Something Or Other Publishing is proud to introduce Leah Smith, a creative force and winner of the 3rd Prize in the Biography Category of our 1st Annual Short Story Contest.
Leah Smith, creative writer. (Leah Smith)
Leah Smith is a final year creative writing student in Galway, Ireland. When she isn’t looking for dogs to pet, she’s swimming. The rest of her time is spent staying on top of college, reading, and writing.
Her award-winning short story, The Chipper, is a biographical remembrance of the experience of growing up during the Troubles in the late 60’s and early 70’s in Ireland. From a young boy woken by a loud noise, to the statue left in remembrance of lives lost, this story allows a close look into life on the border of Northern Ireland. Â
Jesus E. Bracho, SOOP’s Director of Marketing, sat down with Leah to engage in a fun Q&A session to learn her initial reactions on this new journey:
J.B.: What inspired you to write “The Chipper“?
L.S.: I had to interview my Dad for an assignment in college, and I found out he had an interesting story to tell.
J.B.: What was the most challenging part of writing the story?
L.S.: Deciding which aspects of the interview I wanted to include in the story.
J.B.: What genres do you personally like to read?
3rd Prize in the Biography Category of SOOP’s 1st Annual Short Story Contest. (SOOP)
L.S.: It all depends on my mood, but if I’m reading a biography it needs to be an audiobook.
J.B.: Do you have any other writing projects in the works?
L.S.: I am always working on something, but currently I’m mainly focused on college.
J.B.: Who is your target audience?
L.S.: Readers that want to discover more about Ireland and what it’s like living there, or who simply want to learn about different ways of living. Â
J.B.: What do you hope readers take away from your story?
L.S.: A curiosity to learn more about the Troubles, or any conflicts that are relatively unreported.
J.B.: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
L.S.: Writing isn’t always going to be fun, dedicate time to writing and put words on the page.
The Chipper is part of SOOP’s forthcoming anthology currently titled “SOOPs Finest”, set for release on December 2022. Readers can pre-order the book through Leah’s customized pre-order page right here.
Learn more about Leah Smith through the links below:
Instagram: @leahksmithy
Twitter: @latiekeah
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