Fiona

"Fiona: Stolen Child is amazing. It's a story of an Irish writer living in America who is collaborating on a film script of her own life which forces her to confront the lies and deceptions of her past... a richly textured novel, written with passion and style; an absolute delight to read."--James N. Frey, How to Write a Damn Good Novel

Fiona Clarke, an Irish writer living in New York, has been running away from her past since she left rural Cregora, Ireland, for boarding school. That past finds her, many years later, when her thinly veiled autobiographical novel is optioned for a movie. As consultant to the film, Fiona unearths deep secrets, relives childhood trauma, and connects with an estranged family unexpectedly thrust back into her life. History opens upon her, and Fiona is forced to stop running and confront a secret shame.

Ranging from Manhattan to Hollywood to rural Ireland, Fiona is a stunning tale of a creative woman's life transformed by loss.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gemma Whelan is an Irish theatre director, teacher and performer. After moving to San Francisco, she directed more than sixty stage productions and was founding artistic director of two companies: GemArt and Wilde Irish Productions. She has written screenplays, and has written, directed, and edited short films. She has graduate degrees in Theatre (University of California, Berkeley) and Film (San Francisco State University) and teaches at Portland State.