She’s 16 years old and already a published author
IT was four years in the making, but the effort was worth it.
And what makes Theresa Galvin’s journey to becoming a published author all the more remarkable is the fact that the Macroom lady is only 16.
Last week, Theresa celebrated the launch of her first book, ‘Lightning Strike’, at the Auld Triangle in Macroom, with a little help from her English teachers, Jennifer Murnane and Lily de la Cour.
Also present were family and friends of the young author, whose book is on sale at Fitzgerald’s book shop in Macroom – as well as Eason’s, Waterstone’s, and Amazon, no less.
Her page-turner follows the story of Zara Bolt – a student of The McGillycuddy Academy for the Kings and Queens of Nature – who tragically lost her family 14 years previously.
What seems like an ordinary year at the academy is turned upside down by a new teacher – bringing her family’s haunting past right back into view.
That’s about as much as The Corkman is willing to give away, but what’s no secret is the support that Theresa has received to get to this point – not to mention her own hard work in getting published at just 16 years of age.
“The idea came to me in sixth class,” the St Mary’s Macroom Transition Year student said to The Corkman. “I started writing when I was in first year, and the writing finished when I was in second year. At that stage, I just said to myself that I may as well send it to publishers!”
The editing process – rarely a short one – got underway then, but the wait was worth it for the moment that a London-based publisher, Austin Macauley, gave the green light.
“I have to give a huge thank you to my family,” she said. “They didn’t know at the start I was writing a book, but when they found out, they always believed in me and were very supportive.
“My friends have also been brilliant. I wasn’t sure how they’d take to the news, but they were very supportive!”