Cecelia Ahern (born 30 September 1981) is an Irish novelist, known for her works like '' PS, I Love You''; '' Where Rainbows End''; and '' If You Could See Me Now''. Born in Dublin, Ahern is now published in nearly fifty countries, and has sold over 25 million copies of her novels worldwide. Two of her books have been adapted as major motion films. The short story collection '' Roar'' has been adapted as a series for

AppleTV+ Apple TV+ is an American subscription streaming service owned and operated by Apple Inc. Launched on November 1, 2019, it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service was announced du ...

. She and her books have won numerous awards, including the

Irish Book Award The Irish Book Awards are Irish literary awards given annually to books and authors in various categories. In 2018 An Post took over sponsorship of the awards from Bord Gais Energy. It is the only literary award supported by all-Irish bookstores. ...

for Popular Fiction for ''The Year I Met You''. She has published several novels and contributed a number of short stories to various anthologies. Ahern also created and produced the ABC comedy '' Samantha Who?'' starring Christina Applegate.

Life

Ahern is the daughter of former

Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legislature) and the of ...

(prime minister) of Ireland,

Bertie Ahern Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008, Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997, Tánaiste a ...

and Miriam Ahern. Her older sister, Georgina Ahern, is married to Nicky Byrne of Irish pop group

Westlife Westlife is an Irish pop vocal group formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. The group currently consists of members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was a member, until he left in 2004. The group temporar ...

. In 2000, Ahern was part of the Irish pop group Shimma, who finished third in the Irish national final for the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...

. Before starting her writing and producing career, she obtained a degree in

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the " news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (p ...

and media communications from

Griffith College Dublin Griffith College ( ga, Coláiste Uí Ghríofa) is one of the two largest, and one of the longest-established private, third level (higher education) colleges in Ireland. Overview Established in 1974, with four campuses in Dublin, Cork and Li ...

, but withdrew from a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

course to pursue her writing career. Ahern married David Keoghan in 2010. They have two children: a daughter born in December 2009, and a son born in July 2012. As of 2015, they reside in Malahide in North County Dublin. She had

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...

in early 2022, describing it as "kind of mild. I was lucky".

Career

In 2002, when Ahern was twenty-one, she wrote her first novel, '' PS, I Love You''. Published in 2004, it was the number 1 bestseller in Ireland (for 19 weeks), the United Kingdom, U.S., Germany and the Netherlands. It is sold in over forty countries. The book was adapted as a

motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

directed by

Richard LaGravenese Richard LaGravenese (; born October 30, 1959) is an American screenwriter and film director, known for '' The Fisher King'', ''The Bridges of Madison County'', and ''Behind the Candelabra''. Personal life LaGravenese was born in Brooklyn, New Yo ...

and starring

Hilary Swank Hilary Ann Swank (born July 30, 1974) is an American actress and film producer. She first became known in 1992 for her role on the television series '' Camp Wilder'' and made her film debut with a minor role in ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1992 ...

and Gerard Butler. It was released in the United States on 21 December 2007. Her second book, '' Where Rainbows End'' (U.S. ''Love, Rosie''), also reached number 1 in Ireland and the UK, and won the German CORINE Award in 2005. It was adapted as a motion picture titled '' Love, Rosie'' which was released in 2014, directed by Christian Ditter and starring Lily Collins and Sam Claflin. She has contributed to

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * C ...

books with the royalties from

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest t ...

such as ''Irish Girls are Back in Town'' and ''Ladies' Night''. Cecelia was the co-creator and producer of the ABC comedy '' Samantha Who?'' starring Christina Applegate,

Jean Smart Jean Elizabeth Smart (born September 13, 1951) is an American actress. After beginning her career in regional theater in the Pacific Northwest, she appeared on Broadway in 1981 as Marlene Dietrich in the biographical play '' Piaf''. Smart was ...

, Jennifer Esposito, Barry Watson,

Kevin Dunn Kevin Dunn (born August 24, 1956) is an American actor who has appeared in supporting roles in a number of films and television series since the 1980s. Dunn's roles include White House Communications Director Alan Reed in the political comedy '' ...

, Melissa McCarthy and Tim Russ. Her book ''The Gift'' was published just before Christmas 2008 in the UK. Her following book, ''The Book of Tomorrow'', was published on 1 October 2009. In 2016, Cecelia released ''Flawed'', her first book for young adults, and ''Lyrebird''.

Awards and achievements

Cecelia was nominated for Best Newcomer 2004/5 at the British Book Awards for her debut novel ''PS, I Love You''. She won the 2005 Irish Post Award for Literature and a 2005

Corine Literature Prize The Corine – International Book Prize, as it is officially called, is a German literature prize created by the Bavarian chapter of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, first awarded in 2001. It is awarded to German and international "au ...

for her second book ''Where Rainbows End'', (Für immer vielleicht) which was voted for by German readers. In 2006, she was long-listed for the IMPAC award for ''PS I Love You''. ''Cosmopolitan US'' honoured her with a Fun Fearless Fiction Award 2007 for ''If You Could See Me Now''. Irish ''Tatler'' awarded her Writer of the Year at the Woman of the Year awards in 2009. Cecelia's fifth novel ''Thanks for the Memories'' was nominated for Most Popular Book in the British Book Awards 2008. Cecelia was voted Author of Year in the ''UK Glamour'' Women of the Year Awards in 2008.

Bibliography

*'' PS, I Love You'' (2004) *'' Where Rainbows End'' (2004) *'' If You Could See Me Now'' (2005) *'' A Place Called Here'' (2006) *'' Thanks for the Memories'' (2008) *''The Gift'' (2008) *''The Book of Tomorrow'' (2009) *''The Time of My Life'' (2011) *''One Hundred Names'' (2012) *''How To Fall in Love'' (2013) *''The Year I Met You'' (2014) *''The Marble Collector'' (2015) *''Flawed'' (2016) *''Lyrebird'' (2016) *''Perfect'' (2017) *''Postscript'' (2019) *''Freckles'' (2021) *''A Thousand Different Ways'' (2022)

Short stories

*24 Minutes in ''Moments'' (2004) *Next Stop: Table For Two in ''Short and Sweet'' (2005) *The Calling in ''Irish Girls Are Back in Town'' (2005) *'' Mrs. Whippy'' (2006) *The End in '' Girls' Night In'' (2006) *''Girl in the Mirror'' (2010) *'' Roar'' (2018)

Other work

Production Line for Express Magazine

*''Every Year'' for "Harrod’s Magazine" *''The Things That I Remember'' for " Woman's Own" *''Remembering Mum'' for "Express Magazine" *''Mallard and May'' for " Woman and Home"

Television work

*'' Samantha Who?'' (with Donald Todd) *''Zwischen Himmel und Hier (Between Heaven and Here)'' (for ZDF) *''Mein Ganzes Halbes Leben (My Whole Half LIfe)'' (for ZDF)

Film adaptations

* ''P.S. I Love You'' (2007) * ''Love, Rosie'' (2014)

References

External links

*
Cecelia Ahern's Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahern, Cecelia 1981 births Living people Alumni of Griffith College Cecelia Chick lit writers Children of Taoisigh Irish women novelists Irish romantic fiction writers Irish television producers 21st-century Irish novelists People from Malahide Women romantic fiction writers 21st-century Irish women writers Irish women television producers