Author Olha Onyshko shares family legend and the effects of war, focused on the fundamental element of water
WASHINGTON, May 28, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Regardless of the troubles that confronted the young girl Olia, they would magically disappear when her beloved grandfather asked her to come and sit by him near the family well, the ancient well sweetly enveloped by his rose garden. A wizened veteran of World War II, he enchanted Olia with his stories and always made her world calm.
Growing up on the outskirts of the Ukrainian city of Lviv, author Olha Onyshko learned from her grandfather to appreciate storytelling, the healing power of fresh, clean water, and the comfort of feeling at home. Now, with another war raging in Ukraine, beloved legends and family stories are being retold - reflecting an ancient system of beliefs and values, but now with a modern interpretation of how to find life balance and inner peace among the current chaos.
In her new book, "Legends of Water: One day I asked Water to remind me of my roots..." readers will find a compilation of legends woven into a modern story about one woman and her mystical relationship with the powerful element of water. Once flowing through the city of Lviv, the Poltva River was forced underground to accommodate increasing urbanization. Despite ancestral beliefs in the healing properties of the river's streams and waters, the underground river became part of the sewage system, resulting in severe water shortages in the city throughout the 20th century.
Onyshko's storytelling intertwines elements of ancient legends with the modern legend to remind readers of basic truths, of how Earth's elements, such as water, nurtures them on life's journey. Now, more than 100 years later, as a horrific war rages on in her country, the legends of the healing powers of the vanished river have resurfaced, asking to be retold.
"I wish for this book to be helpful to those who are going through a transformation or hardship," Onyshko said. "No matter how cruel the past, the power of water can lead to a more peaceful and joyful future."
"Legends of Water" is the first book from Onyshko's Six Elements Series. The second book, "Song of Freedom or How the Wind Whisperers Saved Spring" is due to be released this summer, and the third book, "The Origins of Rainbow" will be published in autumn 2024. The books are beautifully illustrated by Ukrainian female artists who were forced to flee their homeland and hope to begin a new life.
"Legends of Water: One day I asked water to remind me of my roots…"
By Olha Onyshko
ISBN: 9798765246153 (softcover); 9798765246146 (hardcover); 9798765246160 (electronic)
Available at Balboa Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the author
Olha Onyshko was born and raised in Ukraine. Growing up on the outskirts of Lviv, playing in a garden near a long-standing family well, she created imaginary playmates that arose from listening to her grandfather's telling of ancient legends about the magical Poltva River. Currently, Onyshko resides in Washington, D.C. To learn more about the book "Legends of Water," please visit: https://www.balboapress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/851142-legends-of-water.
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SOURCE Balboa Press
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