First Novel For Ahascragh Writer

Lisa Geraghty lives in Ahascragh with her son Donnacha, daughter Maeve Ann and Irish Wolfhound ‘Mac’.
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Originally from Castleisland and from a family of six children, she has always been proud of her roots and the opportunities that she was given over the years. Lisa, a veterinary surgeon by profession, works as a college lecturer in Athlone Institute of Technology, where she trains veterinary nurses and bio-veterinary scientists. She enjoys working with students and is an advocate for self-care, mental wellbeing and work-life balance in the veterinary profession. Lisa regularly publishes articles on employment law and veterinary practice and is a co-author of the book Veterinary Law and Practice in Ireland. “More Than” a Match is Lisa’s debut novel.
 
At the beginning of the first lockdown, Lisa began writing blogs. An avid fan of writing, she had only ever written scientifically. Publishing a few employment law articles, a peer reviewed paper on antimicrobial resistance and is the co-author of ‘Vetinary Law & Practice in Ireland. Her love for blogging had led her to delving into non-fiction articles that were published in local papers. Lisa had been suggested by a few friends to write novels and she had many themes in her head for a long time all they needed was a story.

Lisa explained: “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, 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 people's lives, especially when it happens behind closed doors.”
 
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 is what she has 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.
Lisa stated: “This is a story of fear and loss, of desperation and pain, of hope and survival, 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.”
The book has been reviewed 21 times on amazon and has gained an average rating of 4.8/5 stars. One reviewer identified as ‘Domreads’ stated: “I loved the book and cannot wait for future adventures of Jennifer Bourke. Lisa’s style of writing allowed me to become totally engrossed in what Jennifer was going through and feeling. All this despite our realities being worlds apart. I also felt the way the issues with mental health were covered in the book as well as matters relating to treatment, coping strategies and simply living with mental illness will help to normalise and de-stigmatise the same.”
 
It is available in Salmons Department store in town where it is locally printed by KPW. It is also Available on Amazon for £11.21.