Join author Alexandra Anton for a book signing of her debut novel Santiaga: A Freedom Tale, a moving story that reimagines the classical quest for enlightenment by telling a woman’s hero journey.
For centuries, some of the most influential stories of spiritual awakening have centered on men who temporarily leave behind family, responsibility, and earthly attachments to pursue enlightenment. In Santiaga, Anton turns that familiar narrative upside down.
The story loosely follows the plot of two classic texts: Hermann Hesse’s novella, Siddhartha, and the first written account of a female Buddha, Yeshe Tsogyal from 8th century Tibet. Anton was also partially inspired by a 2023 news story about three women who accused a Buddhist leader of a 2009 sexual assault in upstate New York.
“I was captivated by what happens when women place absolute trust in spiritual teachers, who then betray their pure, spiritual intentions,” she said. “I wanted to tell an alternative story of female spiritual empowerment that rings true for women living today.”
Join the community of early readers who rated Santiaga: A Freedom Tale ★★★★1/2 stars on Goodreads. Devastating, emotional, and introspective, Santiaga challenges the conditions modern women face in pursuit of inner truth and enlightenment to offer an alternative way.
“A quietly fulfilling and even subversive read.”— Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Alexandra Anton is a pen name. A former book publicist for bestselling and award-winning authors at Big 5 publishers, she earned a master’s degree in creative writing from San Francisco State University and attended Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference in Middlebury, VT. She lives in Venice.