Jan Carson in Conversation

Jan Carson needs no introduction to our Helicon audiences having chaired conversations with several guests at HomePlace.

We are delighted to welcome Jan in her own right as an award-winning author to talk about her new book.In _Few and Far Between, _Jan imagines an alternative version of Northern Ireland’s recent history.

In 1958, soon-to-be Northern Irish Prime Minister Terence O’Neill proposed draining Lough Neagh to create a seventh county for the North.

The drainage scheme proceeds, exposing an archipelago of tiny islands in the middle of Lough Neagh (which really exist) in Jan’s new novel.Her first novel, _Malcolm Orange Disappears _(2014) was published to critical acclaim, followed by _Children’s Children_ (2016), _Postcard Stories_ (2017) and _Postcard Stories 2_ (2020). _The Fire Starters _(2019) won the EU Prize for Literature and was shortlisted for the Dalkey Novel of the Year Award. _The Raptures_ (2022) was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards Novel of the Year and the Kerry Group Novel of the Year. _Quickly, While They Still Have Horses_, was published in 2024.‘ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING AND ORIGINAL NORTHERN IRISH WRITERS OF HER GENERATION.’ _SUNDAY TIMES_Approximate run time: 90 minutes including Q&A