About Anaya
Anaya Deen is a British fantasy author and self-taught oil painter who blends her passion for storytelling and dark art to create immersive worlds. Born and raised in England, she relocated to Asia in 2015, drawing inspiration from the vibrant cultures of Hong Kong and Singapore—where she now balances her creative pursuits with her day job in banking.
Her fascination with folklore, gothic aesthetics, and magic systems led her to pursue an MA in Novel Writing during the pandemic, cementing her dedication to crafting rich, character-driven fantasy. This academic foundation, combined with years of self-taught oil painting, informs the vivid imagery and haunting beauty of her debut novel, The Cauldron of Courage—the first instalment in her YA dark academia fantasy series, The Secrets of Crestwick.
Current Project
Preparing for the September 2025 release of The Cauldron of Courage, Anaya invites readers to follow unlucky witch Evy Moon and her three friends—Alice, Maggie, and Penny—as they learn far more than academic magic during their first term at Crestwick School of Witchcraft.
Connect
When not writing or painting, Anaya explores galleries, collects antique children's books, magic spellbooks (the older, the better), and experiments with creating haunted art pieces—a craft she shares through her popular YouTube channel.
For interviews, collaborations, or conversations, please reach out.