By Lachlan Ellis
A local author will soon publish the second book in a highly-acclaimed series – and work has already begun on a third.
Lee Lehner from Bacchus Marsh is releasing Anithia: Ancestry of Awakening on November 4, a magical realism book following a young woman with one year, two choices, and an inevitable sacrifice to make.
Set in Florida in the 1960s, the story is told by young adult Isola, whose father announces the family is moving to England, tearing Isola from her true love Sation.
She vows to return to Florida when she turns eighteen in a year’s time, but upon discovering an enchanting garden in her new home, and a special collection of books that transport her back in time, she faces an agonising choice – return to Sation, or embrace a magical life.
Ms Lehner said she was excited to share the new book with the public, after the great reviews the first book received.
“To see my imagination filling 300 pages, and being sold in Canada, Austria and Malaysia is rather exciting and surreal all in one. I cut my teeth into the literary world with the first book, so, this second book has been more enjoyable to create,” she told the Moorabool News.
“The first book received a five-star review from Reader’s Favorite, and according to Goodreads website the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I meet people that have read Anithia and they tell me, they’ve never read anything like it, this is the best feedback, because it means I’ve successfully articulated my imagination into words.”
Ms Lehner said she’d always been drawn to “courageous women in history that left their mark on the world”, which inspired her to write and leave her mark.
“One morning, sitting down to write lyrics with my guitar in hand, a song idea came to me offering more than three minutes worth of music…four years later that song grew into the Anithia series. So, in my opinion Anithia is the longest song in history.” she said.
A self-published author, Ms Lehner has started her own publishing business called Kinslee Oak Publishing seeing beginning her literary journey, and also offers mentoring to anyone wanting to publish their own stories.
To get your hands on a copy of Anithia: Ancestry of Awakening, visit www.leelehner.com.
