Amy Huberman talks returning to writing and overcoming pressure in the spotlight

It's all go for Amy.

From writing books and scripts to starring in shows and creating shoes - if there's one thing this Dublin native doesn't do it's take a backseat when it comes to her career. With decades in the spotlight, two best-selling books, shows like Finding Joy, Moone Boy, Can't Cope Won't Cope and Striking Out under her belt as well as a dabble in fashion - the next move for Amy sees her return to her love for reading as she joins forces with Diet Coke for their first ever book club series. Launching the Diet Club Book Club alongside Irish TV personality Darren Kennedy, Amy has handpicked three books to be discussed across three events taking place in Ireland this summer. The books chosen are If Only by Melanie Murphy, Rules of the Road by Ciara Geraghty and How to Fail by Elizabeth Day which Amy believes will be firm favourites among the attendees. As for her own writing, although it has been eight years since she wrote a book, Amy isn't closing the door on that chapter.

"It's been a while since I've written a book and yeah, I get asked sometimes 'are you going to write another one?' And I'm like 'I will, I will'."

But, creating content isn't easy and so, Amy has learned to distance herself from the opinion of others and remember that everyone isn't always going to always like what you create and that's OK too.

"I think if you put yourself under that pressure [writing a book], you have to enjoy the process and be true to the process and be honest about it, and almost separate the end goal because that can become overwhelming."

Continuing, Amy revealed that the process is similar to acting. Explaining that after years in the industry, she now grasps that uncertainty is part and parcel of the outcome and all you can do is your best.

"Being an actor for as many years as I have, you learn you have so little control over the process that you kind of become adapt to dealing with that quite quickly. You know you don't control any of it. "You have to learn to navigate that road of really not knowing outcomes or things like that which can be scary but, you just learn how to deal with it in good and in bad. "

Like Amy explains, it's all about growing a thick skin. Last week, Amy made headlines in Irish news for a snap she shared while on a trip to New York alongside her husband, former Irish rugby star, Brian O'Driscoll. While the pair were in the big apple, Amy met with a J1 student whose mother had reached out to Amy to look out for her son while she was in the city. Irish mammies, eh? Seeing the comment, the student named Seán contacted Amy and the pair met up to ring the mammy and let her know all was good stateside.

"We were standing there with our bags and he arrived with his mates and we rang his mum. His mum was so lovely she was great craic. At first she was like 'I don't have my hair and makeup done!' and I was like 'you're grand, it's only on FaceTime!'.

"But it's so Irish, the J1, the mam, being over abroad, we were just like come on, we have to do it."

Amy will be taking part in the Diet Coke Book Club on August 30 in the Marlin Hotel in Dublin. Aside from that, two other book events will be happening as part of the same series in both Cork and Belfast.

See below for the details and how YOU can come along!

July Diet Coke Book Club

• • Hosts: Stylists Courtney Smith and Ciara O’Doherty
  • Book: If Only by Melanie Murphy
  • When: Wednesday, July 24^th
  • Cork event: The River Lee Hotel, Cork, 6-7.30pm

August Diet Coke Book Club

• • Hosts: Amy Huberman and Darren Kennedy
  • Book: How to Fail by Elizabeth Day
  • When: Friday, August 30th
  • Dublin event: The Marlin Hotel, Dublin, 6-7.30pm

September Diet Coke Book Club

• • Hosts: TV personality James Patrice and blogger Gemma Louise Bond
  • Book: Rules of the Road by Ciara Geraghty
  • When: Wednesday, September 18^th
  • Belfast event: The Loft, Belfast, 6-7.30pm

You can purchase FREE tickets to the events online here. We'll see you there!