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noah finnegan (

finnegann) wrote,
@ 2028-11-29 00:21:00

dachi » biography, ic survey, quickfacts, storylines

Name: Noah Edward Finnegan
Played-By: Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Age and birthdate: 34; November 28, 1975
Occupation: professional novelist (historical fiction)
Where do they live?: Lincoln Park; Chicago
Random Scenes/IM Conversation: Ask/Yes
Brief Biography: Born and raised outside of Cambridge, England, Noah is the only child of Edward and Victoria Finnegan. With an Irish father, Noah spent most of his young life visiting his relatives in Ireland. Through this, he began to foster a passion for history. This would carry on through adulthood and shape his career choices. However, a love for history and a high IQ can only get one so far. With his parents making a meager income, Noah was forced to persue public schooling. It wasn't until he was a teenager that any real problems arose. Between scrimping and saving, as well as working hard to get imacculate grades, Noah's parents were eventually able to get him accepted to a good private school. Luckily, after his first semester, he was eligible for a scholarship.

Private school was a complete change of pace for Noah. He knew no one and didn't quite feel like he fit in. He experienced his first taste of social anxiety during his first year, something that would only get worse as years passed. He withdrew into himself, spending most of his free time bent over a composition book. He did make a few friends during his time in private school, but they were few and far between. By the time it was over, Noah was accepted to Oxford but felt as though he hadn't accomplished much else. University was a little better, giving him an opportunity to find himself more than his other school experiences had.

In the fall of 1995, Noah met a young musician named Eden Shaw through a friend. Eden was a smart girl and one of the most talented people he'd ever met. Noah was in awe of Eden's musical talent, spending more and more time with her. They became close friends and, eventually, lovers. A year and a half after meeting, they were married and making plans to move to New York City. Eden was offered a place with the philharmonic, an opportunity Noah knew didn't come every day. The move wasn't as stressful as they'd originally expected and both found the city to be fascinating. Noah found a few part-time jobs while Eden persued her music.

The two were happy, even though they seemed to be flatmates more than spouses. Noah and Eden were supportive of each other, even if their relationship seemed unconventional to their friends. It was Eden who finally pushed Noah to start research on his first novel. It ended up being easier than he'd thought and soon he was shopping for a publisher. It took nearly two years to get his foot in the door. But he did. Noah's first book was published in the summer of 2001, receiving modest acclaim. From there, he was granted an advance on his next two novels. They seemed to be living a dream, but all dreams eventually end.

Two months after their ninth wedding anniversary, Noah and Eden filed for divorce. The separation and subsequent divorce were hard on Noah, even though he knew it was the best thing for both of them. They tried to remain friends, but it wasn't easy. He hadn't been in love with her, not the way one should be in love with his wife. She deserved better. To compound the guilt, the social anxiety and depression began to rear their ugly heads again. Noah spent more and more time alone, experiencing panic attacks whenever he thought about leaving the house. It wasn't until a friend intervened that he considered getting help. He saw a therapist for a few months, but talking about his problems with a stranger made him uncomfortable.

Chicago was an unexpected move on Noah's part. Maybe it was a product of the depression, but he couldn't stand New York anymore. After signing a new contract with his publisher, Noah deposited his advance and pulled out an atlas. He considered moving back to the UK, but the thought of living in London wasn't appealing. Ireland, though he loved it, wasn't calling him. He'd lived in the US for ten years. It's where he felt the most comfortable. Chicago seemed appealing. Big city with a Midwest feel. Yeah, he could do that. Now, the only thing left to do was get over his psychological issues and attempt to find happiness. Ohh yeah. That wouldn't be difficult at all.

Since moving to Chicago in November 2008, Noah hasn't made much progress with his mental health. He continues to suffer from severe anxiety, though he does try to keep a handle on it. He's tried to reconnect with friend and publisher Charles Aldrige, which is a relationship that seems to come and go. He interacts sporadically, finding a person here and there that he can identify with or connect to. They've been few and far between, but they do exist. Soon, he'll be going on tour to promote his latest novel, Confessions of the White Rose, dragging Charles along for the ride. After that is anyone's guess.

Additional Info:

» Noah may be insecure and suffer from anxiety, but he exudes confidence in social settings.

