JM Agency

08/10/2026

📚✨ A very special night ahead for Irish authors.

We’re delighted and proud to once again sponsor the Fiction Award at the Carousel Aware Prize for Independent Authors, and we’re really looking forward to tomorrow night’s ceremony at Chapters Bookstore in Dublin.

The CAP Awards do something hugely important: they give independent authors a platform, recognition and a chance to have their work celebrated properly. We’re very happy to play a small part in supporting that.

We’re especially looking forward to meeting the shortlisted authors, hearing more about their books, and presenting the Fiction Award to this year’s winner. 🏆

Warmest congratulations to everyone who entered, made the longlist and reached the shortlist. Getting a book into the world takes courage, persistence and an enormous amount of work — tomorrow night is about celebrating all of that.

And, as always, huge credit to Carolann and the CAP team for the energy and commitment they put into championing independent authors year after year.

See you tomorrow night! 🥂

It’s that time of year to celebrate our brave Independent authors.

Those who entered the CAP Awards.
The Long listed legends.
The Short listed hopefuls.
The Winners.

Join us on Friday 9th October in the iconic Chapters Bookstore Parnell Street for the great reveal of our category winners and overall winners.

It’s a celebration of everything Indie 🎉
So gather your tribe and let’s party.

07/10/2026

📚✨ Happy launch anniversary to 'That’s the Why' by Margaret Harvey.

One year ago, we had the pleasure of celebrating the publication of Margaret’s debut novel in her native Glasthule, Dún Laoghaire, a book we had worked closely with her on for some time and were enormously proud to see finally make its way into readers’ hands.

Beginning in 1969, 'That’s the Why' follows seven-year-old Madge Whelan as her family is suddenly transplanted into the colourful, chaotic world of a nursing home. What unfolds is a warm, funny and deeply human story of family and change, but also one that looks honestly at some of the hardship lying beneath the surface of everyday life in Ireland at the time.

Through Madge and the wonderful cast of characters surrounding her, Margaret Harvey takes readers on a heartwarming journey to a vanished Ireland, capturing both the beauty and the difficulties of those bygone years with compassion and wit.

A year on, it’s lovely to look back on that launch night at The Eagle of Glasthule, and on the journey Margaret took from manuscript to published author.

Warmest congratulations to Margaret on the anniversary of a very special debut. 🥂

'That’s the Why' is available now in print, eBook and audiobook.

🎧📖 See our Story / the comments for more.

06/10/2026

Some achievements deserve to be marked, even when the story doesn’t end with first place. 💚📚

We were enormously proud to receive this Gradam de Bhaldraithe 2026 shortlist trophy at the Oireachtas Publishing Awards for 'Scairt na Samhna – Áine sa Neidín'.
For JM Agency, the recognition means a great deal. 'Scairt na Samhna' was our first publication as Gaeilge, and to see it recognised alongside the work of established Irish-language publishers was both humbling and genuinely inspiring.

Firstly, warmest congratulations to Máirín Ní Mhárta, whose translation of David Foenkinos’s 'An Saol Sona', published by Barzaz, was the eventual winner of Gradam de Bhaldraithe — a richly deserved achievement.

This book was a team effort from beginning to end.

The greatest credit belongs to author Hazel Mulqueen, who created this warm and timeless story about a little girl visiting her granny in Kenmare for Halloween. Through Áine's deceptively simple journey, Hazel brilliantly explores themes like family, community, intergenerational connection and the magic of an Irish Halloween. Hazel drove and led the publication from the very beginning, and the greatest credit goes to her.

Catherine Woods’ wonderful illustrations capture the colour, atmosphere and beauty of Kerry in autumn, while Ciara Begley’s expert translation gave Áine’s story a new life through Irish and earned this very special national recognition.

I’m also immensely proud of my JM Agency colleagues Parvathi, whose meticulous design and typesetting brought the story and illustrations together so beautifully, and Joanne Cafferky, for her thorough and extensive proofreading of the English-language edition.

