publication date: Good Friday 2025 (April 2025)
Between Heaven and the Sea — an Irish road movie
HistoriLiterary fiction set in 1998. After losing her job and home due to her husband's scams, Isabelle-Rose, a devoted mother living in a small French town, decides to embark on a journey to Ireland to visit her daughter, Emma. What begins as a simple visit evolves into a profound and transformative experience.
Through Ireland's breathtaking landscapes, rich historical sites, and cultural treasures, Isabelle-Rose discovers not only the country's beauty but also new dimensions of herself. From the crystalline creations of Waterford to the enchanting music of Galway, and the spiritual paths of Croagh Patrick, each step of her journey leaves lasting impressions and lessons. The story is imbued with themes of rediscovery and renewal. Isabelle reflects on her past, allows old wounds to heal, and finds fresh energy and perspectives for the future.
Between Heaven and the Sea : An Irish Road Movie A invites readers to find moments of quiet reflection for themselves and to embrace the magic of the unknown
Press release:
“I am a Between Heaven and the Sea - an Irish road movie
A n Iris this 110-page novel, published in April 2025, is a fully revisited and expanded version of my novella Rendez-vous in Lisburn (59 pages, October 2023). It combines a unique blend of reality and fiction, inspired by a personal anecdote from 1998.
That year, friends and I attended a music festival in Galway (Garbage, Pulp, Cornershop). On our way back to Belfast, our old Lada broke down near Croagh Patrick, close to Castlebar. After a few days of impromptu camping, we finally made it home in a Fiat Panda. These memories evolved into a fictional story, where the 2CV belongs to my grandmother Yvonne, and features Dalriada Hawthorn, a character I had imagined in a fantasy style but never pursued further.
A Story Shaped Over Time
This project has been with me for decades. As early as 1998, the idea of turning this adventure into a piece of fiction began to take shape. By 2003, I had set it in 1982 with different characters for a publication on my website. Later, it became part of my early self-publishing experiments starting in 2008. In 2020, I revisited the story, as it had the potential to express my impressions of Ireland, where I lived for 25 years. It naturally connected to the timeline of the Good Friday Agreement and was included in a series of short stories titled Voyages in 2022.
In 2024, when Voyages was restructured into La Granvillaise, this story stood alone, as it no longer aligned with the chronology of my new novel (1937-1947). It gained new scenes set at Mont-Saint-Michel, inspired by my visit there in 2021. As such, the text ties together textile craftsmanship, significant locations, and spiritual elements that resonate deeply with me.
A Cultural and Spiritual Perspective
For me, spirituality goes beyond religion. It is a cultural and deeply personal exploration. Monuments and beliefs tell stories, balancing superstition and magic. Writing about an Ireland scarred by religious conflicts felt natural after gaining perspective during my years in France.
Personal and Fictional Connections
Although Isabelle-Rose, my protagonist and a mother, is entirely fictional, this story reflects the profound impact Ireland had on my way of thinking and believing. It transformed me, making me less Cartesian than I was before 1994, and allowed me to experiment and reinvent myself. Ireland will always hold a significant place in my heart, just as the Cotentin Peninsula—where I now live—feels like a connection to my former home. Who knows, perhaps I will visit that cherished island again one day.
Why Lisburn?
Lisburn holds a special place in my heart, linked to my years working for the Alliance Française in Belfast in 1994. Every Saturday, I would visit Lisburn to teach French to children in an active francophile community. Places with personal meaning always find their way into my stories, and Lisburn became a natural destination for my protagonist.
fictional characters
Isabelle-Rose Corbel - a mature woman from Caudry (France)
Emma Desportes - her daughter who lives in Lisburn (Northern Ireland)
François Weber - a French musician who lives in Dungiven (Northern Ireland)
Dalriada Hawthorn - a Northern irish musician, wife of François
Peter Tomek - Emma's boss, textile factory owner
Claas-Willem Oberlecht - Dutch owner of a campsite in Co. Mayo
Sorcha Oberlecht - Claas-Willem's wife, born in Mayo also campsite owner
Paddy Molloy - Mechanic from Castlebar
Robert Desportes - Isabelle's ex huband
