Graham Norton’s latest novel follows an elderly woman (neither of which he is) because women are “more nuanced” than men.
The TV presenter’s latest novel Frankie tells the decades-long story of a woman who moves from Dublin to London to New York in her search to become the main character in her own story.
Speaking on The Pat Kenny Show, Norton said he enjoys writing as a ‘hobby’ and break from his hectic career.
“This is proper work but it’s by myself – it's me alone in my room and I like it,” he said.
He also said it’s nice to spend some time in Ireland “in his head” when he can’t actually visit the country.
The Cork native told the story of an elderly woman because he simply enjoys writing about women more.
“They’re more interesting in a way,” he said.
“I think women are more nuanced in the way they navigate the world.
“A lot of the time they're dealing in the world of men and dealing with the men.
Graham Norton and Anton Savage“Certainly, Frankie does that because she ends up with a male who finds all the success and it's her role to shepherd him.”
Norton recently visited the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, where he came across a “brilliant” painting by Grace Henry – Paul Henry’s wife.
“But history has chosen not to remember her,” he said.
“You find with a lot of successful men, there’s an incredibly talented woman there that we don’t know.”
Norton's latest novel
Frankie also includes stories of the AIDS epidemic in America as the protagonist travels to New York.
Norton said as he was planning the story, he didn’t mean to include the AIDS epidemic – but it would have been “stupid” not to include it when Frankie lived in 1980s New York.
“It would have been weird if the spectre of AIDS didn’t reach the book,” he said.
“I'm pleased with how it happened - it’s the real emotional heart of the book and in a way, the climax of the book is that section.
“It didn’t overwhelm the story or become an AIDS novel, it was just one aspect of her life.
“We all lived through COVID – but come the end of our lives it’s not just going to be just that.”
Frankie is available to order online or buy in stores now.
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