Lynn Allen was born in the
northeast of Scotland into a family that has lived in the region of Brechin for
centuries. In the 1960s she migrated to Perth, Australia, where she now lives
and works as an independent coach in systems thinking, a writer and executive
educator.
During her more than 20 years
as an executive in the information services sector, including the computer
industry and 12 years as a state government CEO and State Librarian, Lynn has
written many papers on leadership, strategy and the use of technology.
She has studied and loved the
novel all her life, believing in the power of story to illuminate and explore
the human condition. Her particular interests are how women tell their stories
and how they are represented in literature. She considers herself a feminist
and has an abiding interest in writing on the topic.
Lynn's novel, Illusion,
is a contemplation of what can happen when a woman's integrity is challenged while
working as a public servant in highly charged political environments.
Lynn is currently writing a
novel that explores what highly educated, professional baby-boomer women might
do after they leave paid employment. Is the world ready for this group of women
and their wisdom? Are the women themselves prepared to generate another
feminist agenda while facing questions of identity and ageing in unknown
territories? What happens when they are forced to face secrets and decisions of
the previous generation that haunt them and influence their lives?
Illusion: a novel of women, power and leadership in government
When the Scottish-born Elizabeth Wallace returns to
Australia to take up her position as managing director of a major new
government organization she could not have imagined the difficulties she would
face.
What she discovers are power games in a highly
politicised environment. The system is unwelcoming of women and she becomes
mired in constant battles as she tries to achieve her goals. Her lack of
understanding of the way government works as well as the complexities of the
social network she is drawn into hampers her ability to read people's
intentions. Hence she is constantly blind-sided by others' actions.
She has left a long-term lover behind in Scotland as
well as a successful career in the corporate sector. With unfinished personal
troubles haunting her and increased media scrutiny she begins to wonder whether
she has made the right decision.
This is a novel that
does not easily fit into genre. It tells one woman's story against the odds,
navigating her career journey through the corridors of political power. There
are lessons to be learned but, most of all, this is one woman's journey to
finding her power.
Novel
is available as a free ebook at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/57950
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