IT’S said that everyone has a book in them, and Malua Bay mum, school teacher and writer Tracey Lee has more than one.
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Mrs Lee has just launched her debut novel, What Remains, set in Broulee and Lake George.
It is the first in a series of four novels featuring its main character, Lily O’Hara.
“I have published many short stories, but this is my first foray into novel writing,” she said.
The book has been published by US company Xlibris, fulfilling a long-time ambition for Mrs Lee.
“I’ve always been a writer, but life gets in the way, she said.
“One has to eat, so one has to work.”
To see her publish a novel is also a dream come true for her husband and two children.
“They are my cheer squad, and they have always been encouraging me to walk the talk,” she said.
Lily O’Hara has outgrown a three-book series, which was the author’s original intention.
“There was supposed to be three in the series, but it has grown, as there is so much for the key character to experience, so much to get from life,” she said.
The second of the series is due out at the end of 2016.
“Then I will take a break before working on the next book,” she said.
The next book will have a more “local flavour” and be set exclusively on the South Coast, a region which provides Mrs Lee with much inspiration.
“It is a peaceful and beautiful environment, and places like Guerilla Bay are so enigmatic” she said.
Mrs Lee has a writer’s mind, and life is a good inspiration.
“I do a lot of note taking, and I like structuring things through notes, about how people in general cope with things they experience,” she said.
Mrs Lee said she did not like getting locked into a particular genre.
“I like to be eclectic with story-telling,” she said.
She is planning to write a work of historical fiction, about the family of a World War I veteran.
Mrs Lee is passionate about many issues, including mental health and education.
She works at St Peters Anglican College in inclusive education, focusing on literacy and numeracy.
She grew up in Launceston, Tasmania, and also lived in Canberra and Perth before arriving in Malua Bay.