County Cork-born musician, writer, teacher and father, Colum Sanson-Regan, has written an eclectic, emotional and visceral collection of short stories called The Tall Owl: And Other Stories, published during the most recent lockdown by Welsh publisher Wordcatcher Publishing. The book was originally due for release in the first lockdown and put back to October... who knew we'd be in another lockdown by then?
Thankfully, the online launch, complete with live music and readings was a success, and the early reviews are coming through extremely positive. We'd like to send you a paperback or ebook copy of The Tall Owl and if you'd like to interview Colum, who lives with his family in Cardiff, please get in touch. We have a pre-prepared author Q&A plus articles on topics such as folk music and missing live gigs during 2020, Colum's thoughts on 'educating the wealthy' and how to capture children's attention through storytelling when they're distracted by social media.
Please get in touch if you'd like to read The Tall Owl, offer it as a competition prize, commission Colum or run any of his op-eds, or run the author Q&A or we can we can connect you via email/phone for an interview. I'm pasting the press release below for more info too.
Thank you,
Helen Lewis
Director - Literally PR
www.literallypr.com
ADVANCE INFORMATION MEDIA SHEET
The Tall Owl: And Other Stories
By Colum Sanson-Regan
In Eastern Europe an orphan is taken in by a young preacher, who wants to build a Ministry in the woods. In the foothills of a great mountain range, a mother and daughter struggle with the consequences of a life changing accident. Two army servicemen take their injured comrade to witness a locust swarm. In a small town in Ireland, a group of friends carrying a secret navigate their way into adulthood. On a documentary project in China, a cameraman gets an unexpected opportunity which challenges his pursuit of happiness. A mother's recurring dream opens up communication with her son who is following his own dream in New York. Released from a secure hospital unit for two days, Amy visits her sick Grandmother and meets an unlikely animal. George has been having an affair. How far does it have to go before he risks everything?
These and other stories tell tales of adversity, loss, obsession, secrets, triumph and love. Within these pages, side by side, bumping against each other and jostling for space, are characters in different parts of the world, with different motivations and facing different problems, with different destinations but all moved by the momentum of the heart.
About the Author
Born and raised in Blarney, County Cork in Ireland, now living in South Wales, Colum Sanson-Regan's first experience of storytelling was to tourists visiting the castle, improvising local legends to coax a bit of change from their pockets. Colum lived there until he was 17, when he moved to Dublin. He should have been repeating his A levels, but instead of going into the classes, he left the house with the guitar then changed his uniform and busked on the Grafton Street. It was there, on a grim February day, that he was approached by an English couple who ran an Irish Bar in Fuerteventura in the Canaries. They asked if he wanted a job singing in their bar.
Two weeks later he'd arrived on the island, and this was his home for nearly three years. He met the woman who would become his wife and they moved to the UK and played music together. His work as a musician has included work with Grammy Award winners K-Klass and twice Grammy nominated Dan Myers, Charlotte Church, as well as a host of other musicians on both sides of the Atlantic. He has written, recorded and released two solo albums and two band albums and performed, and continues to perform, consistently as a singer and guitarist in this time.
He was also David Tennant's body double in Dr Who.
When his first child was born, Colum went to University to study writing and that started him on this trajectory. He's now living near Cardiff with his wife and two children, and teaching and writing and singing.
Title:The Tall Owl: And Other Stories
Author:Colum Sanson-Regan
Genre:Contemporary Fiction, Short Stories
Publisher:Wordcatcher Publishing
Publication date:October 28 2020
Availability:Paperback, eBook
ISBN:PB: 9781789422948
EB: 9781789423617
Number of pages:175
Price:PB £8.99 EB: £3.99
Press folder:bit.ly/ColumSansonRegan
Online profile:literallypr.com/public_relations/file/Colum-Sanson-Regan.php
Connect online:columsansonregan.com
For more information, extracts, editorial opportunities, interview requests or review copies please get in touchwithhelenlewis@literallypr.com