New Zealand author's journey of self-discovery

New Zealand author Catia Batalha’s debut novel is a category winner in the 2026 Independent Press Awards, a multi-category award for fiction and non-fiction published outside mainstream publishers.

Catia’s book Echoes of the Timeless won the Independent Press Awards 2026 Visionary Fiction award. “Visionary Fiction” is a sub-genre of speculative fiction, working with New Age-typical themes such as mind, body, spirit and alternative perspectives. It tends to explore spirituality, mysticism, parapsychology and consciousness expansion.

Author Catia Batalha says she drew heavily on real places and experiences from her travels around the world in her book Echoes of the Timeless.

It’s a natural fit for Catia, a psychotherapist who has studied and taught yoga for around 17 years. Catia says Echoes of the Timeless draws heavily on real places and experiences from her travels around the world, learning and exploring Western, Eastern and Indigenous philosophies, spirituality and traditions.

“I’ve muddied and changed the names of people and specific places, so I don’t accidentally expose anyone to unwanted attention, but the experiences and teachings are real.”

The novel centres on the journey of spiritual awakening and self-discovery of a woman called Sofia as she emerges from the shadows of a traumatic past. In a one-year adventure she encounters and learns from a variety of people: Māori traditions, yoga ashrams in India and plant medicine ceremonies with shamans in Peru and the Himalayas.

Catia says she started writing when she was seven, crafting children’s stories for her friends and never really stopped although Echoes of the Timeless is the first novel she has published.

“It felt different to what I’ve written before. Like a huge download just coming through me, rather than from me, and I was just trying to keep up.” All her experiences, the teachings and philosophies she’d absorbed just crystallised on the page.

She published Echoes of the Timeless to share an experience and view of the world, putting it out there without really expecting people to find it.

Paul Mitchell - Reporter, Auckland NZ

Book blurb:

What if a single year could change the course of your life?

A traumatised past. A mysterious invitation. A journey that reawakens the soul.

Sofia's life has fallen apart, leaving her lost and broken. But when an enigmatic Yoga school extends an invitation for a year-long journey of spiritual awakening, she sees a glimmer of hope. With nothing to lose, Sofia sets off on a path where she immerses herself in Yoga ashrams in India, connects with indigenous tribes in New Zealand, takes part in plant medicine ceremonies with Shamans in South America, and treks the Himalayas in search of a mythical civilisation. She could not have envisioned that this would reshape everything she believes about herself and the universe.

But this journey is more than just an outer adventure, it is a soul-stirring tale of inner transformation, self-discovery, and holistic healing. Guided by Yoga philosophy, indigenous wisdom, and the language of the heart, Sofia begins to unravel the patterns of trauma and conditioning that once defined her. Each encounter becomes a mirror, each challenge a teacher, as she learns to surrender, heal, and remember the wholeness that was never lost.

Blending visionary fiction with psychological depth and mystical insight, this award-winning novel bridges the worlds of Yoga, Tantra, Buddhism, Shamanism, and other esoteric traditions. Perfect for readers who appreciate the spiritual depth of The Alchemist, the adventure of The Celestine Prophecy, or the timeless wisdom of The Peaceful Warrior, Echoes of the Timeless speaks to anyone seeking meaning, awakening, and a renewed relationship with their inner light.

Don't miss out on this inspirational story that invites the reader to look within, rediscover who they truly are, and reconnect with the timeless spark that guides every soul home.

Official book website:

https://catiabatalha.org/echoes-of-the-timeless/