Today, I am joined by the authors writing under the pseudonym Isabella Connor as they introduce three characters from Beneath an Irish Sky, the first novel in the Emerald Isle series.
Welcome ladies, over to you…
We’d like to introduce the three main characters from our novel, Beneath an Irish Sky– though of course, the peripheral characters are pretty good too. Of course, everyone has his/her own visualisation of a fictional character but if anyone is interested in how we imagined them, take a look at our Pinterest page, here.
However, visual doesn’t cover personality…
The inspiration for Luke originated from the character Dallas, played by Joe McFadden in BBC’s Sex, Chips and Rock and Roll. When we told Joe this he hoped there might be a part for him in the tv series…
LUKE KIERNAN: 20-year-old Luke is a spirited young man with a charismatic personality despite his tough upbringing. Raised a Traveller in Ireland, he is driven by passion and is a champion of lost causes. Slow to trust, but once he does his love and loyalty will be intense and unwavering. Though not tall, standing around 5’7”, Luke has black hair with soft curls which just reach his collar, blue eyes and long dark lashes – despite his slight stature, he is likely to stand out in any crowd. Braver than he probably should be, stubborn and impulsive, Luke will always support the underdog. Hates injustice and prejudice. Loves animals, possibly more than he does people. Dreamed of playing professional football for Manchester United and Ireland. Has a good singing voice with vocal range from alto to counter-tenor. Enjoys reading, music, plays the guitar. Luke is streetwise but also naïve. Shy and inexperienced, he falls in love with Kate, the daughter of his father’s on/off girlfriend – and soon makes up for lost time.
JACK STEWART: A warm heart beats beneath a tough outer exterior. Jack is 6’1” tall, lean and muscular, with green eyes and light brown hair which is greying at the temples, and he looks younger than his forty-six years. Enjoys working out and walking, good food and wine. Stubborn, with a tendency to being ostrich-like if he doesn’t want to face something. Became cynical and hardened by the death of his first wife and the disappearance of his second and hehas since lived without commitment or real love, not acknowledging his need for both. He initially refuses to believe that Luke is his son but feels an obligation because there is a chance that he is, and also he hopes that Luke can provide an answer to the question that has been unanswered for 20 years – why did his much-loved wife leave him. In the past he has been easily influenced by his parents, especially his mother who considers herself English aristocracy, and who strongly disapproved of his marriage to Traveller Annie but when Jack falls for another Irish woman, he finally finds the strength to ditch the ostrich.
EMER SULLIVAN: Emer, 35, is passionate about her job as a trauma counsellor in a Dublin hospital. Down-to-earth with a warm sense of humour, she has long red curly hair, freckles, and green-yellow eyes. She grew up in County Mayo on the West Coast of Ireland, where her father was the local doctor. She is loyal to family and friends, and has a close relationship with her sister, Maeve. Her profession has made her value honesty. Irregular work hours make a personal life tricky, and five years in a failed relationship has left Emer worried that she doesn’t have the emotional energy left to invest in another. She meets Jack Stewart when he arrives from England to identify the body of his estranged wife, but then has to deal with the shock of finding a 20-year-old son he had no knowledge of. Emer forms a bond with the vulnerable Luke, and then tries to help father and son connect with each other and work through the trauma of the past. As her relationship with Jack develops, though, she starts to feel trapped in the middle of their feud. She worries that saying yes to love will only expose her heart to more pain.
About Beneath an Irish Sky:
The past is never over …
Jack Stewart thought he’d put the past behind him. On the surface, he has everything – success, money, a big house and he is never short of an attractive woman by his side, but a tragic road accident shatters his world.
Raised as an Irish Traveller, Luke Kiernan hasn’t had it easy, and when he wakes in a Dublin hospital to find the man he’s hated since childhood at his bedside, he’s hungry for revenge.
Two very different worlds collide, bringing new dangers, exposing past deceits, and unearthing dark family secrets buried long ago. But from tragedy springs the promise of a fresh start with two women who are intent on helping Jack and Luke mend their lives.
Can new love heal old wounds, or are some scars there for good?
Purchase from Amazon.
Thank you for the great post and for sharing your characters with us, ladies. xx
About the authors:
Isabella Connor is the pseudonym for two internet buddies who have never physically met, and who live on different continents – one in North America, the other in Europe. Val O is a teacher, and Liv T an NHS worker. Beneath an Irish Sky is the first of a planned quartet of novels set in the same area, but stand-alone stories.
Discover more about Isabella Connor’s work here: Amazon | Twitter | Facebook
