A Slice of Cake With... Eithne Cullen

This week I am delighted to be having a slice of cake with author Eithne Cullen.

Eithne is an author, poet and Pen to Print alumni with several books now published and is currently Poet in Residence for Hysteria writing competition.

What kind of books do you write?

My two books have been very different, The Ogress of Reading was a blend of fact and fiction based on a real character, a terrible woman who was a baby murderer, Never Not in my Thoughts is a novel about obsessive love, it’s contemporary and purely out of my imagination. 

The next one is going to be fictionalised account of a woman (a real one again) who was a prolific poisoner; it’ll be called Arsenic Sally.

I sound a bit morbid, but I’m not. I just like a good story. 

Can you describe your writing why?

I wake up in the morning with a head full of stories and have to find homes for them: sometimes as stories sometimes as poems and I’ve been lucky to have stories to fill novels, too. 

I grew up with songs and stories in the house and a love of books which my parents really encouraged.

Share with us your favourite passage from the book you enjoyed writing the most

For a few minutes, Holly’s frame filled the doorway. She looked at the children, taking in every detail of their bath-time fun. She seemed to drink in every sound. He thought he saw her breathe in deeply, as if to catch the scent and savour the smell of them. She was wearing a loose cotton shirt, over faded jeans, casual but lovely, she was always lovely in his memory.  He caught her eye, she smiled and moved away. 

Tell us about your latest project

I’m writing about a woman who killed some of her own children and her husband using arsenic. She’s based on a famous Essex woman who was hanged for her crimes. She did it for the insurance money and her crimes set off a spate of poisonings in Essex villages. It was at a time when arsenic was unregulated and easy to get hold of. I’m telling it as a story, narrated by her friend so it’s not really a true crime novel, more about the way relationships developed in the small community they lived in. 

What is your favourite cake?

I love a good Victoria sandwich with buttercream and raspberry jam.  When I’m out I often go for a millionaire’s shortbread as it’s one I don’t make myself. 

Delicious! Follow Eithne on Twitter and Facebook and check out her website for more details on her books.

Join me next week when I'll be having a slice of cake with Stephanie Barr.

If you would like to take part in A Slice of Cake With... please fill in the form found here. I'd be delighted to have you.

You can also support my writing endeavours and buy me tea & cake - it's what makes the world go round!

Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet, completely addicted to cake. Find all her books on Amazon. Join the discussion in her Facebook group Buss's Book Stop.