» Has questioned his sexuality for the last twenty years. Noah is attracted to both sexes, but isn't sure he'll ever be ready to fully accept that. He currently does not persue relationships with either sex.

» He is allergic to strawberries and dislikes the taste/smell of liver.

» Noah has had four novels published in the historical fiction genre.

» The Irish Queen (2001) [Front | Back] is a fictional account of one of the ancient queens of Ireland. It combines old legend and historically documented events. Noah sold the rights to this novel in 2005 to 20th Century Fox. It is currently in pre-production. He was approached to write the screenplay, but he hasn't yet decided whether it is something he'd like to do.

» The French Mistress (2003) [Front | Back] is a fictional memoir of a member of the royal court of Louis XIV. It received good reviews, but has done modestly as far as revenue is concerned. Noah is currently in negotiations with Focus Features to sell the rights.

» Confessions of the Red Rose (2006) [Front | Back] is a fictional memoir of Katherine Swynford, sister-in-law of Geoffrey Chaucer and third wife of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. It chronicles Katherine's life in the house of Lancaster during the War of the Roses, as well as the life of her stepson, King Henry IV and grandson, King Henry V.

» Confessions of the White Rose (2009) [Front | Back] Picks up where his last novel left off. It is written from the point of view of Elizabeth of York, wife of King Henry VII. It covers the reign of her father, Edward IV as well as her uncle, Richard III -- who had her little brothers (the Princes in the Tower) murdered to secure his claim to the throne.

» Noah is doing sporadic research for his next novel, but he isn't sure in which direction to go. With the success of Confessions of the Red Rose and anticipation surrounding the release of Confessions of the White Rose, he is seriously considering writing one more companion novel - making it a trilogy. However, he can't decide which woman of the House of Tudor to profile.

» He enjoys talking about history, especially the history of royal England and Ireland. He is constantly visiting lectures and classes at local universities that discuss these topics for research.

» Noah has a truly unnatural love for dark Guinness and the BBC show MI-5.

» He cannot stand watching reality television, especially Dancing with the Stars and American Idol. He find them embarrassing.

» He is a regular smoker, preferring Camel full flavored cigarettes.

» He enjoys learning new things. He reads more than the average person and loves Google.

» Noah holds a degree in Medieval History from Oxford.

» I am currently on Eastern Standard Time.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness? A pack of cigarettes, a bottle of scotch, good food and conversation with a friend
2. What is your greatest fear? Dying alone
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Social anxiety, inability to do all the things I wish I could
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others? dishonesty, overt meanness, violence
5. Which living person do you most admire? US President WJ Clinton. He has gone through a lot of shit, but has done so many positive things for his country and the world.
6. What is your greatest extravagance? Historical artifacts, specifically documents from medieval age.
7. What is your current state of mind? Anxious, excited, confused, frazzled
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue? patience
9. On what occasion do you lie? to prevent from hurting someone
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance? my height. I'm very tall.
11. Which living person do you most despise? I don't despise anyone. Anyone who hurts people I care about, perhaps.
12. What is the quality you most like in a man? a sense of humor, intelligence, compassion
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman? a sense of humor, intelligence, compassion, brilliant smile, fit
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? "bugger all"
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life? Literature and History
16. When and where were you happiest? Writing, Reading or having a good conversation with a friend
17. Which talent would you most like to have? To successfully ride a unicycle.
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would like to have a larger penis.
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Living to see my 33rd birthday.
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? A rabbit vibrator
21. Where would you most like to live? A nice flat in London
22. What is your most treasured possession? My intelligence and imagination.
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Destroying another's life.
24. What is your favorite occupation? I enjoy being a novelist.
25. What is your most marked characteristic? I honestly don't know. You'd have to ask someone who knows me.
26. What do you most value in your friends? Honesty, loyalty, laughter, compassion
27. Who are your favorite writers? Dickens, Chaucer, Marquis de Sade
28. Who is your hero of fiction? Harry Potter.
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with? None of them and all of them.
30. Who are your heroes in real life? Anyone who stands up for what they believe in.
31. What are your favorite names? Anne, Elizabeth, Arthur, Matthew
32. What is it that you most dislike? Ignorance and hatred
33. What is your greatest regret? Never loving enough
34. How would you like to die? In my sleep
35. What is your motto? "Tomorrow is another day, another chance to make a change"

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