Orna Ross
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Orna Ross
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_name = Aine McCarthy
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Waterford, Ireland
| nationality = Irish
| occupation = Author
| alma_mater = University College Dublin
| awards =
| website = {{URL| http://www.ornaross.com/}}
}}
Orna Ross is the pen name of Aine McCarthy,{{Cite web|url=https://www.ornaross.com/about/about-orna-ross/|title = About Orna Ross}} born 1960. She is an Irish author,{{cite web| url = https://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/en/Contributors/133880/Orna-Ross| title = Orna Ross|publisher= The London Book Fair | access-date = 8 May 2015}} former literary agent, blogger and an advocate for creativism.{{cite web| url = https://www.creativity-portal.com/cca/orna-ross/| title = Spotlight On: Orna Ross- Exploring Creative Intelligence and Writing|publisher= Creativity Portal| access-date = 9 May 2015}}{{cite web| url = http://www.writershub.co.uk/resources-piece.php?pc=801| title = The Seven Stages of The Creative Process (Writing a Book) Part Three |publisher= Writers’ Hub |date= 17 January 2011| access-date = 9 May 2015}} She is the founder of the Alliance for Independent Authors,{{cite web| url = https://allianceindependentauthors.org/about-alli/100/| title = The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) | access-date = 8 May 2015}}{{cite web| url = http://www.buchmesse.de/fbmsite/en/businessclub/speaker/01677/index.html/| title = Orna Ross- Biography |publisher= Frankfurter Buchmesse| access-date = 8 May 2015}} a professional association for authors who self-publish their work, and has been named one of the top 100 most influential people in publishing by The Bookseller, the UK publishing trade magazine.{{cite web| url = http://www.thebookseller.com/bookseller-100| title = The Bookseller 100|publisher= Bookseller.com| access-date = 8 May 2015}}{{cite web| url = https://www.battleofideas.org.uk/2014/speaker_detail/9097| title = Orna Ross|publisher= Battale of Ideas| access-date = 9 May 2015}}
Early life
Ross was born in Waterford, Ireland and was raised in Murrintown, County Wexford. She attended Murrintown National School and the Loreto Convent Wexford. She completed two degrees at the University College Dublin, including a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and a Master’s Degree in Women’s Studies. She also worked for some years as a lecturer in culture and creativity studies at UCD, teaching a groundbreaking Creative & Imaginative Practice course that forms the basis of her Go Creative! book series.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
She is related to author and historian Nicholas Furlong as well as director of Tandem Press Paula Panczenko.{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/newrossstandard/nickys-comic-novel-goes-global-in-time-for-valentines-day-38947388.html | title=Nicky's comic novel goes global in time for Valentine's Day | first=Maria | last=Pepper | newspaper=New Ross Standard | date=15 February 2020 | accessdate=16 January 2021 }}
Career
=Writing career=
Ross published her first two books, A Lover's Hollow{{cite web| url = https://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php?title=Lovers%27_Hollow_by_Orna_Ross| title = Lovers' Hollow by Orna Ross|publisher= Penguin Books Ltd| access-date = 9 May 2015}} and A Dance in Time, with Penguin Books. In 2012 she self-published the first two books in a forthcoming trilogy, The Irish Trilogy I: After the Rising and The Irish Trilogy II: Before the Fall, She has since gone on to self-publish her next two works of fiction, Blue Mercy{{cite book |url= https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15784457-blue-mercy|title= Blue Mercy by Orna Ross | publisher=Font Publications |isbn= 978-0-9573-4121-0| date= 31 July 2012| edition= Kindle| access-date = 8 May 2015}}{{cite web|first= Heidi |last= Richards | url = http://wemagazineforwomen.com/worth-reading-orna-rosss-blue-mercy/| title= Worth Reading: Orna Ross's Blue Mercy|work= WE Magazine | date= 8 January 2014| access-date = 9 May 2015}} and The Secret Rose, a tribute to W. B. Yeats.{{cite web| url = https://pubslush.com/project/3856/| title = Secret Rose by Orna Ross|publisher= Pubslush | access-date = 8 May 2015}}{{cite web| url = http://yeats2015.com/leading-irish-indie-author-orna-ross-announces-secret-rose-unique-crowdfunded-tribute-publication-for-yeats2015/| title = Leading author Orna Ross announces crowdfunded publication for #Yeats2015 |publisher= Yeats2015| date= 6 May 2015| access-date = 9 May 2015}}{{cite web| url = https://creativecricklewood.org/author/ornaross/| title = Event To Celebrate WB Yeats's Poetry in Aid of Creative Cricklewood and Friends of Cricklewood Library|publisher= Creative Cricklewood | date= 22 January 2015| access-date = 9 May 2015}}