Míle buíochas le gach duine a bhí páirteach sa leabhar seo. Is mór an onóir dúinn an t-aitheantas seo.

Working on 'Scairt na Samhna' has also encouraged us to reconnect with our own language and to think seriously about what more JM Agency can contribute to Irish-language publishing.

So while Áine didn’t quite take home the Gradam this time, I hope this is only the beginning of her journey, and ours, as Gaeilge.

Congratulations again to all of this year’s shortlisted publishers, authors and translators, and sincere thanks to An tOireachtas for celebrating and championing Irish-language publishing.

Finally, warm, warm thanks to Hazel for entrusting JM Agency with a book that means so much to her.

A very proud milestone for JM Agency.

Jeremy

28/09/2026

📚✨ Delighted to have supported this year’s Listowel International Storytelling Festival.

Storytelling sits at the heart of so much of what we do at JM Agency, so it was a real pleasure to sponsor a festival that celebrates stories in all their forms, through books, conversation, poetry, music, theatre and performance.

The programme brought such a wonderful range of events, talks and creative experiences to Listowel, while continuing the town’s extraordinary tradition of bringing people together through stories.

A sincere thank you to everyone at Kerry Writers’ Museum and to all of the organisers, contributors, performers and volunteers who made the festival possible.

We were very proud to play a small part in supporting it, and in helping to keep Listowel’s storytelling tradition thriving for another generation.

🙏 Now that the Listowel International Storytelling Festival 2026 has come to a close, we would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to all of our sponsors and supporters.

Your generosity helped bring four memorable days of stories, music, poetry, theatre, creativity and connection to Listowel. From school workshops and family events to performances, conversations and shared moments across the town, the festival was made possible through your support.

Thank you for recognising the value of storytelling and helping to keep these traditions alive for audiences of all ages.

Department of Culture, Communications and Sport Kerry County Arts The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon Fáilte IrelandDiscover Kerry Wild Atlantic Way World Storytelling Cafe Listowel Printing Works JM Agency Listowel Credit Union

23/09/2026

Matte or gloss lamination — which should you choose for your book cover?

It’s a question we’re asked surprisingly often.

Lamination is the protective finish applied to a printed cover, but the choice between matte and gloss is also a design decision. There isn’t one universally “better” option, as it depends on the cover, the genre and the overall feel you want the book to have.

As a general guide, gloss tends to suit brighter, more colourful covers, giving colours extra vibrancy and contrast. Matte gives a softer, more understated finish, and often works particularly well for literary fiction, memoir, biography and more serious non-fiction.

Genre matters too. Literary fiction, academic titles, political biographies and historical tomes often lean towards matte, while children’s books, YA, genre fiction (including crime and science fiction) frequently suit a glossier finish.

In this video, Jeremy shows a few examples from books we’ve been proud to help bring to life, including 'The Bike, the Bog and the Graveyard' by Denny Mulvihill, 'Quilt' by Tony Guerin, 'Ollie and Me' by Annette Byrne, and 'The Life and Times of Bernard Dillon' by Stephen Fernane.

All are available online, and if you’re having difficulty finding a copy, feel free to DM.

As always, if there’s a publishing question you’d like us to cover in a future video, leave it in the comments.

02/09/2026

Choosing the right venue can shape the entire atmosphere of a book launch.

It doesn’t need to be the biggest or most impressive space. What matters is finding somewhere that suits the book, the author and the audience — and helps create the kind of event you want people to remember.

In this video, Jeremy looks at some of the practical things worth considering when choosing a launch venue, from location and accessibility to capacity, atmosphere and how well the space fits the book itself.

As always, if there’s a publishing question you’d like us to cover in a future video, leave it in the comments.

01/09/2026

🎙️📚 A thoughtful conversation on books, writing and the creative process.

