Book Announcement: Bollix! When Life Isn't All It's Craic'd Up to Be

There’s an old Irish saying: "If you’re born to drown, you’ll never hang," meaning what's meant to happen will happen—so stop complaining. And if you’re Northern Irish, the translation is simpler: just get on with it. But what the feck do you do when life doesn't just toss you normal ups and downs but instead hurls a relentless series of impossible events all at once?

This isn't your typical memoir filled with clichés about overcoming adversity. Instead, "Bollix!" cuts through the fluff, delivering an unfiltered look at a life where nothing goes according to plan. I never signed up to be a poster child for resilience, yet here I am—a bereaved mother, breast cancer survivor, heart transplant recipient, and someone now living with Parkinson’s. Craic, as we call it back home, is supposed to mean fun, but finding it amid all of this requires a special kind of stubbornness.

My story isn't about triumph over tragedy—it’s about living when life repeatedly refuses to go according to plan. It chronicles the unimaginable, including the death of my daughter, Kenzie, from childhood cancer at just three years old, while simultaneously having breast cancer myself. Years later, my own heart failed, requiring a transplant, and then Parkinson’s disease arrived like an uninvited guest who overstays their welcome. And still, people dare to say to me, "Everything happens for a reason." Aye, right. You can fuck right off.

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Through it all, I've stubbornly sought the craic—the uniquely Northern Irish blend of fun, laughter, and companionship—even amid life’s harshest chaos. You won't find glossy tales of resilience here, but rather blunt honesty, raw humour, and absolutely no tolerance for toxic positivity.

This memoir isn't just about grief that never fully heals, a body that continues to betray me, or a life that consistently deviates from the script. It's also about laughing at the most inappropriate moments, refusing to be defined by illness or tragedy, and carving out joy when the universe seems hell-bent on denying it.

Early feedback from my publisher at Bateman Books captures the spirit of the memoir:

Ultimately, "Bollix!" is for anyone who’s walked through hell and doesn't need another inspirational speech about silver linings. It’s for those who want the unfiltered truth, infused with dark humour, blunt reality, and the rawness of a life lived authentically.

Stay tuned for more updates as we approach the release date. For the latest news and updates, bookmark this page or follow me on social media.

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