AMoRaR Interview – Jane Gilheaney

A Month of Rain and Reads Interviews4 months ago13 min readAdd comment

Welcome to A Month of Rain and Reads, a celebration of self-published and indie SFF throughout the entire month of November. To find out how you can take part and view the whole list of content, visit our introduction post.

Jane Gilheaney is the author of Cailleach~Witch, a novel about a family of Irish witches that sits somewhere in the murky borderlands between literary fiction, contemporary fantasy, and rural horror. Perhaps it’s magical realism, or perhaps it’s something all its own.

I read and reviewed Caiileach~Witch several years ago, before Tru and I launched this website, and you can read my review here. I don’t recall all the details of the book, but I remember the beautiful language, the atmosphere, and the eerily realistic otherworldliness of the story. Living in Ireland at the time, I also particularly enjoyed how authentically Irish the book felt.

Now, a sequel by the name Banshee is in the works, so I sent a few questions to Jane to find out more about her and her books.

Describe yourself like you would a character in your book.

This is the hardest question ever! I’ve never been a big fan of physical descriptions, as a reader or a writer. I resisted including them in my books, though I eventually gave in. That said, if there ever was a film or TV version, I always picture some version of Eva Green.

But if I had to describe myself in a way that fits the world of my books, I’d borrow this line from Edna Ferber: “But always to her, red and green cabbages were to be jade and burgundy, chrysoprase and porphyry. Life has no weapons against a woman like that.” You could put that in my books, or on my tombstone.

What else do you want our readers to know about you?

My goal is to feel the cold wind off the mountain and be healed.

One reader of Cailleach said she felt she was out on the mountain in Ballingleragh, a remote and beautiful corner of Leitrim, so she got it.

I’m a Virgo sun, Scorpio rising, Aquarius moon. An INTP, The Analyzer. I score 100% on the grit scale. These things fascinate me: patterns, personality, self-exploration, meaning-making. Writing is a way to map all of that. I’m interested in people and the emotional, psychological, and symbolic stories that explore identity, resilience, and the complexities of being human.

You went the indie route and self-published Cailleach~Witch, but I understand you might try to get the Banshee traditionally published. What are your thoughts on the difference between indie and trad? Why did you decide to go indie with your first book, and what are your thoughts for publishing Banshee traditionally?

Cailleach was my first book, it had taken five years to write and by the end I just didn’t want to wait any longer. I have no regrets, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. At the time, the best thing I could do for myself creatively was to put it out into the world and move on to the next thing.

With Banshee I’m planning to test the traditional waters. If no one bites within a reasonable time I’m happy to go indie again. The traditional route can be worth exploring for the extra support, distribution, and visibility, but I deeply value the creative freedom and control that come with independent publishing.

Either way, I’m confident Banshee will find its readers. Thanks to Cailleach, and to sharing my author journey and life on Facebook for over twelve years now, I have this amazing, incredibly patient core readership. I count myself very lucky to have found them, or them me.

In the introduction, I described Cailleach~Witch as a mix of literary fiction, contemporary fantasy, and rural horror. What are your thoughts on this, and how would you describe your book? Will Banshee follow in the same footsteps, or are you treading new ground?

I think those descriptions work, absolutely. I might call it historical literary fiction with strong elements of the mythic, the gothic, and magical realism. Some readers have also described it as a dark historical fantasy.

Banshee follows in the same footsteps as Cailleach in spirit but through a slightly different lens, more historical, and, I hope, a stronger book. The story reaches further back and digs a bit deeper, and of course, I’ve had the benefit of years of writing practice since Cailleach. It feels like a natural evolution.

From Cailleach~Witch I remember that the villagers both feared and respected the Cleary sisters, and it felt like a reflection of how society in general views strong, independent women. What themes are important to you, and how do you bring them into your writing?

I’m drawn to themes of resilience, freedom, survival, connection to place, female agency and solidarity, justice, resistance, moral complexity, the supernatural and folkloric, family, loss, and memory.

For me, Banshee is especially about resilience, soul purpose, and the bond between people and the land. I draw deeply on my ancestral home of County Leitrim in the northwest of Ireland, where my family have always lived. That landscape shapes everything I write.

I tend to focus on women, often sisters, and how we navigate life, oppression, duty, purpose, and betrayal. The supernatural in my work feels as natural as breathing. I come from a place where folklore, magic, and everyday life have always coexisted easily.

Memory and loss run through my work too, how we endure, how we carry what came before, and still hold hope for the future. I feel the books were written from latent memory in many respects, shaped by immersion in wild nature, with the house and land too as characters, defenders, sanctuaries.

Your books feature witches, and they draw heavily from Irish folklore and mythology. The same can be said for a lot of modern culture, and Urban Fantasy books have no shortage of sexy, glamorous witches in tight black leather. Yet, those witches are an ocean apart from the Cleary sisters in their house on the mountain. There’s an authenticity to the witches in your story that I’m hard-pressed to find elsewhere. Would you mind sharing your thoughts on this? Has Irish folklore and mythology been appropriated into something else in modern pop culture?

Thank you for saying that. There’s definitely been an explosion of interest in witches and in Irish folklore and mythology in recent years. People are writing about what they might not consciously know but feel instinctively drawn to, and I think that’s mostly a positive thing. I think women often find themselves reflected in those old stories more than in popular culture.

