Grace Wynne-Jones is the author of four highly intimate soulful novels that have received critical acclaim and an enthusiastic response from many readers. She has frequently been praised for the warm belly-laugh humour and tender observations in her writing and has been described as as a novelist who tells the truth about the human heart’. She likes her books to feel like friends. Two of them have got into the bestsellers charts and, as an article in The Sunday Independent said, they are often about ‘older women looking for fulfillment and, yes love, in a complicated world’.
Ordinary Miracles, Wise Follies, Ready Or Not? (which was described as as one of the best Irish novels this year when it was first published) and The Truth Club are now available from Accent Press. The new editions were all published in 2007. Details about the books and sample chapters are available on on this website.
Grace was born and brought up in Ireland and her early years were spent in a big rambling rectory in the Irish countryside. Her father was a Church of Ireland clergyman and, since there weren’t many Protestants in the area, he sometimes played LPs featuring hymns sung by the choir of St. Martin in the Fields in the local church. Passers by who did not know about the recordings must have been amazed by the choral grandeur…given that there were usually just a few cars and the odd bicycle outside the church during the services. She has a great love of the countryside. Her first big love was a pony called Merrylegs.
Grace wrote her first book when she was about eleven. It was called ‘Stories For Everyone’ and she described it in a recent newspaper article:
‘A self-published work with a print run of one copy, it featured a woman, a horse and a puppy on the cardboard cover, and the singer John Paul Jones on the back. It contained two stories. One was about my pony Merrylegs and another was about the joys of nature, so it didn’t quite live up to its title. But Mum and Dad liked it. Encouragement is invaluable to a budding author…Though I still adore ponies and nature these days I have extended my subject-matter. For example women’s lives fascinate me. And writing about them helps me to make sense of my own experiences. What’s more, I make all sorts of new friends as I type the chapters. Characters sometimes just seem to turn up, and I greet them hoping that they will share their hopes and disappointments, their fears and dreams and perplexities. I love intimacy in ordinary life…people who seem to understand. People I don’t have to pretend with. And that’s what the characters in my novels ask of my friendship with them. They want to take off their masks and tell it how it truly is. Sometimes male characters do this too and I almost fall in love with them. For example I find Charlie in ‘Ordinary Miracles’ deeply fanciable. And Nathaniel in ‘The Truth Club’ would make a most wonderful confidant.
‘One of my biggest pleasures is when a reader says they have felt understood by a novel. This is often because a character has admitted to feelings they themselves have never been able to share. For example a number of readers of ‘Ordinary Miracles’ told me they felt I had somehow been spying on their marriages. One person even described the book as: ‘Victoria Wood meets Shirley Valentine’. Jasmine, the main character, has just turned forty and reads books like ‘No Need To Panic: Courageous Acts Of Change In Women’s Lives’. She discovers that her husband has been having an affair, but long before that she was wondering what had happened to her dreams. She confides in her daughter’s teddy and has torrid fantasies about a famous actor. Desperation eventually sends her on a quirky journey of self-discovery and there are tears and epiphanies and adventures and, importantly, laughter. I love writing humour. I like my novels to contain many notes and contrasts, like in music. But as the saying goes, certain chords always reach the heart in the same way.’
Grace has also lived in Africa, the US and England. Her feature articles have appeared in many magazines and national papers in Ireland and in England, and her radio play Ebb Tide was broadcast on RTE 1. Her short stories have been published in magazines in Ireland, England and Australia, and have also been broadcast on RTE and BBC Radio 4. She recently produced and presented a radio documentary about the land, legends and legacy of the Hill of Tara which was broadcast on Newstalk in Ireland.
She has a deep interest in psychology, spirituality and healing and she also loves to celebrate the strangeness and wonders of ordinary life and love.
Hi,
I’m from Germany. “Some” years ago I met an Irish girl in Greece. She had just written her first article for a newspaper. Could it have been you?
