Alex Barclay facts for kids

Yve Williams, whose maiden name was Morris, writes exciting books under the name Alex Barclay. She was born in Bayside, Dublin, Ireland, in 1974. Alex is a talented Irish journalist and a popular writer of crime fiction stories.

About Alex Barclay

Her Early Life

Yve Morris grew up in Bayside, Dublin. She went to Bayside National School and then to Manor House School, Raheny. After school, she studied journalism and French at Dublin City University. She finished her studies in 1996. Part of her course included studying in Paris, France, at Nanterre University. Yve also trained at the Gaiety School of Acting. She even appeared on TV!

From Journalist to Author

Alex Barclay started working in journalism when she was just 18 years old. After graduating, she wrote about many different topics. These included construction, fashion, and beauty. She worked as an editor for U magazine, which was a very popular magazine for young women in Ireland. She also worked for the RTÉ Guide, focusing on fashion and beauty.

She also helped with online publishing projects. Alex even worked on creating names for new products and writing advertisements.

Becoming a Novelist

How Her First Book Began

In 2003, Alex had a sudden idea for a story. This idea became her first novel, Darkhouse. After talking about it with her husband, she decided to leave her job in fashion publishing. She wanted to write her book full-time.

She wrote the first three chapters. A famous agent in London, Darley Anderson, became interested in her story. Alex then spent six months traveling to finish the first draft of her novel. She wrote parts of it at a special retreat for writers in Eyeries, Ireland. Much of the book was written in Dunmore East, a seaside town that inspired parts of her story.

Alex made sure her stories were very realistic. She did lots of research. She talked to experts, like a lighthouse specialist. She even spoke with the Irish State Pathologist, Professor Marie Cassidy. Her agent helped her get a great deal for two books. Her books quickly became popular in many countries.

Choosing a Pen Name

Alex wanted to keep her journalism work separate from her new career as a novelist. So, she chose the pen name Alex Barclay. She felt it sounded like a strong name for a thriller writer.

Darkhouse was the first of two books about an NYPD detective named Joe Lucchesi. The story takes place in Texas, New York, and County Waterford in Ireland. The book received great reviews. It was sold in over ten countries and translated into 18 languages. For a while, it was the best-selling paperback in Ireland!

Alex continued to write her books in quiet, remote places. She often returned to the Anam Cara Writer's Retreat for each new book.

Her second novel, The Caller, also featured Detective Joe Lucchesi. It came out in 2007. In some places, it was called Last Call. The Caller is her best-selling book so far in the UK and Ireland. After its success, Alex signed a contract to write three more books.

The Ren Bryce Series

In 2008, Alex published Blood Runs Cold. This was her first book about a new character, Ren Bryce. Ren is a female FBI agent with a special condition. For this book, Alex won the first-ever Crime Fiction Award at the Irish Book Awards. Ren Bryce works with a made-up FBI group in Denver, Colorado.

Five more books have followed in this exciting series. Alex continued her research for these books. She visited the United States. She even had an invited visit to the FBI headquarters in Denver.

Books for Young Readers

In 2013, Alex Barclay wrote a novel for young adults called Curse of Kings. It was meant to be the first in a series of six books. The series was called Trials of Oland Born. However, no more books in this series have been published yet.

In 2019, it was announced that Alex had written a new book for younger readers. It is a diary-style novel called My Heart & Other Breakables: How I lost my mom, found my dad, and made friends with catastrophe. This book was published in March 2020. It is the first of two books she plans to write for HarperCollins Children's Books.

Recent Adult Novels

HarperCollins announced a new adult book by Alex in 2019. This novel, I Confess, is a psychological thriller. It was released in Ireland and the UK in August 2019.

Events and Media

Alex Barclay often goes on book signing tours. She also takes part in literary festivals and other events. These include the Waterford Writers Weekend and Electric Picnic. She has also appeared on TV shows, like RTÉ TV's The Panel.

Personal Life

In 2000, Yve Morris married Brian Williams, who is a television director. Their wedding was in Kilquiggan, Co. Wicklow. The couple then made their home in Sandymount, which is on the coast of Dublin.

In 2007, Alex Barclay moved to the Beara Peninsula in West Cork. As of 2019, she still lives in the village of Eyeries. This village is close to Pallas Strand and Coulagh Bay.