Author: francesmacken
Frances Macken (December 14 1982 – ) completed a BA in Film and Television Production at the National Film School, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology in 2005. She has since worked in the advertising, PR and non-profit sectors. She has written several short stories and been shortlisted twice in national short story competitions run by RTÉ, Ireland's public service broadcaster, and Penguin Ireland. Her ambition is to write eight fiction novels and she is undertaking a Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Oxford at the current time. She has published a novella, a paranormal thriller entitled The Diary of Natalya Zlota, presently available on Amazon. Her writing is creepy, humorous and experimental and can be likened to the 'magical realism' genre.
January 31, 2019 Atlas Obscura / Recommendations / Travel
Technicolor Stuff Of Dreams: Six Weeks in Hawaii
In an extraordinary and unlikely turn of events, my and Doug's schedules aligned in October and we booked a six week trip to Hawaii. It still doesn't quite seem real, but it really happened. We strolled the sandy white beaches. We snorkelled in turquoise waters. We marvelled at pastel sunsets. We hit up the luau, and sampled the Mai Tai.
October 20, 2018 Atlas Obscura / Books / Meanderings / Recommendations / Travel
Atlas Obscura in Cornwall: Land's End, Minack Theatre, and St. Michael's Mount
I've just returned from a short trip to Cornwall, a county in the south west of the United Kingdom. Cornwall is renowned for its breathtaking coastline, blond beaches, and picturesque towns and villages. I flipping loved it.
May 10, 2018 Creative Writing / Meanderings
Look for feedback in the right places, from the right people
It's natural to desire feedback on your writing. You want to know that you're on to something. You want to feel validated. But tread carefully, writers.
March 4, 2018 Books / Meanderings / Recommendations
Someone left the cake out in the rain! What are your Desert Island Discs?
When I find new music that really appeals to me, I always ask myself, "Would it fit my selection for Desert Island Discs?" It's been an incredibly difficult exercise to whittle down my favourite music to just eight tracks but I've given it a bash.
December 8, 2017 Books / Creative Writing / Creepy
Losing the plot, the cemetery enthusiast, Gretchen Rubin, and a hairtastrophe!
I've been thinking about plot. A lot. Is plot essential? I believe so. Story is plot. Plot is inherent in story. When readers complain about the books they haven't enjoyed, they will often say, "It just didn't go anywhere. I got bored." Readers want to dive in to story. As in life, we want to be enchanted, entertained, and most importantly, to be taken on a journey.
September 16, 2017 Books / Creative Writing / Oxford University / Recommendations
So long, Oxford University!
Never again shall I sweat over bibliography formats and citations, or suffer eyestrain that felt like someone was tightening a rope around my forehead. Never again shall I sit on Amazon for hours on end, attempting to source the cheapest reference books, swearing profusely at the cost of postage and packing.