An Athlone Institute of Technology lecturer has penned her inaugural novel which is now available to purchase online at amazon.co.uk
'More Than A Match' was written by Ahascragh resident, Lisa Geraghty, during summer 2020, and narrates the story of 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.
Lisa, a veterinary surgeon by profession who now lectures in Veterinary Nursing and Bioveterinary Science at Athlone Institute of Technology, had previously published veterinary related articles and other non-fiction material, but decided to put lockdown to good use and write her first novel.
“Last year, at the start of lockdown, I began writing some blogs. I knew I really enjoyed writing but had only ever written scientifically. I've published a few employment law articles, a peer reviewed paper on antimicrobial resistance and I am co-author of 'Veterinary Law & Practice in Ireland, which is due out soon,” Lisa explained. “So I loved to blog and had a few non-fiction articles published in local papers. 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.”
She explains that while renting a house in Tralee 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. “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 peoples' 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. 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.”
More Than A Match is now available on Amazon.co.uk as an ebook or paperback version.
