Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words. — Robert Frost
Northern Ireland woman, Sinéad Hoben, related to the above words in abundance when, like most people, she found herself faced with the Covid-19 pandemic. Add to that an unexpected breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery when hospital visitors were not allowed and it became a perfect storm leading to her book, In My Head.
'I’ve always been a writer and often come across poems or short stories I have written and tucked away somewhere over the years. I was never really interested in publishing my work before now though. However, during the pandemic, I found I myself indulging in writing more than ever. For me, it became therapeutic and helped me find a way to release my fears and observations. After my breast cancer diagnosis, which was discovered by Action Cancer at a routine mammogram, my mind went into overdrive. I’d never experienced fear like it in my life and had to find an outlet. Luckily, my educational background helped immensely.'
Sineád graduated from University of Ulster with BA (Hons) English in 1996, followed by a PGCE in English with Drama and Media in 1997 which allowed her to become a teacher. However, things didn’t go exactly to plan.
'After my first baby was born I found it very difficult to continue working as I was employed as a supply teacher in local schools at that time. Whilst this was perfect before I had a family, making childcare arrangements became increasingly difficult due to the nature of the job. After I had my second daughter, my husband and I made the choice that I would stay at home as he had permanent work. I still felt the call to teach and write though, so I created an advice website for new mothers and the income the site generated through advertising allowed me to stay at home whilst still earning a regular wage. However, as the years passed by, I felt the need to return to my literature background and lockdown afforded me the time to commit to that!'
Sinéad wrote and published several children’s books before turning her mind to poetry.
'Writing provides much needed escapism for me. With 4 children ranging in age from 10 to 22 years old, my days are usually flat out doing all the usual parenting things like school runs, after school activities, housework and meal preparations. Lockdown and home-schooling, quickly followed by the trauma of finding out I had cancer, meant I had a lot of time to observe my life and the lives of those around me. Writing helped me prioritise the important things and I got great comfort from composing poems. In fact, many of my poems came to me and still do, at unexpected moments. In the prologue to my book, I wrote the words, “I write/ I become/ The mist retreats/ I am done.” And this is what happens to me when I’m writing. I feel an overwhelming urge to put words in print and almost feel as if they don’t always come from me but from somewhere in the ether. I suppose that’s what a Muse is and I wrote about mine in a poem in the book.'
With 11 books now under her belt, all written just before or during lockdown, Sinéad is on a roll.
'I’m still writing and have 2 new books in the pipeline,' she grins, 'I’ve feel like I’ve finally found my place in the world and it’s all in my imagination!'
In My Head is available to purchase on Amazon.co.uk and is available as an ebook, paperback and hardback. It will also soon be available on Audible as an audio book.
If local businesses are interested in stocking the book, they can contact Sinéad directly through her Facebook account, Sinéad Hoben Author.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sinead Hoben is an English graduate and qualified teacher. A past pupil of Cloghogue Primary School and Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry, she studied at University of Ulster and became self-employed following the birth of her second child. Following a breast cancer diagnosis in April 2021, Sinéad turned to poetry as a means of coping with her illness, subsequent surgery and learning to live again.
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