Mother America and Other Stories

"The story ‘Mother America’ touches on the major motifs in this collection of stories: religion, fear, how mothers and sons relate, and the influence of America on Ireland. Funnily enough the story pre-dates the rest of the stories by a number of years but I held it over as I thought the title would work well for a collection. I didn’t write the other stories because of it but themes of mothering and migration emerged over the three years or so this collection was written. Life is ugly-pretty and that’s what interests me as a writer. I would rather write/read about the hard stuff and sensual things than hearts ‘n’ flowers. I think the cover does a great job of representing the book – it was my favourite of eight designs the publisher came up with; I just love that Kewpie doll!"

- Nuala Ní Chonchúir, in interview