‘Tis a truth universally acknowledged that behind every great man, there has to be a greater Irish woman. And, indeed, ’tis a little known fact that Friedrich Engels’ better half was a Lizzie Burns of the Emerald Isle. A working class immigrant to Britain, she had first hand experience of the hardships of the proletariat and was to play a key part in the formation of British socialism.
Taking this fact and applying his not insignificant talent and imagination to create a gripping historical novel, is Gavin McCrea, a writer and debut novelist from Dublin. I have to declare an interest here, not only is Gavin Irish, we also took our MA in Creative Writing at UEA, the same year (2009). However, this merely means that I’m familiar with his talent and his potential, and I would highly recommend you make ‘Mrs Engels’ your next book purchase.
‘Mrs Engels’ by Gavin McCrea will be launched on April 30th, and is published by Scribe, London. The novel will be published in the U.S. in October.
Remember you heard it here first.
Gavin McCrea, author
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About suehealy
From Ireland, Sue Healy is Literary Manager at the Finborough Theatre, London, a full-time Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Lincoln. Her book on theatre literary management is published by Routledge, December 2022.
Sue is an award-winning writer for stage, TV, and prose writer.
TV
Her current project, a 6x60minute TV series, is under option. She is under commission with Lone Wolf Media, producers behind PBS’ “Mercy Street”, to co-write the pilot and treatment for a six-part TV series.
Stage
Her most recent stage-play, Imaginationship (2018), enjoyed a sold out, extended run at the Finborough and later showed at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough. Her previous stage productions include Cow (Etcetera Theatre, 2017) and Brazen (King’s Head Theatre, 2016), funded by Arts Council England. Sue’s short plays have been performed at the Criterion (Criterion New Writing Showcase), Arcola (The Miniaturists) and Hackney Attic (Fizzy Sherbet Shorts).
Radio
Her radio work includes nine plays broadcast on BBC Radio 4 (Opening Lines winner), WLRfm and KCLR96fm.
Prose
Sue has won The Molly Keane Award, HISSAC Prize, Escalator Award, Meridian Prize and has been published in nine literary journals and anthologies including: The Moth, Flight, Tainted Innocence, New Writer, Duality, HISSAC, New European Writers. She has been writer-in-residence on Inis Oírr, Aran Islands, and at the Heinrich Boll Cottage on Achill Island. She has also benefitted from annual artist residencies at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, and at Ginestrelle, Assisi in Italy.
An academic with a PhD in modern theatre history, specifically the Royal Court Theatre, Sue has presented her research internationally. She spent eleven years in Budapest, editing Hungary A.M. She has a PhD in modern theatre history (Royal Court Theatre) and is a UEA Creative Writing MA alumnus.
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