Donegal’s Caitriona Coyle has been shortlisted for a Carousel Aware Prize for Independently Published Authors.

Caitriona’s second novel ‘Gracie’ is shortlisted in the Fiction category of the awards, which showcases the cream of Irish self-published authors.

Caitriona is originally from Glen Village and has moved back home after taking early retirement from teaching in Dublin to focus on her writing. Now enjoying time by the seaside, she is working on her third novel.

‘Gracie’ is a powerful and captivating story of a newly wed young woman and her husband who struggle to find their footing when they move to a small Irish village. Quickly they become targets of their scheming neighbours who also own a pub and are vehemently opposed to any competition.

Caitriona likes to write what she knows,and Gracie was inspired by dramatic events in the early years of her parents’ marriage.

“It was always there,’ she says, ” finally bursting forth, longing to be heard.”

‘Gracie’ follows Coyle’s successful debut with ‘College Girls’ in 2017.

The CAP is awarded by the mental health charity Aware for Indie Authors, in collaboration with Chapters Book Store, Dublin.

Carndonagh’s Paul Lynch is the patron of the CAP Awards. The Booker prizewinner said: “I am delighted to be Patron of The Carousel Aware Prize for Independent Authors. This is an important initiative, bringing the cream of brave and original, Irish Independently published books out to readers, whilst being a fund raiser for the mental health charity Aware. I’d like to congratulate the past winners of this award and wish those submitting this year the very best of luck.”

The CAP Awards ceremony will be held at Chapters, Parnell Street, Dublin, on Friday, 1st November at 6:30 pm.