Grace, did u ever live in Ballyorgan, Co, Limerick, as i knew a Rev. Wynne-Jones there, as i was born in Kilfinane, Co Limerick in 1925. Best Wishes with your books. Bill Sherwood
> Dear Bill,
Lovely to hear from you! Yes, I did live in the old Rectory in Ballyorgan and Rev. Wynne-Jones was my lovely Dad. What a beautiful place it is. I remember very fondly trips to the local mountains that are covered in beautiful forests. We sometimes had picnics there. And as a little girl I loved that the small shop in the village sold marshmallow mice! After
Ballyorgan we moved to the Rectory in Knockainey, another lovely rural place in County Limerick. I used to find dear Dad’s sermons very
entertaining. THANKS so much for your email.
Warmest wishes,
Grace
Hello Grace
I knew you as a very small girl whose father took over Kilflynn parish after my grandfather died.
Canon Manning had been there since 1919!!
Dear Pete,
How very nice of you to email. Yes, I was a very small girl when Dad moved to Ballyorgan Rectory and the Kilfinane Parish. The rectory was lovely. Big and rambling. There was plenty of space for Mum’s many dogs too!
Warmest wishes,
Grace
Grace, I have come across an old letter from the Rectory at Ballyorgan to the Bishop of Limerick, dated Oct 25 1926. It concerns the sale of an old violin to the Bishop by WRT Manning on behalf of a poor parishioner. I was intrigued by it and can send you a transcript as I thought it told a lovely story and was intrigued to find out the characters involved. I have mailed the Diocese of Limerick but I realise now that Rev Manning was probably Anglican rather than Catholic
Hi Grace
Have been trying to contact you. How’s about a coffee if you’re in town?
Cheers
Johanna
Dear Brian,
Thanks so much for sending me a copy of that letter. It’s lovely! What a lovely little true tale! I hope that Dorothy enjoyed her violin. It sounds very special.
Warm wishes and many thanks,
Grace
Also from Kilfinane [Maple Ballroom] I remember your father taking over at Kilflynn. Kilfinane Coshlea Historical Society publish a historical journal.In volume 4 2007 there is a lovely write up and pictures of Kilflynn Church.Nice to see Bill Sherwood has been in touch with you .I met his brother Peter in his office [Henrys] end of May. Best wishes, Liam McAuliffe
looking up your books for my daughter-in-law
Dear Liam,
Thanks for your lovely messages on my website. How nice to hear from you. That historical journal sounds interesting. Ballyorgan rectory was a
lovely place to live in. And the nearby countryside is beautiful. Thanks for saying you’ll look up my books for your daughter-in-law!
Warm wishes and much gratitude,
Grace
Hello Grace,
My parents, John and Mary Thatcher from Australia recently travelled with you. They mentioned to you that I am currently writing a children’s novel and if you would mind if I contacted you for advice, thoughts, encouragement, tips etc. If you are happy to received some questions from me I would be very appreciative. If it helps to butter you up did they also mention that I named my first born after you?
Kind regards,
Jaquelyn
Hello Grace
Can’t find a straight email address for you so I’m just dropping a note here.
Nice to have met you in Dublin last Friday at Julia Ross and if you’ve got a moment – drop me a line.
ATB, Lisa
Hi Grace
My grandmother Lena Clancy owned the shop and post office in Ballyorgan – I expect that’s where the marshmallow mice came from. I remember visiting her and my Auntie Madge who ran the post office part and remember when you and your family lived at the rectory. It seemed such an idyllic place to spend a childhood. I have been to Kilflynn church with my mum Peggie – such a lovely peaceful place.
Hi Gill,
Thank you so much for your note. Yes, I remember that lovely shop and I loved those marshmallow mice! I mention them in my novel ‘Wise Follies’ though the shop Alice (the main character) buys them in is fictional. Ballyorgan rectory was indeed a splendid house to live in. Rather grand. And in such beautiful countryside. Going to the shop to get sweets was a real treat!
Warm wishes and thanks so much for your note.