That said, when drawing on Irish folklore, I do think it should be approached with respect and understanding. These stories come from a very specific landscape, history, and culture. So when that depth is stripped away, when fairy folk become cute and witches become just sexy or ugly it’s a misrepresentation that loses something vital and replaces it with caricature.

I grew up loving film and television in the ’70s and ’80s, but the representation of women then left a lot to be desired. Maybe that’s why I found the Wicked Witch of the West so compelling, she had a kind of unapologetic power. There’s a tendency to sanitise or romanticise witches and fairies: the Cailleach becomes a sweet old lady, fairies become childlike, witches are either alluring or grotesque.

For me, witches have always been outsider women, and that’s enough. They’re outsiders, they’re women, and that gives them a unique connection to life, to place, to the land. I always knew that if I ever wrote a book, it would be about women, their houses, and the wild mountain landscape I was born into in Ireland’s northwest.

My writing is shaped by that Leitrim landscape, by the people and stories of my childhood, and by my experience as a working-class, outsider woman and artist. When I was writing Cailleach and later Banshee, I felt as if I was writing with a latent voice. Maybe it’s the voices of the women who came before, but it’s also about real women today, and about nature itself.

I think it’s relevant too that Ireland has always been more of a matriarchy. We’ve had our problems but wise women, healers, or witches, were mostly accepted here. Feared, in a way, but respected too (as you referred to in your last question.) Like our fairy forts.

I know Banshee is underway, but what comes next? Do you have another story brewing?

Oh yes, so much brewing! A third novel, Changeling, my darkest book yet, is at first-draft stage. It follows another generation of Cleary women, the post-Famine generation. Each book can be read on its own or as part of a loose series.

I’ve also written an origins novella, The Sisters, where I lean more into myth, adventure, and a touch of surrealism. And I keep toying with the idea of a present-day Cleary sisters story, something that would bring their legacy full circle.

I’m also working on a non-fiction book for anyone who wants to write.

Finally, a few quick questions: What’s your favourite…

…book, in recent times?

I’m not a big reader of modern fiction. I tend to gravitate toward art books, good memoirs, or artist biographies. Two I’ve loved in recent times are Walk Through Walls by Marina Abramović and The Outrun by Amy Liptrot. My all-time favourites, though, are May Sarton’s journals. My daughter says she knows they’re my favourites because they’re never on the shelves.

…series, in recent times?

Vikings: Valhalla (season 2) is my favourite of recent times, the river segment in particular. Other favourites are Penny Dreadful, The Walking Dead, and Grey’s Anatomy. Whether it’s historical battles, zombies, or hospital emergencies, I love character driven stories that explore what it means to be human under pressure. Discovering what we’re really made of, when it matters most.

…writing advice?

My advice is to trust the desire to write. The resistance you feel is normal, it’s not a sign you can’t or shouldn’t write. Creating a writing habit is key. Until it becomes a habit, it will be the first thing you drop; once it’s a habit, it will be the last.

A writing life includes every part of your life, not just the hours you spend at the page, so don’t beat yourself up. Give yourself a limited time to complete a first draft, whether that’s a year, nine months, six, or even three. Do whatever it takes to get it done.

Above all I believe that writing is about finding your own voice. Trust the process, be patient, and keep going.

…advice for someone who wants to publish their own book?

I’m not great with the technical side of publishing, but what worked really well for me was creating a Facebook page to document my journey, sharing glimpses of my life, interests, and inspiration. I started this even before I began writing my first book.

For this reason, I’m a big believer in pre-promotion and consistent, ongoing promotion. Showing up in a genuine and regular way on whichever platform suits you. My advice to writers and artists is to treat this space as a creative project in itself. Shift your perspective and it can become a tool for your own growth, as well as a way to connect with readers.

Be aware of publishing paralysis, the overwhelm that comes from too much information. I’d suggest following one or two reputable sources, like Jane Friedman, and tuning out the rest. I didn’t join any publishing groups until after publishing, and I’m glad I waited.

…source of inspiration?

Art, people, nature, interiors, beauty, poetry, colour.

…way to clear your mind when everything gets a bit much?

Getting outside for a walk, meeting a friend for a catch up. I like to seek inspiration outside of writing, art always works for me. Day trips are great too. I live in the countryside and I find towns and cities energising and inspiring in a completely different way.

Do you have any last words? Any shoutouts to authors who have supported you or whose books have inspired you?

Thank you, Nils, for this opportunity and for your kind words. I really appreciate your friendship and support over the years.

I also want to give a special thanks to Stephen Black of Black Thoughts Editorial for his guidance and encouragement with Banshee.

Finally, I’m deeply grateful to my readers and followers for their enthusiasm, messages and encouragement over the years.

Jane Gilheaney

Jane Gilheaney is a writer from Leitrim, Ireland, and the author of Cailleach~Witch, That Curious Love of Green, and Sarah’s House & The Canal. Her work is lyrical, atmospheric, and unflinching, blending folklore, landscape, and the lives of women with a quietly subversive edge. Her forthcoming novel, Banshee, explores family, survival, and resilience in the famine-era west of Ireland.