We’re delighted to see Tony Guerin featured on 'The Wishing Well' on Dublin South FM, where he speaks with Jillian Godsil about his striking new experimental novel, 'Quilt'.

Jillian does wonderful work in championing writers and creating space for meaningful conversations around books, ideas and the writing life, and her conversation with Tony was an unsurprisingly rich and engaging interview.

'Quilt' is a bold, original novel from Tony Guerin — a work of layered stories and unexpected connections, stitched together with imagination, insight and flair.

Our thanks to Jillian Godsil and The Wishing Well for supporting authors and independent publishing, and warm congratulations to Tony on this lovely radio spotlight.

🎧 See the link to listen to the full interview in our Story or in the comments below

28/08/2026

📸 A remarkable photographic legacy, brought to life.

JM Agency is proud to have collaborated with the Estate of James G Maguire on the publication of 'From Pillar to Post: A personal portrait of life in Dublin in the mid-1900s'.

James G Maguire was a professional photographer in Dublin for more than forty years, beginning in 1950. His extraordinary archive captures the city and its people with an honesty and intimacy that make these photographs feel as alive today as when they were first taken.

There is also a deeply personal story behind the book. After being diagnosed with cancer in 1997, Jim spent his final months quietly selecting, printing and refining some of his favourite images from a lifetime behind the camera. The photographs were carefully stored away and, more than twenty-five years later, have finally been brought together in the book he had envisaged.

'From Pillar to Post' is more than a collection of photographs. It is a time capsule of Dublin at a pivotal moment in its history, and a lasting tribute to James G Maguire’s remarkable eye and artistry.

Our sincere thanks to the Maguire family for entrusting us with such an important part of Jim’s legacy.

See links in comments & Story for where you can purchase this remarkable book⤵!

24/08/2026

✨ Nuacht iontach!

We’re incredibly proud that 'Scairt na Samhna – Áine sa Neidín' has been shortlisted for the prestigious Gradam de Bhaldraithe 2026 at the Oireachtas Publishing Awards.

The Irish-language edition of author Hazel Mulqueen’s 'Howl at Halloween – Áine Goes to Kenmare' follows young Áine from Dublin to Kenmare, where a Halloween visit to Granny becomes a celebration of family, community, place and the traditions that connect generations.

Warmest congratulations to Hazel, whose heartfelt story celebrates family, belonging and the magic of Halloween in Ireland; to illustrator Catherine Woods, whose wonderful artwork captures that magic so beautifully on every page; and to translator Ciara Begley, whose exceptional Irish-language translation has now received this richly deserved recognition. A fantastic achievement for all three.

A special thanks also to the JM Agency team behind the book — particularly Joanne Cafferky for her careful proofread of the English edition, and Parvathi, whose wonderful design work brought Hazel’s story and Catherine’s illustrations to life so beautifully.

Congratulations to all of the authors, translators and publishers represented on this year’s shortlist. 📚💚

And sincere thanks to An tOireachtas for continuing to provide such an important platform for Irish-language publishing.

We couldn’t be prouder!!

21/08/2026

🌿 Coming Soon: Reclaiming Your Health – Vol. 1

Stress has become such a familiar part of modern life that we often don’t recognise its effects until our bodies and minds begin to struggle.

In 'Reclaiming Your Health: A Guided Journey from Stress to Burnout Recovery', educator, counsellor and health psychology researcher Joan Maycock offers readers an accessible and compassionate guide to understanding stress, managing its effects and protecting their long-term health.

Drawing on evidence-based research and years of professional experience, Joan explores what happens within us when stress takes hold — from the biological and psychological responses we rarely notice to the patterns that can gradually lead towards exhaustion and burnout.

This is not a book about eliminating stress. It is about understanding it, responding to it differently, and learning practical ways to restore balance before stress begins to take too much.

We’re delighted to be helping Joan bring this important and timely book to readers.

📚 Coming soon.