In 2015, Ross contributed a volume to Outside the Box: Women Writing Women.{{cite web| url = http://www.womenwritewomen.com/| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150219152643/http://www.womenwritewomen.com/| url-status = usurped| archive-date = 19 February 2015| title = Outside the Box: Women Writing Women|publisher= WomenWritingWomen| access-date = 8 May 2015}} She collaborated on the box set of novels with six other female writers.{{cite news| first= Alison| last= Flood| url = https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/06/self-publishing-lets-women-break-book-industrys-glass-ceiling-survey-finds | title = Self-publishing lets women break book industry's glass ceiling, survey finds |work= The Guardian|date= 6 March 2015| access-date = 8 May 2015}} Ross' works of fiction are often set in her home country of Ireland, family drama sagas that have been lauded by the Sunday Independent, Irish Times, RTÉ Guide and many other review outlets.{{cite book |url= https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22532679-after-the-rising-before-the-fall|title= After The Rising & Before The Fall: Two-Books-In-One| publisher=Font Publications |isbn= 978-1-9098-8819-7| date= 31 May 2014| access-date = 8 May 2015}}{{cite news| first= Alison| last= Flood| url = https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/08/authors-ad-new-york-times-petition-amazon | title = Bestselling authors take out full-page New York Times ad against Amazon |work= The Guardian| date= 8 August 2014| access-date = 8 May 2015}}{{cite web| url = https://www.amazon.com/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_82%3AB001K86OBA&page=2| title = Orna Ross in Amazon|publisher= Amazon| access-date = 8 May 2015}}
=Alliance of Independent Authors=
Ross believes strongly in the benefits of self-publishing{{cite web| url = https://publishingperspectives.com/2014/09/no-writer-is-an-island/| title = UK Publishing Crowd Gathers in London to Discuss Self-Publishing| date = 29 September 2014|publisher= Publishing Perspectives| access-date = 8 May 2015}} for authors both established and just starting out in their careers.{{cite web| first= Roger | last= Tagholm |url = https://lateralaction.com/articles/self-publishing-orna-ross/| title = The Future of Self-Publishing: a Conversation with Orna Ross|publisher= Lateral Action| date= 29 September 2014| access-date = 8 May 2015}} In 2012, she launched the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), a not for profit organization that aims to protect the rights of writers and promote self-published books.{{cite web| url = http://www.thebookseller.com/news/self-published-author-society-prepares-launch| title = Self-published author society prepares to launch|publisher= Bookseller.com| date= 6 February 2012| access-date = 8 May 2015}}{{cite news| first= Gabrielle | last= Monaghan |url = http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/article871869.ece |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150518084200/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/article871869.ece |url-status = dead |archive-date = 18 May 2015 | title = Author unites DIY writers against 'publishing sharks' |publisher= The Sunday Times|date= 11 February 2012| access-date = 8 May 2015}}
In her capacity as the head of ALLi she has advised the BBC on publishing costs for an independent author.{{cite news|first= Kevin|last= Peachey| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28268014| title = The costs and benefits of publishing your own books|publisher= BBC|date= 11 July 2014| access-date = 8 May 2015}} In 2014, she was referred to by The Guardian as an "indie star" of the writing world, and featured on the Guardian Books Podcast.{{cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/books/audio/2014/may/09/self-publishing-revolution-hugh-howey-orna-ross-books-podcast | title = Self-publishing revolution – books podcast|work= The Guardian| access-date = 8 May 2015}}
Works and appearances
=Fiction=
- Lovers’ Hollow, Penguin, 2005{{cite book |url= https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2986107-lovers-hollow|title= Lover's Hollow by Orna Ross| publisher= Penguin Ireland|isbn= 978-1-8448-8052-2| date= 1 January 2005 | access-date = 8 May 2015}}
- A Dance in Time, Penguin, 2008{{cite book |url= https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9656089-a-dance-in-time|title= A Dance in Time by Orna Ross | publisher=Penguin Books|isbn= 978-1-8448-8054-6| date= 1 January 2008| access-date = 8 May 2015}}
- After the Rising,Orna Ross, 2012{{cite book |url= https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15994867-after-the-rising|title= After The Rising: A Novel (An Irish Trilogy Book 1) by Orna Ross| publisher=Font Publications |isbn= 978-0-9548-7564-0| date= 30 September 2012| access-date = 8 May 2015}}
- Before the Fall, Orna Ross, 2012{{cite book |url= https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17321798-before-the-fall|title= Before the Fall: A Novel (An Irish Trilogy Book 2) by Orna Ross | publisher=Font Publications |isbn= 978-0-9548-7566-4| date= 21 December 2012| access-date = 8 May 2015}}
