A Kerry woman has credited the peace and tranquillity of her beloved Kingdom with helping her pen her first novel, which has just been released on Amazon.
Castleisland native, Lisa Geraghty, used lock-down in Kerry in the summer of 2020 to write her debut novel, More Than A Match, which tells the story of West Kerry native, Jennifer Burke – a successful lawyer in Castlebar, who discovers how fragile her seemingly perfect life becomes when her mental health is shattered by a life-altering diagnosis.
Summer in Kerry
Lisa, a veterinary surgeon by profession who lectures in Veterinary Nursing and Bio-Veterinary Science at Athlone IT, spent last summer in Kerry and set about writing the novel, having previously written a number of blogs and non-fiction pieces.
“Last year, at the start of lock-down, I began writing some blogs. I knew I really enjoyed writing but had only ever written scientifically.
Non-Fiction Articles Published
I’ve published a few employment law articles, a peer reviewed paper on antimicrobial resistance and I am co-author of Veterinary Law and Practice in Ireland, which is due out soon,” said the busy Lisa.
“So I loved to blog and had a few non-fiction articles published in local papers and I found that writing really gave me pleasure.
“A few friends suggested a novel and I had some themes in my head for a long time, but I just needed to put a story to them.”
Renting in Odorney
The mum-of-two explains that while renting a house in Abbeydorney last summer, ‘breathing in the Kerry air,’ she literally opened a word document and started to write.
“I knew I wanted to write a story about a strong woman, a character that could empower other women. The ‘Me Too’ movement was well underway at the time. The themes I wanted to encapsulate were that people are flawed, we all make mistakes and have to learn to live with the consequences,” Lisa explained.
Stress and Mental Illness
“I wanted to address the theme of stress and mental illness and the message that it is possible to heal and be well and move on.
“I also wanted to include the theme of bullying and the destructive force that it can be in people’s lives, especially when it happens behind closed doors.”
Written over three months, More Than A Match, tells the story of Jennifer Burke – a successful lawyer with a husband who worships her and two beautiful, talented teenage daughters – or at least that’s what she’s always told herself.
Deepening Splinters
However, as the years progress, somewhere inside of Jennifer the splinters begin to deepen. When her mental health is shattered by a life-altering diagnosis she discovers how fragile her world has become.
“This is a story of fear and loss, of desperation and pain, of hope and survival,” Lisa explained. “The question is: when a woman’s strength is tested to the limit, can she stand and fight for her life?
“Jennifer is a real woman, raw and flawed. Her story is one that, I hope, will resonate with all women at some point in their lives,” Lisa concludes.
More Than A Match is now available on Amazon.co.uk as an ebook or paper back version.
Here’s a link to buying Lisa’s book on the Amazon site: https://www.amazon.co.uk/More-Than-Match-Lisa-Geraghty-ebook/dp/B092TN7MT7
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