Niall Williams is a distinguished author of historical fiction, born in Dublin, Ireland. He pursued his passion for literature at the University College Dublin, where he earned a Master’s degree in Modern American Literature. After graduation, Williams moved to New York City and began his career in the publishing industry. He worked as a copywriter for Avon Books and also held a job at Fox and Sutherland’s Bookshop in Mount Kisco.
In 1985, Williams left America with his wife, Christine Breen, to return to Ireland and focus on his writing. They settled in a cottage in west Clare that had been left by Breen’s grandfather, who had emigrated to America. The couple’s experiences in Co Clare became the inspiration for Williams’ first four books, which were co-written with Breen. In addition to his work as a novelist, Williams has also written plays and screenplays. His plays, including “The Murphy Initiative” and “A Little Like Paradise,” have been staged at The Abbey Theatre in Dublin and Galway’s Druid Theatre Company.
Williams’ first novel, “Four Letters of Love,” was published in 1997 and became an international bestseller. It has been translated into over twenty languages. His second novel, “As It Is In Heaven,” was published in 1999 and was shortlisted for the Irish Times Literature Prize. Williams’ subsequent novels include “The Fall of Light,” “Only Say the Word,” “Boy in the World,” and “Boy and Man.” In 2008, Bloomsbury published Williams’ fictional account of the last year in the life of the apostle, John. His latest novel, “History of the Rain,” was published in 2014 by Bloomsbury in the UK/Ireland and in the USA. Spanish and Turkish rights have also been sold for this novel. Williams has recently turned his hand to writing screenplays, with two of them already optioned by film companies.