On the Edge of the Loch: A Psychological Novel set in Ireland (47 page)

Unlike many writers, Joe has carved out a life of diversity and adventure, living in three continents and earning qualifications in different fields.

A Dubliner, he started a diary at thirteen, was published at seventeen, and the writing bug never left. In his early twenties he travelled extensively ‘on the road’ in America, living and working where he stopped. During long spells with a touring carnival he bought a Nikon camera and began capturing images of a continent that fascinated him, while also documenting his adventures in a journal.

Eventually though, he was drawn back to his interests in psychology, entrepreneurship, and the arts. This led him to Arizona, to study under distinguished teachers Roger Hutt, Bill Jay, Art Christiansen and Ross LaManna, each of whom he credits with influencing his thinking, an education funded by his work as a photographer.

He next moved to Dublin, starting his own company in the then emerging field of video/film production and winning a number of national awards. Concurrently, he co-developed and taught a seminal college program in that field and took over as editor of the leading professional journal. In fine-art, he created and exhibited the world’s first collection of photographic portraits of centenarians (17 in total, all Irish), captured on large-format cameras, a show that featured in the Boston Globe and Chicago Tribune.

Then adventure called again, this time taking him to Australia and into real estate, another of his long-term interests. Later, back in the US, he wrote
Not One Dollar More!
, a how-to book on negotiation that sold over one hundred thousand copies (John Wiley & Son, NY), founded a micro press for emerging authors, and published articles in leading US magazines.

At this point, however, an older passion led him back to academic study and post-graduate qualifications in psychology and human learning.

As an adjunct professor he taught creative writing and psychology for over a decade in New Jersey, earning multiple Best Professor citations from student bodies. At the same time, he was consulting and coaching a mix of private business clients and lecturing on Modernism and Irish Studies in the Road Scholar program at Stockton University.

Subsequently, he returned to Ireland and set up his own organisational psychology and performance management practice. Today, he travels widely, leading seminars on resilience and human achievement topics. He also lectures occasionally on ‘psychology in fiction’.

On the Edge of the Loch
is Joe’s first novel. More adventures to come, he says.

Acknowledgements

All artists – fiction writers, painters, poets, sculptors – function on more than talent and imagination, not least on the friendship, encouragement, motivation, input, love, kindness, and support of others. While writing
On the Edge of the Loch
, I was fortunate to have these, and more.

Above all, my deepest gratitude goes to my wife, Kathy, a gifted stained glass artist and teacher in her own right, for her love, her ever-astute reading of my countless drafts, and her invaluable editorial input, all of which made this a better book.

My thanks also to my brother Desi, a writer and thinker of rare insight, and an early beta-reader of this novel, for freely sharing his intellect; to my sister Ann for encouragement, caring and belief I can always count on; to Paddy for his reliability and longest friendship; and special love and gratitude to my parents Joe and Bridget for their dreams and dedication.

And, importantly, ovations to: Karen, Carol, Eileen, Dawn & Bill; Brigid, Christina & Eric, Eamon & Hallie, and Mary Jane & John. And similarly to: Aran, Claire & Phil; and Frank and Lori. Also, warmly, to K and S and GFC. And to Bernadette, Andrew, Roy, Colin, Eoin, and the clans in Ceannanus Mór and Broadwater, WA. And remembering joyfully Mr JR Poly.

Remembering too with deep affection, Isabel and Tom Argenti, for their gracious embracement and generosity of spirit. And very specially, my friend Anthony (Hop) Cardelli, a man and writer of high sensibility.

Also, not forgetting my good friend Harvey and our many adventures along the highways and byways and midways of the USA.

Plaudits also to my colleagues, students and clients on both sides of the Atlantic for their constant willingness to commit to ‘new learning’.

For kind assistance with my research on County Mayo and the west of Ireland, special thanks to: Ireland’s National Tourism Development Authority (Fáilte Ireland), DiscoverIreland.ie, Mayo.ie, and Mayo-Ireland.ie.

For help with my US prison research, I am indebted to Arizona Dept of Corrections and California Dept of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Finally, I extend much-deserved acknowledgement to all those who work for peace, justice, human rights, human development, prison reform, mental wellbeing, addiction prevention and rehabilitation, early-life trauma and PTSD relief, and healthcare as a basic human right.

On the Edge of the Loch:
A Psychological Novel set in Ireland

by Joseph Éamon Cummins

First published in 2016 by Moon Abbey Media

Moon Abbey is an imprint of MindWave Limited, (Ireland)

Trade enquiries:
[email protected]

EB 1: 0: 0:

The author asserts his moral right to be identified as the creator of this work under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All characters in this work are fictitious; any similarities or resemblances to real persons are coincidental.

Copyright © Joseph Éamon Cummins 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, digital or otherwise, without prior written permission of the author, except in brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews, nor be circulated in any binding other than that here published.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

This eBook ISBN 978-0-9935452-1-4

Trade Paperback ISBN 978-0-9935452-0-7

ASIN:

Audio Book for release in autumn 2016

Cover design by Estella Vukovic, Zagreb, Croatia.

Cover image, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia (Photo: Estella Vukovic).

Ebook formatting by Maureen Cutajar

Poetry quoted is from
Eyes of Mine,
a forthcoming book by this author.

Codes 1-5: E2201 E3312 E4423 E5534 E6645

Extras in this ebook . . .

A Guide for Book Clubs, Teachers and Writing Students

and an Interview with Joseph Éamon Cummins

For more author interviews, stories, articles and Q&A visit author website:

JosephEamonCummins.com

To book author for media interviews, conferences or speaking engagements:

[email protected]

** Reader Review Request **

I’d be very grateful to you if you’d write a short review of this book on

Amazon, GoodReads, Barnes & Noble, or other distributor website.

It really will make a difference. Many thanks: JÉC