A WRITER has released a fairytale book that explores anorexia and trauma.

Neil del Strother, who lives in Lewes, has written The Girl With A Deer On A Lead - a book that has been described as a "mix of magical realism" and a "fairy tale for adults".

Mr del Strother collaborated with artist Lorna Holdcroft for the cover and has self-published the book in Kindle format.

He said: "The boy in the book is anorexic and traumatised, and the story is very much about his healing – not in a preachy dull way at all, not explicitly at all either, but through the story. You could, in fact, call it a healing book.

"I chose anorexia as it is such an incredibly strong, albeit misdirected, way of expressing alienation and rejection - of ourselves as much as anything else.

"It's also a way of trying to deal with the chaos of childhood traumas, for example, emotional neglect.

"My mother died when I was 21 and I found this very hard to deal with. It took me many years to access and express the grief I felt and to find the love that lies within it.

"It is the extraordinary movement from pain to love that really fuels my book writing.

"Though the book isn't about anorexia in any sort of clinical way, it is, I hope, an entertaining read."

Mr del Strother formerly wrote for consultancies in London, working for the Government, before focusing on his own writing.

He said he gave up job security to "risk following my heart".

Mr del Strother was brought up in Ardingly and has lived in Brighton, Lewes and Forest Row.

He also hosts a podcast for which he has interviewed many well-known guests from the arts world.

He aims to create a readership before selling rights for the book to a publisher.

The Girl With A Deer On A Lead is available through Amazon.

For more information visit theflowerinthedesert.com.