When an early love for writing and a dream to be a novelist is deferred, Leara pursues her love for writing elsewhere. First as a journalist, working in Trinidad, Haiti, Dominica, and Atlanta, then as an Associate Emerita of Journalism at the University of Georgia.

Leara is the author of academic books, and many
papers, journals, and magazine articles. But the dream of one day writing a
novel remained alive within her. A dream that has now become a reality✨

On the release date of this podcast episode,
Spancill Hill, Dr. Rhodes' first novel, published by Old Fort Publishing, is
out and available everywhere. At 73, after an illustrious career in journalism
and academia, the dream of a nine year old poet has come to fruition. Spancil
Hill is set in Ireland and New York in the late 19th century, and tells the
story of Cahey. Leaving Ireland, he embarks on a journey to New York, and the
pursuit of a dream to become the most sought-after horse trainer at the
Vanderbilt American Horse Exchange in 1901.

Find Spancil Hill everywhere books are sold online, and look out for Leara's second novel coming out in October: The Darkest Midnight in December.

00:00 Sound bites
00:38 Introduction Dr. Leara Rhodes
01:51 Love for the Caribbean
03:38 An early love for writing nurtured at a
young age
05:15 From poetry to a love of journalism
07:46 A dream deferred
09:03 The academic path
10:21 A love for Ireland
14:38 A writer of academic books, journals,
papers and magazine articles
17:52 Today a novelist… at 73!
19:38 Spancil Hill by Leara Rhodes
22:01 Writing the novel while living in Ireland
23:35 The importance of experience life in the surroundings you write about
26:21 The research
31:15 Experiencing cultural richness
33:56 A second novel due for release in the Fall: The Darkest Midnight in December
39:02 Working on novel number three
40:48 A source of inspiration
42:22 Having great people around you
44:56 A focused path

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