Athlone teenager publishes her second poetry book
Despite the fact that she is still in her teens, a talented young Athlone woman has just published her second book of poetry called A Beauty Only Poets Can Describe.
Described as a collection of poems focusing on her very first love and the tumultuous nature of that relationship, 19-year old Ivana Ruzic from Monksland admits that she has always been "fascinated with love" and writing about it comes easily to her.
Born in Ireland to Croatian and Serbian parents, Dragan and Daniela Ruzic, the talented teenager is a past pupil of Coláiste Chiaráin and is currently in her second year of the Creative Writing Degree programme in the National University of Ireland, Galway.
She says her new poetry book was "a bit of a lockdown project," as she wrote all 100 poems between January and October of 2020 when she was in her Leaving Cert year. "Our Leaving Certificate was cancelled, so I had plenty of time to concentrate on my writing," she admits.
Ivana has always been an avid reader and says her initial interest in poetry stemmed from her love of reading. However, she didn't start writing poetry until she was in first year at secondary school, and she went around with "a big journal full of poems" for a few years before she plucked up the courage to show them to anyone!
After receiving a very favourable reaction, and lots of encouragement, from her teachers in Coláiste Chiaráin, her family, and her friends, Ivana decided to publish her first book of poetry called Confessions of a Lovesick Teenager in 2019, when she was just 16 years of age.
Her latest book focuses exclusively on her very first romantic relationship, and the 100 poems in the collection "depict a love story from initial infatuation to the flame's inevitable demise," according to the sleeve notes. It is a chronological collection of poems depicting her first love from infatuation to heartbreak and she says it will have "a particular appeal to young people."
Ivana's best friend, whom she met on her first day in secondary school, 20-year old Katie McGrath from St Anne's Terrace in Athlone, is the illustrator for the poetry book and has completed all of the magnificent illustrations which accompany the poems.
Art was one of Katie's favourite subjects in secondary school, alongside music, and she says she was "absolutely thrilled" when Ivana asked her to illustrate images to accompany her poems. "I have always enjoyed drawing and creating art, so it is great to see my work in print," she says.
The two childhood friends are now studying together in NUIG, with Katie McGrath studying for a Degree in Music, and she is available for illustration work at: katiemcgrath89@yahoo.ie
Ivana Ruzic, who has two older sisters, Dragana (25) and Adrijana (22) says her new poetry book has been "very well received" and she is hoping to write more poetry in the future. "I am not sure I would have enough of an imagination to write a novel," she says, "but I will keep writing poetry anyway and pursuing my creative writing."
A Beauty Only Poets Can Describe is published by Athlone-based independent publisher, Synergy and Light, and is currently available to purchase from Ivana’s Instagram account or on Amazon. It retails at €10.40.