Character Interview with Doreen Fiona O’Shea Sullivan!

So today, I am delighted to welcome another special guest…
Doreen Fiona O’Shea Sullivan from Loucinda McGary’s book, The Wild Sight: an Irish tale of deadly deeds and forbidden love agreed to talk with me.

 

Thank you, Doreen, for joining me today.

Thank you for inviting me, Jennifer, and for serving me tea and biscuits.

 

You are very welcome, so how are you?  What have you been up to lately?

Never better, though I must say I’m a wee bit surprised at all the hoopla stirring about my family and the recent goings on round County Armagh. Happily all that ugly business has been resolved and I’m back to my usual routine of working at the bank, going to mass, and taking care of my dear husband Sean.

 

That’s a relief to hear.  So I also hear that the book The Wild Sight tells the story of Donovan O’Shea and Rylie Powell and that you are in it as well. What’s your relationship to couple?

Ah yes, Donovan is my younger brother, four years younger, though after our mother disappeared I pretty much had to finish the task of raising him. He was only seven years old and such an odd little duck, but I loved him all the same. We were all the other had, really. Our father started drinking, you see. Lord knows, if anyone had reason to drink ‘twas our own dear Da, but it made life rather difficult, I’m afraid.

 

As for Miss Rylie Powell, I wasn’t too keen on her at first. She is a Yank after all, a bit too pretty and quite troublesome. But you can see for yourself when you read The Wild Sight.

 

Well, have you read the book?  If so, did it capture their story accurately?

Not only have I read it, but I lived it if you will. As for accuracy… Well, I was not privvy to the nature of my brother’s “gift” though as I mentioned, he was a rather odd child. My mother did tell me once that my brother saw and heard things that other people didn’t, but he never talked about it to me so those portions of the book startled me.

 

The other parts of the story that of course I knew nothing about were the um… intimate details of Donovan and Rylie’s personal relationship. I tried to skip over those because… How very embarrassing! I’ve never thought of my brother in terms of his sexual activities. He was a shy and rather awkward teenager when he moved to America, and I still thought of him that way when he came home to help me with Da’s illness.

 

I do remember when he came back for my wedding nine years ago, my own dear Sean mentioned how all the girls were giving Donovan the eye. I thought he was joking until his sister-in-law Julianna nodded toward Donovan and muttered to me, “’Twas a sad day for Irish womanhood when that one emigrated.” And her married to Sean’s brother Michael for almost twenty years!

 

Your brother sounds very…um…interesting.  Can you tell us a little about Donovan and Rylie from your perspective?

Why they’re a lovely couple, don’t you think? Him so tall and dark, and her so small and golden. They certainly look like a true case of opposites attracting, but in reality they have more in common that you could guess by looking. They both have rather droll senses of humor, they both have obstinate streaks a mile wide, and they are both quite uh… enthusiastic about each other.

 

Yes, I can tell.  Can you tell us a little more about yourself?

Not much to tell really. I’m tall and dark haired, same as my brother and our own dear mother, whom I’m told I resemble. I’ve been married to my dear Sean for these nine happy years. We’ve not been blessed with children yet, but I pray every day that we’ll have a wee one of our own. Boy or girl matters naught to me or Sean.

 

Is there anything that my readers may be surprised to learn about you?

I’m fiercely loyal to my family and friends and want only to see them happy. I’m not really the hard arse Donovan sometimes thought me to be. I know what’s right and think it should be done, but my family always comes first. Surely none of this is much of a surprise.

 

Ah, there is one thing… My mother once told me that she forced a pact upon a Sidhe princess, that’s one of the faery folk of Irish legends. Mum was only sixteen at the time, but the Maiden of Ulster showed her in a scryying glass that someday she would have a little dark-haired daughter. My mum stole the Sidhe’s willow wand and only returned it when the faery agreed that no harm would come to mum’s daughter. That would be me.

 

What about Donovan and Rylie…anything readers may be surprised to learn about them?

I don’t know about readers, but I was rather surprised when Donovan became an accountant. He always had an artistic nature when he was growing up, doing fanciful drawings and the like. But I suppose he became an accountant out of gratitude to Aunt Fiona and her husband Uncle Isadore, who is also an accountant. They took Donovan in when he moved to America, gave him a bed to sleep in and food for his stomach whilst he was studying at University. Uncle Izzy even offered him a job, if Donovan studied accounting, and so he did. Heaven knows, there’s no money in being an artist.

 

As for Rylie, I don’t know her terribly well, but I was surprised when she told me that her lovely bright smile was actually the result of years of orthodontia. She said all that time spent in a dental office made her think of it for a career.

 

Thank you for joining me today.  Before you leave, is there anything you might like to ask my blog readers?

Thank you, Jennifer for a most lovely time. Readers, do you believe in the stuff of Irish legends? Faeries, ghosts, and the like? What is it about the book The Wild Sight that makes you want to read it? I understand the author will give away a copy to one lucky commenter.

 

Thank you Doreen for taking the time to chat.

 

As she said, Loucinda McGary, the lovely author, wants to send one lucky commenter a copy of The Wild Sight.  
And that’s not all folks! 
A second commenter will also receive a copy of the book courtesy of Sourcebooks!

So that’s two winners!

I’ll randomly select and announce the winners on Saturday, Oct. 18 so be sure to check back!

Also, my review of The Wild Sight will be posted tomorrow (along with another chance to win a copy)!

 

You can learn more about The Wild Sight and its author at:  http://www.loucindamcgary.com/
So how about answering Doreen’s questions…

And do you have any questions for Doreen or Loucinda McGary…I have been told they might stop by throughout the day.