Tanith Lee (1947–2015) was a British writer of science fiction, fairy tale, horror, and fantasy. She wrote over 90 novels and 300 short stories, often comprising female protagonists. She also penned lesbian fiction under the pseudonym Esther Garber.
Born in North London to professional dancers, Lee spent her childhood traveling around the British Isles. She had dyslexia and was unable to read until age eight. She attended Croydon Art College.
Lee’s first published significant work, The Birthgrave (1975,) was followed by the series “Tales From The Flat Earth,” “The Secret Books of Paradys,” “The Unicorn,” and “The Claidi Journals.”
Lee earned a reputation as one of the most celebrated revisionists and feminist voices in contemporary fantasy writing. She wrote erotic Gothic chillers for adults and modern myths for children, and she reinterpreted fairy tales with even more frightful twists.
Lee also wrote the children’s picture book Animal Castle (1972) and collections of poetry. Further, she wrote two episodes of the BBC science fiction series Blake’s 7.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Tanith Lee
The dictate of the light says: “Know yourself and what you are.” The dark replies, “By all means, but then become afraid.”
—Tanith Lee
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