Gill Perdue talks about fairytales, the Sue Barton series, her experience of boarding school and much more as she tells Ruth McKee which books she’d save if her house was on fire. 

Gill Perdue is the author of bestselling crime novels If I Tell, When They See Me, and most recently The Night I Killed Him, all published by Penguin. 

Éilís Ní Dhuibhne tells Ruth McKee about the books which have been important in her life, through childhood, love, and loss—and talks about how her writing practice has evolved. 

Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, The Laureate for Irish Fiction, writes in both Irish and English. A member of Aosdána, she is Writer Fellow at UCD, where she teaches MA-level Creative Writing. She has been the recipient of many literary awards, most recently the Pen Award for an Outstanding Contribution to Irish Literature, and a Hennessy Hall of Fame Award, many Oireachtas Awards for her writing in Irish, and the Stuart Parker Award for Drama. Her novel, The Dancers Dancing, was shortlisted for the Orange Prize in 2000. She has published several collections of short stories, the most recent being Selected Stories (Blackstaff 2023) and Fáínne Geal and Lae (Clo Iar Chonnacht 2023).

Brendan Mac Evilly talks about  Jean Paul Sartre, Dermot Healy, the art world and the artist as he tells Ruth McKee which books he’d save if his house was on fire. 

Brendan Mac Evilly is director and co-editor of Holy Show, an annual arts journal and production company. He is the 2024/25 Emerging Curator in Development at Kilkenny Arts Office. His debut novel, Deep Burn, is published by Marrowbone Books. 

Theo Dorgan talks about Doris Lessing, Robert Graves, observation and imagination as he talks to Ruth McKee for the latest episode of Burning Books.

Theo Dorgan has published ten collections of poetry, and is also a translator, editor, essayist, novelist, broadcaster and documentary screenwriter. Volumes of his work have been published in Spanish, Italian, Greek and French, while among his own translations are three collections from the French of Syrian poet Maram al Masri and a version in Irish Gaelic of Lorca’s Romancero Gitano. His latest novel, Camarade, is out now with Mercier Press.

Gráinne O’Brien talks about moving to California, the influence of music in her life and work, and how she became a bookseller and writer as she tells Ruth McKee which books she’d save if her house was on fire.

Gráinne O'Brien is a bookseller and the founder of Rontu Literary Service, which is dedicated to supporting writers of fiction for children. She is the author of the children’s book  A Limerick Fairytale (O’Brien Press). Solo is her debut verse novel for young adults (Little Island Books).

Rosemary Jenkinson talks about not being able to find the university library, living up to her Wikipedia page, and her experience in Ukraine, as she tells Ruth McKee which books she would save if her house was on fire.

Rosemary Jenkinson is an award winning author who writes plays, short stories, and recently a collection of poetry. Now she has published her debut novel, The Memorisers, with Arlen House.

Claire Hennessy talks about Malory Towers, Wonder Boys, Rachel’s Holiday and all kinds of everything from depression to editing as she tells Ruth McKee which books she would save if her house was on fire.

Claire Hennessy is a writer, editor and creative writing facilitator. Best known as an author and reviewer of YA fiction, In the Movie of Her Life (Doire Press) is her debut collection of short stories for adults.

Patrick Holloway talks about acting, language, and art as a deeper way of communication as he tells Ruth McKee which books he would save if his house was on fire.

Patrick Holloway’s debut novel, The Language of Remembering, is out now with Époque Press.

Ashwin Chacko talks about Curdie and the Goblin, Lord of the Rings, The Shack by Paul Young, the Bible and more as he tells Ruth McKee which books he’d save if his house was on fire.

Ashwin Chacko is an author, illustrator, and motivational speaker who specialises in positively playful, visual storytelling. His books include Keep At It, Little Optimist, Everybody Feels Fear, and his most recent, Wild City which is published by The O’Brien Press.

Julianne Mooney Siron talks about growing up in Greystones, her travels after college, and returning to Ireland and the Dublin Book Festival as she tells Ruth McKee which books she’d save if her house was on fire.

Julianne Mooney Siron has been programming the Dublin Book Festival since 2010. Alongside the festival, she has worked at The Ark, is author of The Time Out Guide to Ireland and was Reader-in-Residence for Dublin City Public Libraries and DLR Libraries.