“The immigrant’s heart marches to the beat of two quite different drums, one from the old homeland and the other from the new. The immigrant has to bridge these two worlds, living comfortably in the new and bringing the best of his or her ancient identity and heritage to bear on life in an adopted homeland.”
– Irish President McAleese

What would it have been like to watch your mother, your father, your siblings, all slowly starve to death? What would you do if one by one you lost everyone you held dear? Your family, friends, all gone leaving you the sole survivor.

Would you stay where everything reminds you of your loss? Or, would you leave your homeland, the place where your family lived, back as far as anyone can remember? Where would you go? How would you carry on?

These questions are the seeds from which my novel “Torn” grew.

(Image Famine Statues in Dublin)