Local Woman Is One Of 12 Authors Nationally To Take Part In ‘Novel Fair 2015’

Posted by

darcys_insert_2

165112_479490953526_6569568_n (1)

Barbara Lovric is a shortlisted finalist for the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair 2015

A TRALEE resident is in one of 12 writers who have been selected from almost 250 applicants to participate in Novel Fair 2015, an annual Irish Writers Centre initiative which will take place on Saturday, February 21.

Barbara Magee Lovric, an avid and talented writer from Knocknacuig in Tralee, has won a prestigious place amongst these 12 finalists.

Continued below…

Business Expo new insert

The Novel Fair, now in its fourth year aims to introduce up-and-coming writers to top publishers and literary agents, giving novelists the opportunity to bypass the waiting pile, pitch their ideas and place their synopsis and sample chapters directly into the hands of publishers and agents.

A writer since she was a child, Barbara, – who is originally from the US but has been living here in Tralee for over 16 years – has been writing seriously for the past six years or so and it seems that her hard work has certainly paid off.

She is understandably delighted with the news.

Continued below…

blasket insert new

“It’s an amazing opportunity, I’m really, really grateful to the ‘Irish Writers Centre’ for having such a wonderful contest. Just to get someone to look at your work…it’s very challenging,” she said.

Having first heard of the competition a few years ago through social media and ‘The Irish Writers Centre’, she was initially reluctant to enter it, but bit the bullet soon afterwards and entered for this year.

She is understandably coy about giving too many details away about the plot of the book, but she is willing to divulge that it is an “epic historical novel”.

So, what happens next for this wordsmith?

“The 12 finalists, we’ll be given a press day, which is basically a seminar which will teach us how to pitch our novels. Then, on February 21, we will have a ‘Novel Fair’.”

“The format for the Novel Fair is kind of like speed-dating. Each author who won one of the places will have their own table and they have 15 minutes to pitch their novel to a literary agent or publisher. Then, we just keep rotating.”

“After that, if the agents or publishers are interested in your idea, then they will ask for your full manuscript and then take it from there.”

We’re sure everyone in Tralee will have their fingers crossed for her on February 21!

If anyone would like more information on the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair, it can be found here.

Comments are closed.

image