Aneeqa Aniff (right), the author of the book ‘The Long Lost Princess’, handing over a copy of her publication to Bishops’ College Principal Chemali Goonetileke Herath

Aneeqa Aniff (right) handing over a copy of her book to Bishops’ College Vice Principal Chrishnika Galbadage (centre)

• The author of the book Aneeqa Aniff was pleased to be able to publish her first book ‘The Long Lost Princess’ on January 12 (Friday) in the presence of Bishops’ College Principal Chemali Goonetileke Herath
• The book explores the depths and intricacies of human experiences while highlighting the major theme of friendship

The author of the book “The Long Lost Princess” Aneeqa Aniff was pleased to be able to publish her first book on January 12 (Friday) at a hotel located in Colombo in the presence of the Bishops’ College Principal Chemali Goonetileke Herath and the school’s Vice Principal Chrishnika Galbadage who was the Guest of Honour. 
“I wrote ‘The Long Lost Princess’ when I was 10 years old during the year 2020. However, the mere reason it’s been published now is due to the many struggles and obstacles that came with the year and the following 3 years afterwards. The rise in Covid and the issues associated with fuel and paper made publishing the book a struggle. However, after these issues had lessened I took the opportunity to send my book for proofreading and was able to publish it today,” stated Aneeqa. The following is an excerpt from her book, “The girls thanked them, but then there was a sudden announcement. “Citizens, Listen. There is a big wave heading towards us now, we have to leave immediately. There is no time to take your things, just hurry up and get in the boats that are closest to you and help each other.” The girls rushed to the nearest boats, but before they could get in, there was a strong wind.”

Zainab Nazneen, who proofread the manuscript, was called to present her thoughts on the publication. While recalling the tremendous journey of ‘The Long Lost Princess’ she said, “The Long Lost Princess is a book that has been written with great care and love. Every detail is considered immaculately so as not to confuse or mislead the reader. The short chapters and the colourful illustrations are indeed a pleasant readers’ experience that I enjoyed. Each word is thoughtfully included offering the right amount of fun and adventure not forgetting the moments of suspense and intrigue. The story reawakened the child within me as I recalled the days when our minds were a treasure trove of believable and unbelievable ideas.” She concluded by saying “I can confidently say that the plot, the conflicts, the resolutions and finally the conclusion of the book significantly offers a young reader much enjoyment while giving an adult the chance to revisit her past.”
Chemali Goonetileke Herath then said, “I love to acknowledge and bask in the glory of my students. I was impressed to know that Aneeqa had written and gone on to publish this book. Many people live their lives with the intention that someday they will like to write a book, but it doesn’t materialise; they blame it on their schedules, time constraints, and other commitments. It takes a lot of discipline and determination to motivate oneself to write something and bring it through to publication. Aneeqa has shown that kids still possess the spark for creativity and thereby acts as an inspiration to many others.”

The individuals present at the book launch were eager to purchase the book and find out more about ‘The Long Lost Princess’. The book explores the depths and intricacies of human experiences while highlighting the major theme of friendship. It also provides an individual the space to think and imagine while diving deep into the journey of The Long Lost Princess. 
The suspense, twists and adventures generated throughout the book not only provide the reader with an interesting platform for an engrossed reading session, but also provide enough scope for the readers to feed their imagination.