Lena Manta was born in Istanbul, Turkey, to Greek parents. She moved to Greece at a very young age and now lives with her husband and two children on the outskirts of Athens. Although she studied to be a nursery school teacher, Lena instead directed her own puppet theater before writing articles for local newspapers and working as a director for a local radio station. Manta was proclaimed Author of the Year in both 2009 and 2011 by Greek Life & Style magazine. She has written thirteen books, including The Gold Letter, her second book to be translated into English, and the bestselling The House by the River, which has sold almost 250,000 copies. Hers is a voice to be reckoned with, and each new book is a tour de force in the Greek publishing world.
