The RTE Guide

The Final Say : Q&A

Where are you?

In a virtual maternity ward, having given birth to my third novel, Love Comes Tumbling. I’ll have the tea and toast now, thanks.

Favourite drink?

Champagne but that may have more to do with its association with celebration than anything else.

Ideal meal?

The Salmon of Knowledge, cooked by someone else. And shared.

Favourite item of clothing?

I’ve a great swimsuit. Just wish the water wasn’t so cold.

Favourite Holiday?

Any one that does not precede a deadline; I seem to have an unfortunate knack for combining the two. Favourite places: Egypt, Sydney, New Zealand, Ravello, Rome and California. I was born to live in a warmer climate.

Worst Holiday Destination?

My husband and I visited Las Vegas for a wedding. The wedding was great but we couldn’t take Vegas. We woke at four next morning, looked at each other, both thinking the same thing – let’s get the hell out of here. We hired a car and did a Thelma and Louise through the Mojave Desert. That was fun. California made up for Vegas.

What were you like in school, hard-working or not?

Let’s just say, no one could accuse me of going easy on myself.

Who was your first kiss?

I may have injured him so the less said the better.

What was the first record you bought?

A Leo Sayer album, Endless Flight. A track on it called The End (about a drug addict reaching the end of the line) resonated with my teenage angst. Still remember every morbid word.

Your favourite films?

Rainman, Kramer versus Kramer, Forrest Gump, Shortcuts, Moonstruck, anything by Woody Allen, Toy Story, Elf, Room With a View, Lost in Translation, Birdy, Matchstick Men, Igby Goes Down, Goodwill Hunting, The Graduate, Girl Interrupted, Junebug, Inside Man. And that’s keeping it short.

Favourite line in a film?

‘I’ve forgotten my mantra.’ Jeff Goldblaum’s only line in Annie Hall.

Who would you like to give a good slap to?

An orderly queue now please. First up, Bertie Ahern for actually thinking we’d believe him when he said that Irish property prices aren’t inflated. Jamie Oliver for putting his name to a baking dish that seems designed to burn its owner. Italian drivers for being lunatics. People who believe in slapping children – they should experience how it feels.

Name some of your favourite books?

Contemporary novels are my thing. Loved Notes on a Scandal, by Zoe Heller, Twelve by Nick McDonnell and A Girl’s Guide to Hunting and Fishing, by Melissa Banks – smart books that say a lot with few words.

What inspired your first novel?

My life – or so everyone thinks, despite what I say.

Who makes you laugh?

Comedian, Eddie Izzard. Actor, Lesley Neilson – all it takes is to see his face. Writer, Dave Sedakis. Gary Larson cartoons – whoever thought animals acting like humans could be so funny? The Simpsons. My children. My husband, especially when he sings.

Your greatest fear?

I don’t dwell too much on what might happen. I try to deal with what does. That usually keeps me going.

Who has thrilled you in musical, theatrical, TV or radio performance?

I don’t do theatre, though Tina Reilly may yet convert me with her wonderful plays. I can’t live without the Sopranos. Two radio interviews stand out: Gay Byrne interviewing Maeve Binchy; and Margaret Atwood being interviewed by Myles Duncan.

Current ambition?

To translate my success in Germany to other countries. To have fun collaborating on a screenplay I plan to write with a few friends in the business.

Summarise yourself in a few words?

I live in the moment, thanks to a hopeless memory, and inability to plan. Optimistic. Philosophical. Risk taker. My own worst critic.

What do you value most in people?

Originality, quirkiness, honesty, generosity of spirit, the ability to laugh at oneself. I admire people who have managed to hold on to a childlike enthusiasm for life. And I love people who read my novels!

Denise Deegan’s latest novel, Love Comes Tumbling is out now.