Seamus Norris talks to me about his contribution to the Gifted anthology

 

How did you interpreter the word "gifted"? 
The gift or Talent a person has or had.

How did you find out abut the call for submissions? 
Online search for opportunities to publish.

What do you like about short stories? 

You can tell the stories you want in a short form which make the stories accessible to more readers.

Tell us abut your journey as a writer 

I became interested in writing from an early age, after I got a present of a copybook from an Aunt. I was about 9 years of age. I started to write my first novel. It was a Western with a working title of “The United Family”. I wrote several chapters in very bad pencil handwriting (Thank God for Keyboards). The novel is as yet unfinished.  I still have the copybook! My interest in writing, particularly fiction was encouraged by my English secondary teacher in Carrick-On-Suir Vocational School, who left my imagination to its own devices.

 After secondary school, the writing bug dried up until I joined Piltown Macra Na Feirme in 1987. After watching the club perform in the county one-act drama competition, I decided to become a playwright because although I thought the actors were great, I thought the script was awful and dated.  My first play was a farce called  When The Cats Away, Everybody Plays which was performed in the following years drama competition, even getting to the county final.  I directed and cast it myself.  From there, I wrote several one act plays and sketches.  Several more of which were performed by Piltown Macra Na Feirme. I won best director and best actor awards as I took to the stage myself. I advanced to full length plays and then short stories.  Then I started writing poetry, mainly for the poetry competition at Ireland’s oldest agricultural show, the Iverk Show in Piltown.  

 In the 90’s, I also started writing for newspapers such as the Kilkenny People and Kilkenny Standard provincial newspaper which was an opportunity to write more factual content and tackle more serious local items. I was never afraid to write the truth. Some articles were published in national newspapers. 

Next up was song lyrics. One of my songs reached the final of the Glinsk Song Contest in 1999.  

Then to my first novel called Quest For Justice.  It has everything from romance to violence and action, to intrigue to science fiction and is predominantly Irish based.  It is still unpublished. I have since written another crime Novella called “Jamie” and started another novel call the “The Underdog” aimed at younger adults. 

During COVID, I wrote a short play called the “Power Of Love” which was streamed online by Barnstorm Theatre Arts in Kilkenny as part of their Love in Lockdown project and can be viewed on YouTube. When all restrictions were lifted it was performed live. I have built up a decent portfolio across many formats which is available to view on my website www.snorris.ie and I do intend to return more often to the keyboard in the future. Many ideas in my head that need to get out! Still the goal is to get as many of writings published or performed.  My stories come from my exciting and vivid imagination, mainly revolving around Sport, Westerns, Romance and Crime or are Irish themed, based on dramatised versions of his own life experiences. The stories range from drama to comedy. My motto is Dreams and Ambitions Have no Limit!

Is there anything else in the pipeline? 

Nothing planned but plenty of hope that more submissions will capture the eye and the imagination.  Gifted should certainly help there. Thanks to all at Bridge House.

 

Author Website           -           www.snorris.ie

Facebook                     -           https://www.facebook.com/seamusdnorris

Twitter                        -           @seamusdnorris

Instagram                    -           https://www.instagram.com/seamusdnorris/?hl=en