I'm delighted to announce that my novella, THE WINDS OF MORNING, gained an Honorable Mention in the Incipere Awards 2022 Historical Fiction category. This book is near and dear to my heart, as I wrote it after doing genealogical research with my niece. We found out that my father's family lived through An Gorta Mor … Continue reading Incipere Awards: The Winds of Morning Honorable Mention
family saga
THE WOODSMAN’S ROSE Character Sketch: Annie Griffiths
Annie is the fiancee of Daniel Donovan, a delicate girl who suffers from debilitating headaches. But Annie is also know as the best baker in their community, and she's volunteered to make a wedding cake for Daniel's brother Frank's wedding to Patricia Flaherty. This excerpt from THE WOODSMAN'S ROSE is inspired by her talents. Daniel … Continue reading THE WOODSMAN’S ROSE Character Sketch: Annie Griffiths
THE WINDS OF MORNING, Donovan Family Saga Prequel
Can a young woman save her family from starvation? She’s their only hope & desperate enough for anything. 1848: the third year the potato crop failed in Ireland. The Protestant landlords have absconded back to Britain, leaving the Catholic peasants to fend for themselves, while the English feast on the massive amounts of Irish food … Continue reading THE WINDS OF MORNING, Donovan Family Saga Prequel
Coming in January: THE WOODSMAN’S ROSE
Book 2 of the Donovan Family Saga spotlights the romance between Daniel Donovan and Annie Griffiths. But all is not well in their world. Here's a bit of a teaser for you: Daniel Donovan wants nothing more than to get married, unless it's to restore his friendship with his closest friend, Alec Twelve Trees. Alec … Continue reading Coming in January: THE WOODSMAN’S ROSE
WHISPERS IN THE CANYON: A Readers’ Favorite Review
A 5-star review by Cheryl E. Rodriguez [with spoilers removed]: Whispers in the Canyon by Gifford MacShane is an emotionally charged love story. Adam Donovan is deeply rooted in his Irish heritage. He and all of the Donovan clan live by a heartfelt code of conduct. “A man without a family has no one, but … Continue reading WHISPERS IN THE CANYON: A Readers’ Favorite Review
The Hedgerow Schools of Ireland
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Irish Catholic children attended school to learn English and arithmetic. In densely populated areas, school might be held in an abandoned barn or building, but in the country, the children literally sat in front of the hedgerows that separated one small croft from another. There were few, if any, … Continue reading The Hedgerow Schools of Ireland
An Interview with Gifford MacShane
My Book Place was nice enough to publish an interview I did with them a bit ago... Advice, writing habits, influences, and more about my books is covered. If you have questions they didn't ask, don't hesitate to post them below!
WHISPERS IN THE CANYON Review: Entrada Publishing
Whispers in the Canyon is a fictional romance set in 1800s Arizona. It’s a story about hardship, love, and the importance of family and neighbors. Most importantly, it’s a story about true love and the difficulties couples can face. The novel follows the Donovan family, a large, prosperous Irish immigrant family. They are a clan … Continue reading WHISPERS IN THE CANYON Review: Entrada Publishing
WHISPERS IN THE CANYON: Quotes from Reviewers
WHISPERS IN THE CANYON: Quotes from Reviewers ON AMAZON: from Lainey: I stayed up all night and this morning to read this whole take in one go... If they make it a series [or] trilogy though, count me in. This is a full length novel, my favorite kind. No short story here. from Heidi V: … Continue reading WHISPERS IN THE CANYON: Quotes from Reviewers
How Do You Explain a Character’s Moral Code?
Before WHISPERS IN THE CANYON was published, I received an agent's critique of my query letter and first ten pages that was pretty positive. She said it did a nice job of presenting a complicated plot succinctly. However, she felt the “stakes” weren't quite high enough. If you've read the first article that comes up … Continue reading How Do You Explain a Character’s Moral Code?
Gifford MacShane, Author 