Coach.
‘This story made me cry and it stands out for its raw, emotional impact. I think it’s really difficult writing about something so real and awful because it’s tricky capturing that ragged, aching sadness without it sounding contrived or second-hand. But this sweeps you along for a relentlessly tragic ride that leaves you mourning for more than the characters in the story. Even though this is someone’s else’s loss, you can’t help claiming it as your own. The matter-of-fact tone works well with this gritty piece and there are some strong details that hammer home that a life has been lost. All sorts of themes sweep through this like subtle undercurrents that make it a rich read: bitterness for the husband, a mother’s enduring love and the fact that a piece of that woman died along with her daughter. It’s a wretched, realistic piece of writing, which left me reeling.’
Sara Starbuck Editor and Agent
‘I have read a lot of stories by dozens of writers. I would easily put your talent in the top 10%.’
Kevin McCann Radio Drama Producer