Encounter with killer whale sparked successful writing career - Bray People article
First published in Bray People, Dec 2013
A NEW BOOK written by the Chief Executive of a developing Irish Charity is partially based in Wicklow and features a number of references which will be familiar to readers, such as the Christmas Day swim on Greystones beach.
Wicklow town and Brittas Bay also feature prominently in ‘Look into the Eye’, Jennifer Barrett’s debut novel.
Jenni with friend Kara and dog, Brandy after their fundraising swim for Greenpeace’s anti-whaling campaign
Jennifer was runner-up in this year's TV3/ Poolbeg Press ‘Write a Bestseller Competition', and the publishers were so impressed by the novel, that they offered her a three-book publishing deal.
As the author says herself, ‘I wrote much of the book over copious cappucinos from Halpin's Bridge coffee shop in Wicklow town while living with my family in Seacliff.’
‘Look into the Eye' takes readers on a journey from Wicklow and Dublin to the magical world of whales in the wilds of Norway and Antarctica. At the heart of the story are two strong, but troubled, characters, Richard and Melanie – the right people who meet at the wrong time.
Although the sparks fly when the pair first meet, Richard’s past eventually catches up with him, leading to a dramatic turn of events that changes the course of both of their lives forever.
Much of Jennifer’s inspiration for the character Melanie came from her own personal experiences as she travelled to Norway in 2007 to photograph killer whales in the Arctic waters.
Jenni, whalewatching in Norway
‘I found myself so profoundly moved by an eye-to-eye close encounter with a huge killer whale, that the only way I could attempt to fully express its impact on me was to write it down.
‘What started as a travel piece of sorts, went on to become the beginning of the first few chapters of Melanie's story. In many ways, I felt compelled to write ‘Look into the Eye' – both as a way to try to understand the almost ethereal mystery and magic of these beautiful creatures, and also to explore how they might impact on two troubled lives.’
Jennifer will also donate half of her royalties from ‘Look into the Eye' to organisations for the protection and conservation of whales in the wild, and to youth mental health charities in Ireland.
Look into the Eye is available in all good Wicklow bookshops, and on Amazon.com.
