Ela Lee

Ela Lee
Born	1995[1]
Alma mater	University of Oxford
Years active	2022–present
Website	www.elalee.co.uk

Ela Lee (born 1995) is a British author and former litigation lawyer. She is known for her debut novel Jaded (2024).

Early life

Lee was born to a Turkish father and a Korean mother who had moved to England in their 20s and 30s respectively[2][3] and grew up in South London. At age nine, she became a British citizen.[4][5] She graduated from the University of Oxford.[6]

Career

Before becoming a writer, Lee began her career working as a litigator.[7]

In 2022, Lee secured a two-book deal with Harvill Secker.[8] Her debut novel Jaded was published in 2024 to a positive critical reception.[9][10] Written during the COVID-19 lockdowns,[11] the novel is loosely based on her own experiences, with the lead character Jade (Ceyda) Kaya being a City lawyer of Korean and Turkish descent, as well as the experiences of her friends and colleagues in the workplace.[12][13]

In 2024, Lee was working on her second novel, set in the aftermath of 2007–2008 financial crisis.[14]

Personal life

Lee has a husband.[15]

Bibliography

• Jaded. New York: Simon and Schuster. 2024-03-19. ISBN 978-1-6680-1101-0. OCLC 1425313992.
• Untitled second novel (TBA)

References

1. Hardaker, Alice (18 June 2024). "Ela Lee". Primadonna Festival. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
2. Andrews, Crystal (8 February 2024). "Author Ela Lee on Why We Can't Ignore Race & Class When We Talk About Assault". Z Feed. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
3. Silvers, Isabella (1 July 2024). "Ela Lee: "Being mixed-race is the beating heart of my identity"". Mixed Messages. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
4. Lee, Ela. "Writing the Books I Needed When I Was Little". The Halfie Project. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
5. Lee, Ela (20 March 2024). "Colorism, Code-Switching, and Shapeshifting: Readings on Biracial Identity". Literary Hub. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
6. "Debut Authors Panel: Ela Lee & Hanako Footman in conversation with Ella King". Waterstones. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
7. DeMarco-Barrett, Barbara; Stone, Marrie (6 May 2024). "Ela Lee, author of "Jaded"". Writers on Writing. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
8. Brown, Lauren (9 March 2022). "Harvill Secker pre-empts 'powerful' Lee debut in six-figure deal". The Bookseller. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
9. Goodman, Allegra (16 March 2024). "Book Review: 'Jaded,' by Ela Lee". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
10. Jha, Ilina (23 February 2024). "Book Review: Jaded by Ela Lee". Redbrick. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
11. Stiff, Ellie (11 March 2024). "London Feminist Book Club X Jaded by Ela Lee". Strand Magazine. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
12. "An interview with Ela Lee about her debut novel, Jaded". Penguin Books. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
13. Ketcher, Eliza (22 March 2024). "Author Ela Lee: 'We need to take blackout sex more seriously'". The Independent. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
14. Adam (29 May 2024). "Author Ela Lee Delves into Identity, Power, and Consent in Debut Novel Jaded". Debutiful. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
15. Nichols, Claire (4 February 2024). "Program: Hisham Matar and Ela Lee on the friendships that save you". ABC Listen. Retrieved 12 August 2024.