McNicholl, Damian

PERSONAL: Born in County Derry, Northern Ireland. Education: Attended University College Cardiff.

ADDRESSES: Home—Pennsylvania. Agent—c/o CDS Books, 425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017 E-mail—damian@soncalledgabriel.com.

CAREER: Worked as an attorney in New York.

AWARDS, HONORS: Finalist, Lambda Literary Award, named ForeWord Online Book-of-the-Year, and named American Booksellers Association Booksense Pick, all for A Son Called Gabriel.

WRITINGS:

A Son Called Gabriel, CDS Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Contributor of short fiction to Bucks County Writers magazine.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Unusual Steps, "a dark comedy set in London involving a young Irishman and an assertive English woman who finds herself blackmailed at work and their meddlesome neighbor."

SIDELIGHTS: Writer Damian McNicholl was born and raised in Northern Ireland, then later studied law in Britain prior to moving to the United States. McNicholl's roots serve as a foundation for his first novel, A Son Called Gabriel, which takes place in Northern Ireland during the 1960s and 1970s. The story follows Gabriel as he grows up in a strict, conservative Catholic family harboring a secret at its core. An intelligent, witty child, he is bullied in school and experiments sexually with both boys and girls as he matures; yet he also lives in fear of his homosexual tendencies. However, as the plot progresses, Gabriel's sexual preferences are overshadowed by his skepticism regarding the teachings of the Catholic Church and his growing awareness regarding the political situation in his homeland. In an interview with Tracy Farnsworth for RoundTableReviews.com, McNicholl explained: "Like Gabriel, I did grow up in a very turbulent Northern Ireland. I like to refer to the events in the novel as being grounded to a degree in real experience. By that I mean, the work is not a memoir…. His circumstances are not the circumstances of my childhood."

McNicholl received general praise for his literary debut. ForeWord Online reviewer Christine Houde said, "Each character, from Gabriel's 'girlfriend' to his younger sister Nuala, is so vividly portrayed that their world is all-encompassing, and it becomes almost heartbreaking to say goodbye." Ken Schellenberg, in a review for Lambda Book Report, remarked that McNicholl "has merged the standard 'coming out' bildungsroman with Gabriel's education about his religion, his country, and his political plight. This is a very smart move." Schellenberg went on to comment that while "many of the more interesting moments and characters are underdeveloped," overall the book is "readable, intelligent, appealing although sometimes predictable," and shows "glimmers of even better books to come" from McNicholl. Booklist reviewer Joanne Wilkinson called A Son Called Gabriel "slow, painful, but ultimately moving reading." A contributor to Publishers Weekly stated that "awkward, sometimes tender sex scenes … recall all the clumsy uncertainties of adolescence. McNicholl is a graceful writer, and his is a worthy debut."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, May 15, 2004, Joanne Wilkinson, review of A Son Called Gabriel, p. 1598.

Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2004, review of A Son Called Gabriel, p. 291.

Lambda Book Report, August-September, 2004, Ken Schellenberg, "Irish and Out," p. 27.

M2 Best Books, February 26, 2004, "Distributor Turns Publisher with Author's Debut Novel."

Publishers Weekly, June 14, 2004, review of A Son Called Gabriel, p. 44.

ONLINE

A Son Called Gabriel Web site, http://www.soncalledgabriel.com/ (February 9, 2005).

Beatrice.com, http://www.beatrice.com/ (February 9, 2005), "Damian McNicholl."

ForeWord Online, http://www.forewordmagazine.net/ (April 7, 2005), Christine Houde, review of A Son Called Gabriel.

RoundTableReviews.com, http://www.roundtablereviews.com/ (February 9, 2005), "Damian McNicholl."