“And for all of that, this cobblestone, water-logged hearth smoke cloudy, riverside village-city (slowly, slowly more the latter) was about to fall under the strangest of spells.” – The Ultraviolet Moth
Driving from Upwey to Kinglake, when I was working on constructing an Earthship, I was struck by a combination of elements coming to life.
I had been playing with this idea of an Ultraviolet Moth, after reading about researchers studying the mating patterns of a purple moth. The researchers made a hyper purple moth the males preferred over their female counterparts. These consequences of hyperstimulation brought me back to a line from a favourite author of mine. Stephen Jenkinson, when discussing the impacts of modernity on the average person, refers to us as being ‘ruined for the real thing’.
“The images were ideal, blemish-free, intoxicating as first harvest wine; all sweet, no substance. And this vintner of dreams had developed a thirst that grew ever greater.” – The Ultraviolet Moth
This imagery budded in my mind for some time, never quite blooming. Then the story, The Ultraviolet Moth, finally arrived, more or less complete, in that expansive drive into the Kinglake Ranges.
In a village-city, not unlike those of the Central-highlands area, an orphan of the place works to survive by providing a gift of the arts to the wounded weary on their way home. He is gently treasured by those passing him on the Heartline River Bridge.
Yet, as our boy does what he must, a dark figure in the highest tower works with sorcery and science, bringing into the world something that should not be.
And so the village-city and her populace fall under a strange spell.
It is up to our orphan boy to discover what is going on and seek to bring the world back into balance, with help from an otherworldly creature.
This story is a fable for readers of Paulo Coelho, Kahlil Gibran and Ursula K. Le Guin.
It would be a perfect accompaniment to a fireside curl up this coming winter.
Well that was over four years ago and I have recently completed the story, and am finally making it available. Now, I find myself settled in the Hepburn Shire, a hotbed of literary talent and artistic communities.
The book launched on June 9th, in digital and paperback formats. You can find these at my website, ryan-dickinson.com.
As part of this release, I am also raising funds through a pre-order for an illustrated hardcover, hoping to bring the book to life in a way befitting the story.
I understand that a lot of us are feeling the pinch at the moment, so if purchasing the book is out of the question but you still wish to support a local author, then any word of mouth discussion, a social media share, even just visiting the website, is all valuable attention, and I thank you for any support.
This is a dream I have had since a child to be a published author, and it is with the help of publications that appreciate local art, like The Wombat Post, that this dream can come to fruition.
