THE WRITER
I am a science-fiction/fantasy writer from Cluj-Napoca, located in Transylvania, Romania. I am married and have 4 children. Even though I have started writing during my childhood a few novellas and short stories, this is the first full-length novel I intend to publish. To me writing has always had a cathartic effect; the images, stories and characters live within me, my life goes on simultaneously with that of my characters; I can feel their will, their motivations and desires as they flow through me and make me live a parallel life alongside them. The worlds in which my characters exist is every bit as real as the world in which we live.
THE NOVEL
The „Black Pigeon” novel was initially imagined as an initiation journey, both for the writer and those behind the characters and of course the readers. In unconventional fashion, the novel has 7 of its characters guided by real people, who act as avatars in the world of Black Pigeon. Being an interactive novel, each of the 7 characters can partially influence the story, with the author only controlling the overall storyline and the secondary characters. The characters „grow” as the action unfolds and can transform and evolve in order to meet the challenges which lay ahead. The novel is also a consecration journey for myself, a necessary and welcome metanoia, as Sagrada Familia was for Gaudi. Similar to the genius architect, I envision the abstract form of the novel, its basic structure made from interfering forces which can converge or divide. Its final structure will be a journey of discovery, growth and metamorphosis for all involved, myself included.
What is the novel actually about?
If we are to boil down the story, it is about a small group of friends who in the year 2223 are part of a little known organization, known as The Protectors of Igfon. The story revolves around them and around the adventures they go through in an attempt to solve seemingly impossible mysteries. One of these mysteries is The Black Pigeon, a woman possessing special paranormal abilities and whose aura awakens in those around her a sharp feeling of guilt and remorse, reminding them of their own sins and mistakes. The most serious effect is manifested in those who spend too much time around her, as they risk going insane or committing suicide. The small group, the generic party if you will, tries to uncover why such an entity is present on Earth and how they could go about stopping the negative effects she has to those around her. As the novel starts out in an easily-understandable fashion, I have decided to keep the cryptic and intricate stories towards the end in a not too sudden but constant crescendo, until such time that all the secrets are revealed in a more-or-less explicit fashion.
Why am I writing this novel?
I have always been fascinated by the field of futurology, by those who have the gift of presenting a possible future and a science-fiction novel is the perfect opportunity to dabble in the multitude of possibilities. The future presented in this novel is an amplified one, as during the 200 years which have passed, the problems of today’s world have multiplied and become more serious. The world of The Black Pigeon is the scene of intense fighting between various organizations, each with a strong desire for power and control over the population, in both the real and virtual worlds. In this world, common sense is all but extinct and greed and exacerbated sexuality are common. It is a world which becomes more diluted with each passing day, becoming a sick mix of many small people who consider themselves to be outstanding. In many regards, today’s world is gradually shifting towards the one presented in The Black Pigeon. On the surface it appears interesting and appealing, but once you enter you discover it is faded and lacking the strength of sacred essences.
The second reason for writing this novel is the combination of science-fiction and fantasy, which beyond the obvious contrast, represents a challenge in itself. The science-fiction portion of The Black Pigeon stems from the environment and technology of the world and the fantasy portion is based on the link between the ancestral past and the highly technological future. Behind this revolution of the human ontological status are The Protectors of the Igfon (Igfon was the name of a sacred forest in the Apuseni Mountains, as attested in official records from the 9th and 10th centuries). They are the ones who are capable of establishing an essential connection between the sacred past and the technological present, being the keepers of ancient wisdom, hidden in myths and forgotten rituals kept only in small regions of ancient Dacia. One of these regions, known as Codru Moma (or The Woods of the Mother – Woods of the Mother of the Forest – an ancestral dendrological entity who supposedly rules the forests) is the home of the witches (chosen women, who are said to have been marked at birth by the forest entities and therefore gifted with special powers) and of the solomonari. The witches are the guardians of the feminine mysteries of birth and transformation, the ones who can tame the wilderness and make the world sacred. The „solomonari” are masters of the elements and holders of an enormous power through which they can command the elemental powers of nature, can heal or foresee the future. With the help of the Protectors of the Igfon this forgotten ancestral knowledge is integrated into the highly technological future, healing it and restoring its long-lost sacred meaning, which is in fact the basis of life itself.
This is what I wish from my novel – to bring a little ancestral magic in today`s world. I am not talking about spectacular magic, but about something much more tangible, something fundamental, rooted in a philosphical/religios/magical system possessing both mystical and practical traits. Modern society, as Mircea Eliade wrote, needs to rediscover the lost meaning of the sacred, forgotten meanings stemming from modern man’s technological advancements. I believe there is still a plethora of profound concepts that we no longer know and which can be restored and given back to humanity as to achieve an improved relationship between man and nature, as well as its own being. Ironically, modern man knows more about the non-European sacred aspects and mythology than about those which were the foundation of the Renaissance, Illuminism and modern culture. There are numerous Eastern European folk tales which talk of myths, stories, songs, charms and proverbs which are completely unknown to modern man and could significantly enrich today’s world which finds itself at a lack of identity and purpose. In this sense, the novel is designed to be a preamble, an invitation to future spiritual treasure seekers who will search for the lost meanings of the old Dacia lands: Țara Crișurilor, Țara Moților, Țara Zarandului, Țara Oașului, Țara Maramureșului and many others.
Why is there a need for a fundraising campaign?
As we all know, any good book is made of time, hard work, dedication and passion. All those require a certain level of financial stability for the author to really immerse himself in its creation and do it to the best of his ability.
The Black Pigeon has, besides the author, another seven people who work on their novel characters. They have to be compensated for their work, as well, as do all the others involved in this project such as editors and translators.
The $20,000 shall be distributed as follows: 1,000 for design (the cover, website and logo), 1,000 for the those behind the driven characters, 5,000 for editing and publishing, 7,000 for translation and 6,000 for the author.
What happens if the campaign yields less than anticipated?
The money shall be spent in order of importance on editing and publishing, translation and design. The novel shall be published even if the campaign goal is not met but will take longer to complete. The estimated completion target date is 1 year following the end of the campaign if the goal is reached and 2 – 2.5 years if not.