In June of 2024 Drogheda Life featured the news that Drogheda author Joanne Ryan Curran had published her first novel, The Cards That Changed My Life. Today we are delighted to announce that it has been longlisted for the prestigious 2025 CAP Awards (Carousel Aware Prize) for Irish Independent authors. 

The Carousel Aware Prize for Independently Published Authors (The CAP for Indies) provides a platform to showcase the cream of Irish Self-Published authors, bringing them to the attention of book shops, distributors, and the media in Ireland and abroad, with all money raised going to the charity Aware. 

The shortlist will be announced in mid-August, with winners revealed at The CAP Awards ceremony, set to take place at Chapters Bookstore, Dublin in October 2025. 

This marks an exciting milestone for Joanne, whose fresh and authentic voice in contemporary Irish fiction has resonated with readers and reviewers alike. Her novel has been praised for its uplifting emotional depth, accessible literary style, and well-paced, engaging narrative. 

Published in June 2024, The Cards That Changed My Life is a Dublin-set story of self-discovery, transformation, resilience, and love—central themes in today's conversations around mental health. While light in tone, the novel explores topics such as regret, connection, consequences and timing, all woven into a compelling narrative with quiet emotional intelligence that inspires hope and personal growth. 

The story follows Jane, a young woman at a crossroads in life, who receives a magical deck of cards from a second-hand bookshop. These cards lead her on an unexpected journey of personal discovery.

Joanne Ryan Curran is from Bettystown, now living in Drogheda, she is a qualified accountant and The Cards That Changed My Life, was published following a mentorship with An Táin Arts Centre’s writer-in-residence, Nicola Cassidy. She has also contributed to Rewind: A Collection, an anthology by Indie Authors Ireland, in aid of the Irish autism charity AsIAm. She is currently working on her second novel.

See our previous article: Drogheda author Joanne Ryan Curran launches her first book

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