A former Athlone resident will have her debut novel Love and the Goddess launched by her former teacher Mary O’Rourke tonight (February 1 ) at John’s Bookshop on Main Street.
“I love Athlone down by the Shannon, and it’s great to be launching down there too,” said author Mary Elizabeth Coen.
Formerly Mary McFarland of Fry Place and Slí an Aifreann, she believes it was her time with Mrs O’Rourke in Summerhill that first implanted the seeds of becoming a writer one day.
However, Ms Coen took a more traditional route to publishing, initially becoming a home economics teacher in Gort, Co Galway, then a PR in the rag trade before a bout of fibromyalgia forced her to train as a bio-energy therapist. At this point, she then finally turned to writing.
“A woman’s voyage of self-discovery begins on the internet, and leads her all the way to Peru,” said Mary.
“This work of fiction is like a self-help book in the form of a funny novel. It’s like Eat, Pray, Love meets Sex and the City,” she explained.
The launch starts at 6pm in John’s Bookshop beside Sean’s Bar.
