Kate Lagan's Rough Guide to Heaven

About the Book

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a woman with two kids, no money and no man must be in need of a life. As Kate Lagan edges towards her forty-second birthday, divorced and unemployed, the only things she has in abundance are worries and bills. Fortunately she has managed to keep one very good friend, two bright teenage children and a three bed-roomed house, which, like Kate, is in desperate need of repair.

At a loss to make ends meet she sees a news feature on local television about Belfast becoming a unique tourist destination. With hope and humour and the hand of history upon her she decides to make her home into a Bed and Breakfast establishment ready for tourists. Lack of any real money forces her to side-step the necessary legal requirements and her budding business venture soon begins to crumble.

However, Kate and her friend Patricia have not come through thirty years of conflict without realising that when life falls to bits, the pieces have to be picked up again and held together. They start afresh. Their eventful journey towards financial freedom is chartered by months of hard work, days of chaos, moments of disbelief and brief seconds of inspiration.

And when Kate is casually introduced to Mary the Mother of God, while walking in the local cemetery, she knows that somewhere on her road to self discovery a few little miracles just might come her way.

About the Author

Marnie O'Doherty is a native of Belfast. Born in 1954 she grew up on the Falls Road and has lived all her adult life in West Belfast, witnessing the troubles first hand and managing, like most other women she knows, to successfully rear her children with hope and vision. She now lives in Carrickfergus with a little dog. Her children are at University - or so they say - but usually return at meal times