Mayo-born writer, musician and songwriter Michael Stevens has been named one of twelve winners of the Irish Writers Centre International Debut Novel Competition 2026, with submissions having come in from 38 countries.
The twelve winning writers, from Ireland Britain and mainland Europe are to pitch their unpublished debuts to agents and publishers next month (September).
Originally from Mayo and now living in Dublin, Michael’s writing has appeared in a range of literary journals. He is also a two-time Arts Council funding recipient. His book is The Setlists.
The two dedicated Pitch Days take place on the 10th and 11th of next month. During these sessions, the writers will pitch their work either face-to-face or over Zoom with some of the publishing industry’s leading decision-makers.
Another Western representative will be Irish Examiner Journalist Colin Sheridan of Salthill, Co. Galway. He has earned his spot at the pitching sessions with a debut novel entitled Entropy.
