Oct 25, 2026 9:41pm IST
‘Trespasses’ Author Louise Kennedy on a Possible ‘Stations’ Adaptation, Lack of Representation in Publishing and Her Five Must-Read Books (EXCLUSIVE)
In 2022, Irish author Louise Kennedy left behind a 30-year-old career as a chef to have her first book, “Trespasses,” published. In 2025, after numerous accolades, including being shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction, her novel was adapted into a BAFTA award-winning limited TV series starring Lola Petticrew, Tom Cullen and Gillian Anderson.
Her second realist fiction novel, “Stations,” published in September 2026, continues to deeply explore the human experience shaped by the Irish identity that is almost autobiographical. “Stations” follows her protagonist Róisín through 80s Ireland and London as she seeks out an estranged old friend but discovers much more about herself. In this exclusive chat with Variety India, Kennedy talks about using humor to tackle anxiety, the overlap between cooking and writing, her fears of and thoughts about AI, the importance of reading classics and a possible adaptation of “Stations” for the screen. Excerpts:
Is writing autobiographical characters easier than inventing them from scratch?
Róisín from “Stations” seemed very real to me from the start and was the hardest to write compared to inventing Cushla from “Trespasses”. Róisín and I share a similar backstory. We both left the north of Ireland at the end of the 70s, aged twelve. We didn't get along in school very well. And we both went to London during the big emigration wave from Ireland in the 80s. I had to age her from 15 to 40, but she had to remain herself because I don't believe that people change all that much. I was aware that the whole book hinged on how authentic she was. And that was hard.
You’ve mentioned that despite the serious themes, you laughed quite a bit when writing ‘Stations.’ Why is that?
I think it sort of comes naturally because of the place I grew up in, amongst people who have the absolute best, sharpest humour on tap that you could imagine! Our family business was bombed a few times, and my grandmother was injured in a separate bomb attack. For people who live in such a high-anxiety environment, humour is a great release.
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Before becoming an author, you worked as a chef. Was there an overlap between your two professions that surprised you?
Kitchens are a highly sensory environment, and I experienced the world in that way. I'm very aware of smells, sounds and sights. If it's raining, I'm very conscious of how the rain would feel on my hands or face. And that is a benefit when you're trying to build a world. I also spent years working double shifts. On Saturdays, when my friends were getting ready to go out, I'd be looking at the reservations and psyching myself up to feed 80 to 100 people as head chef. And that has helped me with deadlines. I'd feel really sorry for myself, but it lasted for about two seconds because I’d just think, “Get over yourself and get on with it!”
Your first novel was adapted into a series starring Lola Petticrew and Gillian Anderson. Did that put any pressure on you when writing ‘Stations’?
When I wrote the first draft of “Trespasses,” I didn't have a publisher. And there was great freedom in that. During “Stations,” I had a publisher waiting for it, and I didn't want to disappoint anybody or myself. I just had to find a way to park that and write. But those were also the days I wasn't worried about people not liking it. So I guess the cure for it, and everything really, is always writing!
Is there any conversation about ‘Stations’ getting adapted?
Someone has optioned it. But I temper it with the knowledge that many books are optioned for film and TV, but few of them ever end up adapted. If it does happen, it'll be a tremendous bonus and a delight like the last time.
What's your headspace over the threat of AI?
I'm horrified by things that I see. Yesterday, I saw a writer posting about their book with an AI-edited video. Some well-known writers said they use AI for research. No writer, artist or creative of any kind should be using AI for any reason, because it is going to put us all out of jobs. It's getting increasingly difficult to tell what's AI and what's real, because this technology is so smart that it's not going to take long for it to adapt. And for several reasons, that's just a terrifying impending dystopia.
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What would you want to change about the current publishing landscape?
There's a problem with diversity. I go to festivals in Ireland a lot, and now there are lots of people who've come to the country from all over the world. But I just don't see people like the travelling community or people with disabilities being represented at festivals. I don't see their books in the shops. If you're to combine any of those things with being working class, then you haven't got a hope in hell. Those are things that really need to change. The world is kind of run by white middle-class people. And that isn't right.
What are five books you recommend every person to read at least once?
“Beloved” by Toni Morrison, “In the Forest” by Irish author Edna O'Brien, Flannery O'Connor's short stories, “Dubliners” by James Joyce and “Persuasion” by Jane Austen.
These are all classics. There’s a growing disdain towards them because students at the college level find the prose difficult…
My niece told me she recently reread “Wuthering Heights” for the first time since her teenage years when the movie came out, and realised it was indeed difficult because the sentence syntax is complicated, and the print is very dense. But within a few pages, she got her groove back. She remarked on how scary it is that a book that she once read without question is now hard. Maybe, things have been dumbed down for us so much that it's making us a bit stupid.
Have you begin writing your third book?
Yes, I have seven chapters. It's going to be set in the 90s, which is kind of ridiculous. I've done the 1970s, the 80s and now I am doing the 90s. In the very unlikely event that I live long enough, I might make it to the present day!
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