Rani Grennell Releases Dancing with Shadows, Her Debut Poetry Collection

Rani Grennell, a drama and voice coach based in Kilcullen, has published her first poetry collection, Dancing with Shadows. The title draws from the idea that memories follow us like shadows throughout our lives, a concept that shapes the entire collection.

The book features more than 70 poems written across several decades, beginning when Grennell was a teenager and continuing to the present day. She designed the collection to speak to universal human experiences while maintaining a deeply personal voice.

Grennell explores themes that include life's pivotal moments, relationships, family bonds, and her passion for nature and animals. She describes the collection as both intimate and relatable.

"Each poem stands on its own, but together, they form a picture, if you like, of what my life has been so far," Grennell explains. "It's a collection that can be seen as personal, but hopefully, there's a universality in the experiences of life in it as well."

For Grennell, poetry has always served as an emotional outlet. She turns to verse when something moves her deeply or when she encounters beauty that demands expression.

"When something really moved me, or was very beautiful, the way I was able to capture that was through writing poetry," she says.

Grennell trained at The London Guildhall School of Speech and Drama and built a career as an actress, performing in major theatres across Dublin and Cork. In 1978, she founded her own drama school, which has expanded over the years to encompass a wide range of communication skills training.

Her studio near Carnalway, outside Kilcullen, offers coaching for film, theatre, and radio auditions. She has also created specialized programs for Transition Year students and children with special needs.

The journey to publication began when friends who had read her poems over the years encouraged her to share them with a wider audience. Grennell submitted her work to traditional publishers but received the familiar response that they were not accepting new submissions.

A friend suggested self-publishing, but Grennell felt she lacked the technical knowledge to navigate that path successfully. She researched publishing services companies and ultimately chose BritLit, a UK-based firm. While she would have preferred working with a local company, she found no suitable options nearby.

Through BritLit, Grennell collaborated with a designer to bring the book to completion. The company also handled distribution through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. When Dancing with Shadows went live, Grennell experienced a mix of fear and excitement.

"You know, I had sat in the solitude of my kitchen all those years writing them. They were mine, and there had been varying reactions from friends and family. But now they're out in public, and my poor 'baby' is out there to be criticised," she reflects. "What if nobody likes them? But having said that, there's a great sense of achievement and I'm absolutely delighted about it."

The publication has energized Grennell to continue writing. She has previously written short stories and is currently working on a non-poetry book titled The Confessions of a Serial Dog Owner. Given the strong bond between Irish people and their dogs, the title alone suggests the book could find an enthusiastic readership.

Dancing with Shadows is available in print and Kindle formats on Amazon, as well as through Barnes & Noble.