J.M Lane is an Irish author, poet and award-winning filmmaker from Ennis, Co. Clare. His work spans fiction, poetry and film, with a particular interest in stories that explore the darker edges of human nature.
His books include The Raven Chronicles, beginning with Setanta and the Lady by the Water, followed by Setanta and the Hungry Ones and Setanta and the Blood King. His other work includes The Things We Kept and the Irish Gothic crime novel Why the Curlew Cries.
His poetry and short fiction have appeared in The Soliloquist, Fresh Words, Flash Phantoms and Ring of Culture, with work in Ragaire and Spilled Ink's anthology. He was shortlisted for Wild Atlantic Words, placed fourth at Witty Wicklow, and was longlisted for the Frances Browne Poetry Award.
His micro-short film Whose There? has won awards at the Couch Film Festival (Toronto), the Shyena International Film Festival and the Wolf Media Festival.
Writing came relatively late. Before it, Lane had already worked as an artist, in social care, digital design, policing and, at one point, as a chimney sweep. He also collected far too many qualifications along the way.
Then cancer arrived.
While recovering from surgery, he decided there probably wasn't going to be a perfect time to write the books he had spent years thinking about, so he stopped waiting and wrote them.

Since then, his books have become Amazon bestsellers in Ireland and the United States, and Setanta and the Lady by the Water received a Five Star Award from the Open Book Awards.
His work moves between Irish mythology, crime, horror and ordinary people dealing with things that are anything but ordinary.
He lives and writes in the northwest of Ireland, which tends to find its way into the stories whether he intends it to or not.

Other writings

Short fiction and flash
Dinner: Flash Phantoms, published October 2026 (flashphantoms.net)
Comfort Eating: Flash Phantoms, forthcoming (flashphantoms.net)
A Short Walk: Stone's Throw (Rock and a Hard Place Press), online from 1 November 2026
The Ministry of Presence: Ragaire, Issue 6, forthcoming

Creative non-fiction
Writings apprears in:
The Soliloquist, Summer 2026
Ring of Culture (4th place, Witty Wicklow)
Runner-up, Wild Atlantic Words 2026

Poetry
Bonfire and Mitóg: Samhain Harvest anthology, October 2026, available on Amazon
Three nature haiku: Fresh Words, Rain and Roots anthology, August 2026

Articles
Books Ireland: on why you write
Books Ireland: "When publication comes with a price"
Writing.ie: article published 30 October 2026

Audio
Magnumlady's Podcast: "In Conversation with JM Lane"
Clare FM, Morning Focus: profile interview with Alan Morrissey, aired 28 October 2026