Love,
Grace
hi grace
i too was born and raised in ballyorgan my father was peter sherwood,billy sherwoods nephew he is the son of billy sherwoods brother peter metioned in liams message.liam being from the maple ballroom in kilfinane must either father or brother of a very good old friend of mine ruth mc auliffe i grew up a mile from the rectory in ballyorgan and loved to play in the mallana stream right next to it and the little old creamery across the road from it. i remember the dogs that would come running down barking at us and also a beautifull chestnut pony mare called lady we used to bring apples to when we came to play. were they belong to your family?
Hi Yvonne,
Thanks for your message!
My Mum kept dogs so maybe the dogs you met were hers, but we did not own a pony called ‘Lady’. She sounds lovely! I love horses and ponies myself. A country childhood can be very special. Ballyorgan is a lovely place!
Warm wishes and gratitude,
Grace
Hello grace, I never heard of you before.
But I kept a cutting from some newspaper you wrote about portfolio jobs, which is important to me right now. So I looked up your web site cause I was doing nothing and it turns out you are a very nice person by the sounds of it.
So I’m gona buy one of your books and see what your made of.
Any way nice article in the paper, and which book best to buy first ?
Sorry bout the spelling, not long out the scratcher.
Well done and thanks for read this if you do.
jr
Hi Grace!
Stayed in Ballyorgan at the farmhouse across from the pub. My grandfather was born in Kilfinane. His great grandfather was involved with the Olivers. Family name was Hussey. You may know a friend of mine, Morgan Llywelyn.
Bob
Hi Bob,
Many thanks for your message. Yes, I knew the Olivers. They had a big castle! Most impressive. And in such beautiful countryside.
I met Morgan Llywelyn many years ago. I attended a workshop she gave. It was lovely.
Warm wishes and gratitude,
Grace
Hello Grace,
How are you !
Did you know Janet Stokes’ husband has written a very interesting book?
Cheers
John
Dear John,
Many thanks for your note.
Warm wishes,
Grace
Dear Grace,
I am a PhD student at NUI Galway researching early Irish silver. I have recently come across this reference to a find at Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick ‘In a quarry near the town was found an ancient silver bodkin, weighing 5oz. 2dr., now in the possession of Sir Aubrey de Vere, Bart.’ I understand that your mother, Joan de Vere was the last child raised at Curragh Chase and it’s entirely possible that the pin was on display in a cabinet there. I would like to know if anyone in your family has any memory of this pin or knows of it’s present wherabouts as I would like to record it if possible. I would be very grateful for any help you could offer.
Best regards,
Fiona Gavin
Dear Grace Wynne-Jones,
I thought perhaps you were Welsh (Wynne-Jones)
I wanted to say thank you. Im currently reading Wise-Follies and although Im exactly ten yeas younger than ‘Alice’ much of what she feels mirrors my current state of mind. It has made me feel less alone, like talking to a good friend who really truely understands what an earth Im talking about. This all sounds rather maudlin but its actually made me feel pretty happy, so thanks very much for writing all that down. Your butterfly wing flap may have just begun a hurricane in me.
All the best from a new fan of your work,
Rebecca x
Hi Rebecca,
How kind of you to write such a lovely note! I really appreciate your encouraging feedback. I too have a great affection
for Alice. I’m so glad that she feels like a friend. I also love books that have a friendly feel to them.
Thanks again dear Rebecca.
Warm wishes and gratitude,
Grace
Hi Grace
So so lovely to read your web site and know that you are well, still writing and looking fab! You sound so happy and that life is good – I am so pleased.
Best wishes
Helen
Hello Grace,
We just met earlier today and I really enjoyed our chat! Hopefully you have my contact information.
All the best,
Clare
Hi Clare,
It was lovely to meet you too. And you looked fab in that dress! It was quite an experience to be on the Tudors. Good food and some great chats and costumes. And dirty fingernails for the peasants! You might like to look up the new Centre for Creative Practice http://www.cfcp.ie
Warm wishes and sparkles,
Grace