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Author Nicole Flattery was born in Kinnegad, County Westmeath in 1989. She studied theater and film at Trinity College, Dublin, after which she completed a master’s degree in creative writing, for which she won the White Review Short Story Award in 2017.Her award-winning short story collection let’s have a good time was published in 2019, and her work has appeared in the following publications: stinging fly, guardian, and london book reviews. Her debut novel, Not particularly, explores female friendship, fame, and identity in 1960s New York. Published in paper bag By Bloomsbury on March 28th.

1. Location

Rough Owell, county westmeath

This place is not far from my parents’ house, so I often go swimming here with my mother and sister. It’s very beautiful and there’s a great sense of community among the swimmers. Winter is my favorite time to swim. It’s a cold season that tests your endurance. When you first jump in, you don’t think about anything for just a few seconds. I wish I could do this every day. When I was a teenager, I didn’t really like growing up in rural Ireland. I thought I was missing out on the excitement and glamor, and I definitely was. But now I miss it so much.

2. Film

One from the Heart (directed by Francis Ford Coppola)

I just watched this re-release version. It was goofy and silly and fun, but also very detailed and extravagant viewing, perhaps because of Coppola’s work. The story is about a couple, Franny (Teri Garr) and Hank (Frederick Forrest), who find themselves in crisis in Las Vegas. she wants to travel He wants to settle down. They break up and then rebound with other people. Tom Waits does the soundtrack, and everything is very stylized and surreal. I watch a lot of old movies. Because I think we can learn from that, but more superficially, I think we can also learn about clothing. I can’t stop thinking about the red dress Gar is wearing. I would gladly take heartbreak if I could keep that dress.

3. TV

Love is Blind (Netflix)

It’s a reality show with the basic premise of meeting, falling in love, and proposing invisibly. All you can do is have a few conversations through the wall about spirituality, trauma, and what you want to do on the weekend. Then marry them! With six seasons so far, it’s safe to conclude that love is not blind. It’s fascinating to watch couples emerge and try to reconcile the idea of romantic love with reality. Some of them are extremely single-minded. Even if it’s obvious that you can’t stand your partner’s gaze and don’t want to get involved, you end up getting married anyway. They always say something like, “I can’t wait to sleep with you and wake up with you in the morning.” It’s as if you’re worried that your partner will leave in the middle of the night. That’s exactly right. What would I do in that situation? I hope they make 100 seasons.

4. Critic

aS Hamra

With the demise of Pitchfork and other publications, I feel like long-form criticism is dying out a bit, which is scary and scary. Personally, I love reading. It means the world to me. AS Hamra’s playful and wonderful film criticism book streaming the earth dies Full of insight, wit, and voice. We need critics like this who understand that what we see is who we are. It also helps if you’re really funny, as is he. His Oscars recaps, while often written only about the movies themselves, are always some of the best writing about awards season.

5. Technology

dumb phone

You can’t spend even one hour in Dublin and not see the devastating impact of the tech industry. We sold our city to these companies and made it impossible for anyone else to live here. I don’t just mean homelessness and exorbitant rents, but lack of imagination and the occasional need to drink at an exorbitantly expensive place called Ye Olde Irish Hardware Shop. It also means the fact that it must be done. I use a bad phone a lot now. I’m more sociable and like to talk to strangers. Leaving the house with a dumb phone is amazing. I think this is what it feels like to be on the run.

6. Coffee shop

Lilliput Stores, Stoneybatter, Dublin

I’ve been coming here for years because I used to work at the nearby publishing company Lilliput Press. Now it’s just a 10-minute walk from my home. It’s very cozy and has a great selection of food, pastries, and wine. They also sell exquisite honey, and I’m addicted to it. It’s always a treat after going to yoga. In fact, I spend most of my classes thinking about what I’ll gain, which probably won’t help me achieve enlightenment. Everyone who works there is so friendly and warm that it’s worth the trip out of town.