Fíona Scarlett

Writing Scarlett’s debut novel Boys Don’t Cry’’ was published in April 2021. The Irish Times’’ described it as ’quietly devastating’, whilst a review in the Irish Independent’’ described it as a ’slimmer, Dublin version of Booker Prize winner Shuggie Bain’’ by Douglas Stuart.

Boys Don’t Cry was an international bestseller. Then the Arts Council, an "Irish government agency for developing the arts", gave Scarlett some money.

She had already begun May All Your Skies Be Blue before her debut novel was published. She revised her original draft, excitedly telling an editor: "I'm adding in a car chase, and I'm adding in a wife, and I'm adding in babies". As well as a love story involving the two main characters, Scarlett filled the book with nostalgic references to the 1990s, including skin care and perfume company The Body Shop, English rock band Blur and the video retailer Xtra-vision.

Scarlett also writes what she describes as "sort of funny little stories for children". She has taught creative writing at several institutions in Ireland. Scarlett is working on a third book.

Personal life She lives in Clane with her husband and her children.