Clifden holiday inspires author’s new novel

Date Published: 20-Apr-2011

A London author has struck it lucky with the publication of his first novel based in Clifden, a town he fell in love with during a one week holiday to Connemara four years ago.

James Mylet from Twickenham works in advertising but has dreamed of having his fictional work published for years. He admits he has had “a few rejections” but next week his first novel Lex hits the shops, published by Quercus, the same publishers of the runaway international success of Steig Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy.

The book is about a teenager from Clifden who dreams of leaving his home town to become a well known DJ in London, or anywhere but his Connemara home. Lex runs an internet radio station, which he leaves on all day with a long playlist while he attends the local school. He’s a Leaving Cert student, the eldest of three children.

He is also in love with a girl who hardly notices him and Lex thinks her boyfriend doesn’t deserve her.

It is very readable and is a mix of Adrian Mole and Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity because of its wit and innocence.

James, who has no connection with Clifden or even Ireland, hopes that the book will be well received in Ireland and especially Clifden, so he can return there for another visit.

“That week long holiday in the West was eventful. I got inspired with the story for the book and my wife Catherine and I decided to start a family.

“We haven’t been back since – Felix our son is now three and a half so we haven’t gone anywhere much – but I still remember the beauty of Connemara, despite it raining most days."

Read the full interview in this week’s Connacht Tribune.