A wee dander with ........... Michelle Gallen - emerging Irish Author of 2020

Michelle Gallen came into the greater public consciousness when her first book 'Big Girl, Small Town' was released.  Michelle was brought up in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone and studied in both Dublin and Scotland, working hard and realising the potential that was within her.
 
A child of the troubles, stife was never far from the door in Ulster but life has a way of challenging us to adapt and continue on with normality, however different the circumstances are.
 
Her debut novel was dubbed 'the Milkman meets Derry Girls' by Sinead Moriarty no less, and Michelle was able to draw on her background for the storyline set in a fictional Irish border town with tragedy and drama ongoing. The dark humour and laughs provide an engaging tale that grips the reader and involves them emotionally, issuing a connection with the characters that ensures you don't want to leave the book down.
 
Anyone who lived in Ulster can relate to the story and part of Michelle's talent is that through her descriptive words, readers from other parts of the world will also be able to immerse themselves in the writings.
 
One thing about Michelle is that she refuses (sometimes by choice, other times not) to take the easy road.  Hard work and lots of it, are her epitaph.  She threw herself into the book, writing countless days on end until finally it was ready. She fought to get it recognised as she steadfastly refused to let rejection from publishing houses or the belief in the character fade to memory. Eventually she managed to sell the book to John Murray at a Novel Fair and the trajectory has been upwards ever since.
 
 What the book story doesn't tell you however, is just how much of a fighter Michelle is.  At 23 she was diagnosed with a rare condition that affects the brain and despite the trauma and terror that would entail, she continued onwards towards her dream.   She also had the bravery to abandon her career path to follow her writing path. Selling financial products is a long way from an Author, but knowing and believing in yourself is a keystone for Michelle. Obstacles are in the way, just find a path around them.
 
The injury was a part of making her.  As she used technology to recover, it also stirred the memories of writing to become a healing process and eventually the creative sparks began to fly again.
 
Michelle's story is not one of a silver spoons and opportunities handed to her - it is one of learning, fighting back, recover from set backs and believe in yourself and your talent  - because if you don't, then no one will.
 
 
 Photo credit: The Irish Times

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