Leigh Ebberwein didn’t expect to become a writer.
In a family full of business majors, Ebberwein was no different. She received two degrees at Georgia Southern University: one in Business and the other in Printing Management. Despite her family’s avid reading and storytelling, the idea of putting her own thoughts to paper was not one that came up often.
When she suddenly started writing her debut novel, "The Blessing of the Celtic Curse," it felt like a calling.
Like many things in her life, the motivation for writing came directly from her faith — her “cornerstone” in life. While she sat in Mass, listening intently as the Irish priest spoke of Ireland and God, the story wrote itself in her head. By the time she returned home, she couldn’t help but grab the first notebook she could — a school composition book — and write.
She compares her initial drafting process to journaling. Though she hadn’t done anything like it before, she found it enjoyable and wished she had started sooner.
“It just started pouring out,” she recalls. Before long, she had filled three composition books. As she finished the first draft, it finally hit her: she had written a book.
Credit: Photo provided
Credit: Photo provided
At first, most of her family was just as surprised as she was. After all, she had written privately while her kids were asleep and her husband at work — it was as though she wrote a book overnight. Once the initial shock wore off, though, everyone was nothing but supportive.
“My husband’s my rock,” Ebberwein explains. He supports her work fully, even advertising her books at bars seemingly every time they go out. She describes it as “embarrassing in a good way.”
Her children, similarly, are her biggest fans. Even as she juggled her writing, work, and family, they were there alongside her, supporting her. All seven have read their mother’s novel, and they enjoy guessing which character represents them in the story. One even asked for a character to be named after them (which Ebberwein has incorporated).
Outside of blood relations, Ebberwein also has the support of a large and lively Savannah family: the Irish community.
Finding praise for the book from her community
The Savannah-Irish community is an important part of Ebberwein’s life, combining her Southern upbringing with her Irish heritage. She describes the general Savannah community as loving, hospitable people. Irish culture, similarly, is fun-loving and friendly. Combined, the two cultures interact seamlessly to create a group of people unlike any other.
In fact, the only conflict Ebberwein can recall is trying to decide which one is more beautiful — after all, “they just are both so amazing.”
Taking great pride in her identity and perspective, Ebberwein drew heavily from her experience with the community in "The Blessing of the Celtic Curse." The main character, Kathleen, has a rich Irish heritage and Catholic faith, much like Ebberwein and many others in Savannah. Needless to say, the Irish-Savannah community loved it, and they “showed up in droves” for a book signing to support the author and story that represented them.
Credit: Photo provided
Credit: Photo provided
However, despite all of the support, Ebberwein’s writing journey was not without obstacles.
“Once those characters are birthed, they’re people. They have a reality to them, and to let go of them…I don’t know, you’ve already made a connection to them. And each one has a piece of you in them.”
Another major roadblock was getting books into “brick and mortar” stores. Though "The Blessing of the Celtic Curse" is available in most online stores, it is currently only available in one physical bookshop: Saints & Shamrocks in Savannah. Even getting it stocked there was difficult; most bookstores require an author to go in person if they don’t have an existing professional relationship.
After going through the publication process herself, Ebberwein understood how discouraging it could be for other writers. She wanted to do what she could to help fellow writers get through the tough parts — editorial and administrative alike. When she decided she wanted to print her own work, she realized she could use the skills and research she gained to help others.
Thus, Old Fort Press was born.
Building her own publishing road
Her second novel, "The Savannah Gondolier," is already set to be published in the spring. While not a direct continuation of "The Blessing of the Celtic Curse," it falls in the same series, following one of the other central girls.
“Maggie’s a spitfire,” Ebberwein states simply when asked about her next book. Maggie’s fiery personality is hinted at in "The Blessing of the Celtic Curse," as is her background as a “river rat” and daughter of a shrimper. Her resulting love for water and the ocean will be further explored in the coming novel, and she, like Kathleen, will go on an impactful trip.
As she prepares "The Savannah Gondolier" for publication, Ebberwein looks forward to the response. The feedback for "The Blessing of the Celtic Curse" has already blown her away, especially with how narrow she expected the audience to be for such a family-oriented, faith-based novel. Men have left highly positive reviews about how refreshing and feel-good the read was; people struggling with religion tell her how the story moved them to reflect.
She wants to encourage others to get out there — to tell stories that “touch” people emotionally in the way that hers have. It’s why she created Old Fort Press, and it’s why she continues to write.
“Your words have power,” she concludes. “That power should be appreciated and not taken for granted.”
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Leigh Ebberwein finds the 'power' of words in first novel, 'Blessing of the Celtic Curse'
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