The Illuminatrix

"When you find the truth, you may find that you cannot control its power."


Would you tell the truth if it meant losing your job? Would you tell the truth if it meant challenging your government? Would you tell the truth if it meant a death sentence? What if you had to decide today? Sixteen-year-old Anne Quinn longs for adventure, but she is an apprentice Illuminatrix to the King of Deneresh for whom she keeps official records. Called "Faeries' Child" by the Grandmother who trained her in the skills of writing and languages, Anne knows nothing of her parents and vows that one day she will uncover the truth of her past. Deneresh is on the brink of war, and in a time when most are illiterate, Anne's skills are highly prized. She quickly becomes known for her brilliant work -- and notorious for checking facts. Soon the King chooses her to illuminate the kingdom's divinely ordained history for all to see. 


But Anne's research uncovers a dark mystery. As she searches for clues, Anne joins the Truth Seekers, a secret society organized to discover a mythical race known as "the Lost Children" who may hold the key to the real history of Deneresh and also to Anne's own past. Her journey will test her courage and trust in herself. Uncovering what is true means risking the unthinkable, even facing betrayal and death. After Anne is accused of treason, can she save herself from a traitor's end?


The quality new eBook edition from QP Fiction of this rich and evocative work features active TOC, clear images, and proper digital presentation. Although the book is written to a general audience and features historical imagination that would be accessible and interesting to adults, its themes and language are also appropriate to Young Adults. Strong, thoughtful, and adventurous female characters will appeal to a wide audience.


Barbara Leibhardt Wester is an environmental lawyer and historian who works, writes, and quilts in northern Illinois, where she lives with her husband, two sons, and a large Siberian husky. The Illuminatrix was, in part, inspired by her mother, who was an artist at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, where, among other things, she spent countless hours painting large murals for the backgrounds of exhibit cases.