Terminally Ill Author Emma Hannigan’s Latest Book Reaches No. 1 in the Irish Book Charts

Emma Hannigan’s latest book, Letters to My Daughters has shot to the top of the Irish book charts following a campaign which begun when the author announced earlier this month that her cancer is now terminal and that all her options have been exhausted. Following the release of her latest book, readers and fellow authors have rallied together to make her final book a No. 1 bestseller.

As the Guardian reports, official book sales monitor Nielsen has sold 4,065 copies in the last week, making it Ireland’s bestselling title by some margin against its competitors. Fellow author Patricia Scanlan has been a part of the campaign dedicated to promoting the book and shared her excitement on Twitter.

Hannigan began her writing career in 2005 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went on to publish several bestselling titles including Designer Genes and a memoir named All to Live For. Hannigan has been diagnosed and treated for cancer ten times since 2005 and announced earlier this year that “all avenues have now been exhausted.”

“Farewell and thank you, I am taking a bow. Until we meet again may all that is good and decent be yours,” wrote Hannigan on her blog. She went on to write “Faced with very little time can I tell you what screams out at me? Love. Nothing else has much meaning any more … The love in my heart is all that matters now. I am broken-hearted at having to say goodbye, so if it’s all right we’ll say farewell instead.”

Regarding Letters to My Daughters, she wrote. “Usually I’d spend the next few weeks chatting about it and inevitably daring to wonder if you like it. Because this is the time when all authors want to hide in the back of the wardrobe in case nobody likes their new baby! I won’t need to hide, unfortunately, but I sincerely hope you enjoy it.”

When news broke of Hannigan’s terminal diagnosis, a number of Irish authors launched a campaign to promote her book. Author Anna McPartlin wrote on Twitter: “Emma can’t promote her work herself so please join us. Buy it. Read it. Promote it”, and writer Marian Keyes called the novel “a brilliant page-turner, full of warmth and emotional intelligence”.

Hannigan’s agent of nine years, Sheila Crowley, said the book trade has “incredible respect and love for her,” and went on to say “We are continuing to embrace everything she has done, not just as an author but as a human being. Emma would be having chemotherapy on a Thursday, take a day or two to relax, and then on Monday be baking brownies for a bookshop event … It’s extraordinary that she found this new career while sitting in a hospital bed.”

Hannigan has urged readers to support Breast Cancer Ireland by texting CURE to 50300. Those outside of Ireland can check out the charity’s website. Hannigan wrote on Facebook on the 21st of February: “I’m quite simply blown away by the kindness being shown. More than that, if my story can help raise much needed funds so that less families have to face losing a loved one, I’d be thrilled. My time is running out, so please help me to help others, if you can.”

Crowley has since told the Guardian that €70,000 (£61,500) has been raised for the cancer charity already. Hannigan’s husband, Cian, wrote on Monday on her Facebook page that she had asked him to post the following message: “Dearest friends, your support has meant the world to me. Let’s work together to beat 100k in donations.”

Letters to My Daughters US
Letters to My Daughters UK