Creative writer’s debut novel accepted by prestigious US publisher
Carlow College Pic: Michael O'Rourke
THINGS are getting creative for writer Colin Leonard, who is set to have his collection of short stories published by a US publisher.
The Meath man is a graduate of the 12-week creative writing certificate at Carlow College, having written for a number of years. He had his debut novel published last year. Colin’s recent writing success arose out of an open call for single-author short story collections by US publisher Off Limits Press.
“First, I had to send in a pitch detailing the themes and styles of my work and a brief description of the stories. This intrigued them enough to request the full manuscript,” he said.
For his submission, Colin collated a mixture of previously published and unpublished stories, including two pieces that he wrote as part of his portfolio when studying the certificate in creative writing.
The author says it has been a dream come true and that his Thursday evenings spent in Carlow College became “an absolute treat” and that he was inspired by the “perceptive and engaging” teaching.
“There is nothing as inspiring for someone who wants to take writing seriously than to be in a room for three hours where you discuss and learn the craft and share your work with others,” he said.
is due for publication in 2025. For those interested in creative writing, the next intake for Carlow College begins in September.