- Blue Mercy, Orna Ross, 2013
- Outside the Box: Women Writing Women, Orna Ross and Joni Rodgers, 2015{{cite book |url= http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/outside-the-box-jessica-bell/1121239474?ean=2940151712514|title= Outside the Box: Women Writing Women [NOOK Book] by Jessica Bell, Orna Ross, Joni Rodgers, Roz Morris, Kathleen Jones | publisher=Women Writing Women| date= 20 February 2015| access-date = 8 May 2015}}
=Poetry=
- Ten Thoughts About Love, Orna Ross, 2011{{cite book |title= Ten Thoughts About Love by Orna Ross | publisher=Font Publications |isbn= 978-0-9548-7568-8| date= 15 November 2011}}
- Ten More Thoughts About Love, Orna Ross, 2013{{cite book |url= http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ten-thoughts-about-love-orna-ross/1108005000?ean=2940149302406|title= Ten Thoughts About Love (Poetry Pamphlet Series No. I) [NOOK Book] by Orna Ross | publisher=Font Publications | access-date = 8 May 2015}}
- Ten More Thoughts About Love 2, Orna Ross, 2013{{cite book |url= http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ten-more-thoughts-about-love-orna-ross/1119709406?ean=2940149302369|title= Ten More Thoughts About Love (Poetry Pamphlet Series No. II) [NOOK Book] by Orna Ross | publisher=Font Publications | access-date = 8 May 2015}}
- Poetry for Christmas: Twelve Inspirational Poems for the Holiday Season, Orna Ross, 2013{{cite book |url= http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poetry-for-christmas-orna-ross/1119709410?ean=2940149302413|title= Poetry For Christmas: Twelve Inspirational Poems for the Holiday Season [NOOK Book] by Orna Ross | publisher=Font Publications | access-date = 8 May 2015}}{{cite book |url= http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-artist-unleashed-poetry-for.html|title= The Artist Unleashed: POETRY FOR CHRISTMAS, by Orna Ross | publisher=Font Publications | date= 27 November 2013| access-date = 9 May 2015}}
=Non-fiction=
- F-R-E-E Writing Notebook: A Go! Creative Tool. OrnaRoss, 2013{{cite book |title= F-R-E-E-Writing Notebook: A Go Creative! Tool (Volume 4) Paperback by Orna Ross | publisher=Font Publications |isbn= 978-1-9098-8800-5| date= 13 October 2013}}
- Opening Up To Indie Authors: A Guide for Bookstores, Libraries, Reviewers, Literary Event Organisers ... and Self-Publishing Writers, Alliance for Independent Authors, 2013 (with Dan Holloway and Debbie Young)
- Choosing A Self Publishing Service 2014: The Alliance of Independent Authors Guide. Alliance for Independent Authors, 2014 (with Mick Rooney and GiacomoGiammatteo){{cite book |title= Choosing A Self Publishing Service 2014: The Alliance of Independent Authors Guide [Kindle Edition] by Mick Rooney (Author), Giacomo Giammatteo (Author), Orna Ross (Editor) | publisher=Font Publications |asin= B00CC0NYCM}}
- A Compendium For Creativists: How To Apply Creative Principles to Life: An Anthology, Orna Ross, 2015
=Podcast appearances=
- Guardian Books Podcast (9 May 2014): Indie stars Hugh Howey, Orna Ross and Catherine Quinn explore how self-publishing is changing the literary landscape (Podcast)
- T E Shepherd (2014): (Orna Ross talks about self-publishing on BBC R4 PM. BBC Radio 4 (Podcast){{cite news| first= Thomas | last= Shepherd |url = https://soundcloud.com/thomas-shepherd-1/orna-ross-talks-about-self| title = Orna Ross talks about self-publishing on BBC R4 PM|publisher= SoundCloud| access-date = 8 May 2015}}
- Creative Penn by Joanna Penn (2014): Creating Money, Creating Meaning. Getting Into Financial Flow With Orna Ross{{cite web| first= Joanna | last= Penn |url = http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2014/09/15/money-meaning-orna-ross/| title = Creating Money, Creating Meaning. Getting Into Financial Flow With Orna Ross|publisher= Creative Penn | date= 15 September 2014| access-date = 9 May 2015}}
Personal life
McCarthy has been married for over thirty years, and has two children named Ornagh and Ross (whose names she combines to use as her pen name). She currently lives and writes in London. In 2008, she revealed her breast cancer diagnosis.{{cite web| url = https://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/health/im-almost-50-i-have-cancer-and-my-time-is-limited-26498184.html| title = 'I'm almost 50, I have cancer... and my time is limited - Independent.ie}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.ornaross.com/ Official Web Page of Orna Ross]
- {{Twitter}}
- {{YouTube|u=IndieAuthorALLi|{{PAGENAMEBASE}}}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Orna}}
Category:Writers from County Waterford
Category:21st-century Irish novelists
Category:Alumni of University College Dublin
Category:Irish non-fiction writers
Category:Irish women non-fiction writers
Category:21st-century Irish women writers
Category:20th-century Irish women writers