I am pleased to announce that in May 2019, I will be publishing the open- hearted, beautifully weaved debut chapbook, of Anne Walsh Donnelly: 'The Woman With An Owl Tattoo'. I was hooked by Anne's storytelling by the first poem of the collection and by the third, I said, 'I have to publish this', out loud. Anne's story of coming out in her 50s and finding a new life in that realisation, is both universal and empowering, to anyone who has ever struggled with their sexuality and their identity.

Anne speaks about the collection:

This collection is a culmination of two years’ work both personally and creatively. The poems draw heavily on the journey I've taken from being a separated single mother of two who thought she was only attracted to men to realising and accepting that I am attracted to women. In this collection, I have blended fact with fiction to show the struggles of a woman who comes out to herself and others at the age of fifty and the joy of being with another woman sexually.

It's an important story to tell and I hope it will resonate with readers. Not just those who are gay or are struggling with that fact but also those who have friends or family who are gay. I want to show the struggle one can encounter in accepting one’s sexual orientation but also the joy of discovering your true self and the exhilaration of taking the risk of revealing that to the world.

I am delighted that Fly on the Wall Poetry Press has given me this opportunity to share this chapter of my life. If it helps even one person with their struggle and gives them hope I will be happy.

About Anne:

Anne Walsh Donnelly lives in the west of Ireland. She is a single mother of two amazing teenagers. She works as a Student Services Officer in a third-level college and writes in her spare time.

Her work has been published in several literary outlets including The Irish Times, Crannog, Boyne Berries, The Blue Nib, Cold Coffee Stand, Ariel, Heart and Humanity, Inside the Bell Jar, Please Hear What I’m Not Saying and Star82 Review.

Her short stories have been shortlisted in competitions such as the Over The Edge New Writer of the Year Award (2014, 2016), Fish International Prize (2015) and the RTE Radio One Frances Mac Manus competition (2014, 2015).

Her poems were highly commended in the Over The Edge New Writer of the Year Award (2017 & 2018). She won the Spring 2018 Blue Nib poetry chapbook competition and also the 2018 Over the Edge Fiction Slam. She was also nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2018.

'The Woman With An Owl Tattoo' is expected to be published on May 30, 2019 with preorders opening in March. It's safe to say, you should all be excited...

#ChapbookSeries #FlyontheWallPoets