Short stories describing the comedic, the bizarre, the lonely by a bold new voice in Irish writing.

Liar, Liar

Literature & Fiction

McMonagle, Alan

Short Stories & Anthologies

Wordsonthestreet

Longlisted for the 2017 Desmond Elliott PrizeIthaca, the ferociously funny and unbelievably poignant debut novel from Alan McMonagle, combines a fiercely emotional story with crackling prose.This was the summer after all the money disappeared. One minute it was here. The next it had vanished. All of it. Without trace . . . Now that all the money had vanished everyone had their eyes and ears ready for all manner of doom.Summer 2009, and eleven-year-old Jason Lowry is preoccupied with thoughts of the Da he has never known. In the meantime, his vodka-swilling, swings-from-the-hip Ma is busy entertaining her latest boyfriend and indulging her fondness for joyriding.Jason escapes to the Swamp: a mysteriously rising pool of fetid water on the outskirts of the town. There, he meets the girl, a being as lost as himself, and with even less regard for reality. Together, they conjure exotic adventures - from ancient Egypt to the search for Ithaca, home of Odysseus. But what begin as innocent flights of fancy soon become forays into hazardous territory; the girl is a dangerous (and very committed) partner in crime.

Ithaca

Humor & Satire

Pan/Macmillan

Picador

Longlisted for the 2017 Desmond Elliott Prize Ithaca, the ferociously funny and unbelievably poignant debut novel from Alan McMonagle, combines a fiercely emotional story with crackling prose. This was the summer after all the money disappeared. One minute it was here. The next it had vanished. All of it. Without trace . . . Now that all the money had vanished everyone had their eyes and ears ready for all manner of doom.
Summer 2009, and eleven-year-old Jason Lowry is preoccupied with thoughts of the Da he has never known. In the meantime, his vodka-swilling, swings-from-the-hip Ma is busy entertaining her latest boyfriend and indulging her fondness for joyriding.
Jason escapes to the Swamp: a mysteriously rising pool of fetid water on the outskirts of the town. There, he meets the girl, a being as lost as himself, and with even less regard for reality. Together, they conjure exotic adventures - from ancient Egypt to the search for Ithaca, home of Odysseus. But what begin as innocent flights of fancy soon become forays into hazardous territory; the girl is a dangerous (and very committed) partner in crime.

Laura Cassidy is going all the way. Hollywood. Starry lights. The Walk of Fame. It's her destiny. At least, that's what her movie-obsessed father used to tell her. That was always the plan. Sure, it's been a bit slow-going, but the stars have finally aligned. The long-awaited new theatre is about to open, and their first production calls for a particularly fiery female lead. This part has Laura's name on it. There's her meddlesome older sister to get past - freshly returned from saving the world. Her occasional lover and stand-in leading man seems to think it's all a waste of time. And probably best not to mention the audition to her mother, especially after what happened last time . . . Laura just has to stay one step ahead of them all. Channelling the era of Hollywood's silver screen and told in a voice that blends devil humour, quiet mayhem, and a singled-minded optimism that might just lead to disaster, Laura Cassidy's Walk of Fame tells the story of a troubled soul desperate to find her place in life.

Laura Cassidy's Walk of Fame

Laura Cassidy is going all the way. Hollywood. Starry lights. The Walk of Fame. It’s her destiny. At least, that’s what her movie-obsessed father used to tell her. That was always the plan.\nSure, it’s been a bit slow-going, but the stars have finally aligned. The long-awaited new theatre is about to open, and their first production calls for a particularly fiery female lead. This part has Laura’s name on it.\nThere’s her meddlesome older sister to get past – freshly returned from saving the world. Her occasional lover and stand-in leading man seems to think it’s all a waste of time. And probably best not to mention the audition to her mother, especially after what happened last time . . . Laura just has to stay one step ahead of them all.\nChanneling the era of Hollywood’s silver screen and told in a voice that blends devil humor, quiet mayhem, and a singled-minded optimism that might just lead to disaster, Laura Cassidy’s Walk of Fame tells the story of a troubled soul desperate to find her place in life.

A troubled boy convinces himself he can fly. An old crone decides to turn herself into a man. Two adolescents make an unusual list of ideal women. The players in these humorously anxious stories are separate, apart from the mainstream; their lot being a slow awareness that they may not be able to control the confusing extensions to the landscapes they inhabit. Skewed comedy, absurd perspectives and stretched realities abound as members of this misplaced assortment grapple for their place in the scheme of things.

Psychotic Episodes

Arlen House

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by McMonagle, Alan. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by McMonagle, Alan

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by McMonagle, Alan. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Liar, Liar

Ithaca

Ithaca

Ithaca

Laura Cassidy's Walk of Fame

Laura Cassidy's Walk of Fame

Psychotic Episodes