Kieren’s Bio

 

 

         

 

Kieren Lee is one half of the frontmen for Melbourne band Big Words—a writer, songwriter, and creative force with a mission: to engage even the most distracted minds and prove that there’s more than one way to make something timeless. Diagnosed with ADHD in his mid-twenties, Kieren began developing healthy habits not just to survive but to thrive—learning how to turn wild, fantastical ideas into finished work. Being a dreamer is one thing, he believes, but it’s the discipline to follow through that makes an artist great. And follow through he did. In 2023, The King of Yonder was born. Though music had always been his first love, the idea for a children’s fantasy novel appeared out of nowhere—and took over his life. He released the first version independently in August 2024, but quickly pulled it down. The story meant too much. It wasn’t ready. And so, for the next year, he rewrote every word, redesigned the cover, expanded the world, and poured his heart into making The Forgotten Forest the spectacular first chapter it deserved to be. Kieren’s journey has been far from traditional—once the class clown, more interested in entertaining than studying, he avoided books for most of his life. But at 30, everything changed. He fell in love with literature. Now, he sees novels the way he sees songs: like a giant performance, carefully crafted from start to finish. His stories are whimsical, funny, and deep—bursting with energy, warmth, and honesty. After years working in the chaos of Melbourne cafés, food became a key part of his stories too—cooking, feasts, cakes, coffee, the magic of everyday moments. Taste, he says, is everything. Whether it’s in music, writing, food or fashion, he believes if you have good taste and a good heart, anything is possible. The Forgotten Forest is more than a book. It’s a stamp in time. A journey of failure, growth, and relentless revision. It’s for the kids who struggle to focus. For the ones entertaining just to be seen. For the dreamers who never felt quite smart enough to finish something—until now. Kieren’s books are brought to life with illustrations by his partner, Rachel Holland, along with a few sketches of his own. Together, they’re building stories that aren’t just flashes in the pan, but classics meant to live on bookshelves for years to come. His advice? Keep going. Try. Fall down. Get up. Create something real. One day, it’ll stick.