There is an oddball movie called L.A. Story which I’ve always liked. It’s when Steve Martin was still making, and writing, films with real heart (although his recent Shopgirl is worth watching). In it there’s a pivotal line: “The weather will change your life, twice.”

In my case the weather is one of the reasons I’m working on the Róisín Dubh project.

I was in Dublin for a couple of days last summer for a conference. In typical Irish fashion after one day of balmy sunshine it turned unseasonably cold with drenching rain. I was unprepared, and didn’t even have a coat with me.

While trying to negotiate a passage down the soaked grey Dublin streets, moving from awnings and doorways in short sprints, I decided to use the opportunity to drop into Sub-City, the comic book shop in Dublin run by Rob Curley.

While I dried out and hoped the monsoon would pass Rob and I talked comics. After a while he mentioned an idea he had for a comic called Róisín Dubh, and he asked me if I’d be interested in working on it with him.

“Think of it as an Irish Buffy the Vampire Slayer“.

“I’m in,” I said, without any other information.

As it turned out the project offered me an opportunity to build upon existing Irish legends, which was a pleasure. Mythology has been a passion of mine since I read my first book of fairy stories as a kid. The time period of the story was attractive also. Many years previously I’d written a Masters thesis focused on Irish supernatural fiction from the nineteenth century, and it was time period I knew offered rich storytelling material.

Finally, I’d always wanted to write comics. It was a fantastic match of interests and talents, and I guessed working with Rob would be a good experience.

I was proven correct.

Now, a sudden downpour doesn’t bother me so much.  It might result in an opportunity other than just a change in clothing!