In the preface to an early book of mine, I tell of the Irish storytelling tradition that stretches all the way back to the time of the ancient Gaelic storyteller, the Seanchai’, who would wander the lonely roads of Ireland. It was a tradition that carried stories of myth and fantasy, but it was also a means of spreading news to isolated communities living in desperately poor conditions, with little or no contact with the outside world.

I mention this because I’m reminded of the occasions I’ve spent in hotels and bars in Ireland and overseas, listening to total strangers telling their stories and passing on local news. It’s not so surprising, as we all love to hear a yarn, don’t we? And I have to admit; I’ve listened to quite a few, good and bad!

Since the earliest days of human existence, all of us have been nurtured by the passing on of stories and news, fiction and non-fiction. It is the most important part of our existence, as everything we do or achieve is based on information, written or otherwise.

And, of course, this leads to people like myself who love to read, and aspire to write books that others will want to read.

Especially encouraging, are the books written by authors in their latter years, which I mention in my recent book How I Wrote my First Book. The writer I particularly admire is Lorna Page, who had her novel published at the age of 93, which went on to be a bestseller! And has since written another book at age 94!

So if you have a story to tell, don’t hesitate to write it. Or information on a subject that may be of interest to others, pass it on. And if you already have a book you want to promote, take a look at the new Guest Author section.

W.L.