Lifesaving for Beginners

BY CIARA GERAGHTY

Published by Hachette New Zealand $34.99 RRP, 29 January 2013

The fantastic new novel by Irish bestselling author Ciara Geraghty – a bittersweet, quirky tale about letting love in and learning to live.

Kat Kavanagh is not in love. She has lots of friends, an ordinary job, and she never ever thinks about her past.

This is Kat's story. None of it is true.

Milo McIntyre loves his mam, the peanut-butter-and-banana muffins at the Funky Banana cafe, and the lifesaving class he does after school. He never thinks about his future, until the day it changes forever.

This is Milo's story. All of it is true.

And then there is the other story. The one with a twist of fate which somehow brings together a boy from Brighton and a woman in Dublin, and uncovers the truth once and for all.

This is the story that's just about to begin…

About the Author

Ciara Geraghty is the author of three previous novels, Saving Grace, Becoming Scarlett and Finding Mr Flood. She lives in Dublin with her husband, three children and a dog. You can find out more at www.ciarageraghty.com, visit her Facebook page, and follow her on Twitter.

Ciara Geraghty writes about herself…

I was born and reared in Dublin. My mother took one look at me and decided to call me Ciara (pronounced Keira as in Keira Knightly but with lower cheek bones…). When pressed, she said it was because she 'liked' the name. From that moment, until I turned thirty-four, I wrote not one word, discounting the diary I kept as a teenager, full of angst and regret and heartache and bitterness; the usual.

Then, when I was 34, I signed up for a creative writing nightclass in Plunkett's College in Whitehall where I started writing stories. I haven't stopped since.

I love writing and I hate writing. I love having written. I hate looking at the blank page or the blank screen and knowing that I have to fill it up with words that mightn't be any good. It's a bit like going to the gym. You hate going. But you feel great on your way home. Sweaty, with a face like a beef tomato. But great all the same.

I have three children and one husband and have recently adopted a dog who is the same age as my youngest daughter; 3. Together, they are in charge of pretty much everything.

When I was growing up, you could tell the days of the week by the dinners we had. The worst day was Thursday when my mother made us eat liver. She made it worse by serving the liver with lovely homemade chips and sausages and rashers and egg; she called it a 'mixed grill'. The blood from the liver ran across the plate and tainted everything. One of the best things about being an adult is that I don't have to eat liver. Or peas. Or semolina.

My favourite time of the day is the night. Or very early in the morning. I wrote my first book, Saving Grace, mostly at night and in the early morning. Now, I write at nine o'clock in the morning and knock off when the children come home from school. I miss the night. And the early morning. But I've learned that writing is work and you have to be able to do it during the allocated hours and I suppose I've gotten used to it. The best bit about writing a book is the two words 'The' and 'End'. It's a bit like finding a pub in Ireland where you can smoke after hours – it's that good.

Praise for Ciara Geraghty:

'If you love Marian Keyes, then you'll want to read this book by equally endearing Irish author Ciara Geraghty. Full of laugh-out-loud moments and lots of Irish charm, this gem is sure to captivate your imagination,' New Idea on Finding Mr Flood

'The charm is in the voices, places and the quaint observations of Irish life.' Oh Baby Magazine on Finding Mr Flood.

'A beautifully written, somewhat whimsical and very encouraging tale about grabbing hold of life's reins, breaking away from the monotony of a dull routine and following your dreams… emotional, joyous… I adored it.' Daily Mail on Finding Mr Flood

'Sad, funny and wise.' Marie Claire on Finding Mr Flood

This story will pull at your heart strings and the characters will quickly feel your friends. It is filled with humour and love and is just as comforting as a hug from a loved one. I have to say she gives her Irish competitor Marian Keyes a run for her money!' gloss.co.nz on Finding Mr Flood

'Move over Marian, it's Ciara… impressive and highly entertaining [with] one of the most authentic female characters I've read in women's fiction for a long time… lots of biting humour and a darker side beneath the laughs.' Irish Independent on Saving Grace

'Chick lit books are a dime a dozen, but here's one with heart. Great read.' – New Idea on Saving Grace

'Spectacular… Lifesaving for Beginners is a novel that needs to be seen and needs to be read. It not only has a beautiful, simplistic cover, but it also has a beautiful inside too, with two characters who you really feel you know… I really do recommend you pick up this book.' www.chicklitreviewsandnews.com

'I love Ciara Geraghty's easy style of writing and how she manages to create such a beautiful warm and moving storyline.' www.reabookreviews.blogspot.co.uk on Lifesaving for Beginners

'A moving, poetic tale about how life can change in the blink of an eye.' Bella on Lifesaving for Beginners

'Heart-breaking and funny, poignant and life affirming. It is a story of fate and family, and shows you are never too old or young to start lifesaving.' www.novelicious.com on Lifesaving for Beginners