About Fenix Rising Press

Dolly gave them books. I give them wings.

Hi, I am Nita Lipan. Author, educator, and the proud founder of Fenix Rising Press, a small independent press rooted in the mountains of Western North Carolina with a heart that reaches far beyond them.

For 25 years I stood in classrooms, walked alongside students, and watched what happens when a young person discovers that their story matters. That belief is the foundation of everything I create and everything I build.

The Books

At Fenix Rising Press you will find stories that celebrate identity, culture, and the magic that lives in the spaces between worlds. My catalog includes Solasta: The Highlander Fae, a YA Celtic fantasy adventure steeped in Scottish mythology and the kind of love that crosses every boundary. The Night the Coquí Sang for the Three Kings is my love letter to Puerto Rico, a children's book that honors the island, the tradition, and the music that lives in my heart. And Bound by Nature, my creative writing and bookbinding workbook, invites readers to become makers of their own stories.

Every book I write is for the reader who has been waiting to find themselves in the pages of a story.

The Experiences

Fenix Rising Press is more than books. It is an invitation to create. Ignite the Ember is a two-hour belly dancing experience for women who are ready to slow down, feel something, and move from that place. No experience required. Just you, the music, and a room full of women doing the same thing. Private bookbinding and creative writing workshops are also available for groups, book clubs, schools, and gatherings of all kinds.

The Rising

Beyond the books lives The Rising, a free arts, creative writing, and college access program for teens ages 13 to 18 in Macon and Jackson Counties. No cost. No barriers. Just young people discovering what they are capable of when someone believes in them and opens the door.

The Rising exists because every student deserves to see a future that belongs to them.

Local Legends

On August 1, 2026 Fenix Rising Press is bringing something new to Franklin, NC. Local Legends: Franklin's Author and Artist Summer Showcase is a free community celebration at the Macon County Public Library bringing together 25+ local authors, artists, illustrators, and creatives for a day of discovery, connection, and community. Free admission. All ages. Because the stories worth telling are already living right here in our mountains.

The Mission

I came to Western North Carolina following love and found a community worth pouring everything into. My mission is simple. Remove the barriers. Open the doors. Tell the stories that remind every reader, every student, every dreamer in these mountains that there is a place in this world that belongs to them.

There is only one you and that is priceless.

Ready to be part of the story? Shop the books · Explore workshops · Support The Rising