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Vanessa O'Loughlin

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Vanessa Fox O'Loughlin is an Irish literary scout, agent and coach. She is also, as Sam Blake and Vanessa Fox, a published author.

Career edit

In 2006, O'Loughlin moved from a career in event management to self-employment, founding Inkwell Writers Workshops to run fiction-writing workshops taught by bestselling published writers.[1][2] During the post-2008 Irish economic downturn, the company was renamed The Inkwell Group and became a publishing consultancy. O'Loughlin published one romantic fiction novel as "Vanessa Fox",[3] and publishes crime fiction as "Sam Blake".[4]

In 2019 she was elected to the Management Committee of the Society of Authors.[5] In 2024, she was elected as the new Chair,[6] succeeding Joanne Harris.[7][8]

In 2022, O'Loughlin was one of over 100 authors to contribute to 100 Ways to Write a Book – a compilation of author interviews put together by author Alex Pearl during the COVID pandemic.[9][10][11]

Sam Blake edit

In 2015, the Bonnier Twenty7 signed O'Loughlin to write a three-book series of crime novels featuring Garda detective Cat Connolly and set in Dublin.[12] The first book in the series was Little Bones, and was released, as were the two subsequent volumes, under the pen name Sam Blake. Little Bones went straight into the Irish fiction bestseller list at first place and stayed there for four weeks,[13] eventually featuring in the Irish top ten for eight weeks. In Deep Water and No Turning Back also entered the Irish bestseller lists.[citation needed]

In January 2020, standalone thriller Keep Your Eyes On Me was released by Corvus Books, together with an audio recording from Bolinda Publishing narrated by Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch. Keep Your Eyes On Me was also a No.1 Irish Times bestseller.[13]

In January 2022 a new book, The Dark Room, was published by Corvus Books.[14][15]

Writing.ie edit

O'Loughlin founded Writing.ie in 2011; it developed into an Irish writers' web resource that covers literary events and offers advice to writers.[1][12][16][17]

The Irish Independent describes writing.ie as "a one-stop shop for authors."[16]

Personal life edit

Fox comes from St Albans in Hertfordshire, England.[13] She moved to Ireland with her fiancé, a member of the Irish police force, Shane O'Loughlin, living first in Bray, County Wicklow, then in nearby Kilmacanogue; they have two children.[13] She cites Daphne du Maurier as a major inspiration.[13][18]

References edit

  1. ^ a b McBennett, Fiona (11 January 2015). "Meet Irish women behind publishing powerhouses". The Irish Times. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  2. ^ Brennan, Marjorie (19 March 2014). "Writers' workshop proves a novel experience for best-selling author". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  3. ^ O'Sullivan, Marése (19 March 2012). "Want to Write? – Interview with Literary Scout Vanessa O'Loughlin". A Younger Theatre. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Three-book deal for Sam Blake (20 May 2015)". crimeire.blogspot.com. Crime Fiction Ireland (blog). May 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  5. ^ Reed, Martin (24 October 2019). "New members elected to SoA's Management Committee - The Society of Authors". Society of Authors. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  6. ^ Reed, Martin (23 January 2024). "Vanessa Fox O'Loughlin elected new Chair of the Society of Authors - The Society of Authors". Society of Authors. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  7. ^ Anderson, Porter (23 January 2024). "UK: New Leadership at the Society of Authors". Publishing Perspectives. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  8. ^ Bayley, Sian (23 January 2024). "Fox O'Loughlin elected new SoA chair, succeeding Harris". The Bookseller. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Talk Radio Europe in Spain: 16 March 2023". Talk Radio Europe. 16 March 2023. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  10. ^ Pearl, Alex (4 February 2022). "The Author's Saga Webinar Series Piick a Book interview". The Author's Saga. Retrieved 25 January 2024 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ Pearl, Alex (10 January 2022). "100 Ways to Write a Book by Alex Pearl and Charles Harris". writing.ie. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Vanessa O'Loughlin's book deal". The Irish Times. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  13. ^ a b c d e Harris, Charles (5 November 2020). "Interview: Sam Blake #1 bestselling author". Charles Harris author. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  14. ^ Blake, Sam (21 January 2021). "The Dark Room: Eason No 1 Bestseller!". Sam Blake Books. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Meet the Author: Sam Blake". Suffolk Libraries. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Paperback Writer: Do Irish writers make a living?". Irish Independent. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  17. ^ O’Sullivan, Marése (15 May 2015). "Preview: International Literature Festival Dublin". UTV Ireland. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  18. ^ "Vanessa's crime and passion in Kilmac". Independent.ie. 3 December 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
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