Biography

About Cecelia Ahern

Before embarking on her writing career, Cecelia Ahern completed a Degree in Journalism and Media Communications. At twenty-one, she wrote her first novel PS, I Love You, which was sold to over forty countries. The film of the same title, directed by Richard LaGravenese and produced by Wendy Finerman productions, is now a major motion picture starring Hilary Swank, Lisa Kudrow, Kathy Bates, Gerry Butler, Harry Connick Jr, Gina Gershon and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. PS, I Love You was one of the biggest-selling debut novels of 2004, reaching number 1 in Ireland and in the UK Sunday Times bestseller list and was selected for the Richard and Judy Summer Read campaign. It was also a bestseller throughout Europe and the USA, staying on the best-seller list in Germany for over 52 weeks. 


That same year, in November 2004, her second book Where Rainbows End (Love, Rosie/ Rosie Dunne in the US) also reached no.1 in Ireland and the UK, remaining at the top of the Irish bestsellers list for 12 weeks and again a bestseller internationally. 



Her third book If You Could See Me Now was published in November 2005 and also became an international bestseller. It has been optioned by producer Simon Brooks for SB Films and Gold Circle.

Cecelia was nominated for Best Newcomer 2004/5 at the British Book Awards for her debut novel PS, I Love You. She won the 2005 Irish Post Award for Literature and a 2005 Corine Award for her second book Where Rainbows End, (Fur Immer Viellecht) which was voted by German readers. In 2006, she was long-listed for the IMPAC award for her debut novel and in May 2007 Cosmopolitan US honoured her with a Fun Fearless Fiction Award 2007 for If You Could See Me Now.

Cecelia’s fourth novel, international number one bestseller, A Place Called Here (published under the title There’s No Place Like Here in the US) has been optioned by Touchstone with Warren Littlefield for a TV Drama series.

Cecelia is the co-creater, along with Donald Todd, and producer of the ABC half-hour comedy television show, Samantha Who? which airs on Monday nights at 9.30pm on ABC. Samantha Who? stars Christina Applegate, Jean Smart, Jennifer Esposito, Barry Watson, Kevin Dunn, Melissa McCarthy and Tim Russ and is about a woman who is the victim of a hit and run incident, wakes from a nine-day coma with retrograde amnesia, leaving her to rediscover her life, her friendships and her family – begging the question, if you start life all over again with fresh eyes and armed with the knowledge of who you once were, can you change?

Cecelia has also contributed short stories to the following anthologies for which all her royalties go to charity: Irish Girls are Back in Town, Short and Sweet, Moments, Ladies Night 4, Girls Night in 2 and she has written a novella titled Mrs. Whippy. Other published stories are The Production Line for Express Magazine, Every Year for Harrod’s Magazine, The Things That I Remember for Woman’s Own, Remembering Mum for Express Magazine, Mallard and May for Woman and Home.

Cecelia's 5th novel Thanks for the Memories was published in April 2008 and was nominated for Most Popular Book in the British Book Awards. The Gift was published in October 2008 and was the second highest selling hardback of the year in the UK. She was voted Author of Year in the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in 2008. In October 2008, Cecelia's first play, Mrs Whippy - a one woman show - opened starring Marion O'Dwyre, and is currently touring Ireland with Mary McEvoy and Wendy Peters.

Cecelia's seventh novel, THE BOOK OF TOMORROW is currently out in the UK and Ireland now.