Night of fantasy
Cairns author brings gods and dragons to life in debut novel
From a tropical paradise to a fantasy world of mystery, intrigue and a missing goddess, Cairnsbased fantasy author Sue Woodgarth will take readers on a fantastical journey at a book launch for her debut novel.
Ms Woodgarth will launch the novel, DragonSkin I, the first in a trilogy, at Cairns City Library on Friday.
The story follows Annie, an orphan who turns out to be the reincarnation of a long-lost goddess.
The retired schoolteacher said she played around with the idea of a god giving up on creation and running away.
“Lots of things have gone on in recent years changing the devolution of women’s roles in society. So I thought, what if there’s a goddess who got so totally fed up with her role, she went off to do something else,” Ms Woodgarth said.
Annie is an orphan and talented textile artist who also happens to be the reincarnation of the missing creator goddess.
“Annie sells her textiles to the temples and business people when she hears rumours the fertility festival isn’t happening and there are slave traders coming from the north,” she said.
Trouble strikes when Annie is ambushed by slave traders and rescued by a telepathic dragon.
“She’s told she’s the reincarnation of the goddess who’s decided she wanted to experience what it was like to be human and explore love, dancing, wine, men,” Ms Woodgarth said.
“Then she has a child and is so disappointed, she moves her essence into the girl who grows up and repeats the process.”
She said Annie then decided to be the catalyst for change, swears off marriage and responsibilities and goes in search of the missing goddess to deliver her back to the temple.
Ms Woodgarth said the novel explored themes of women’s roles in society, climate change and religious thoughts all mashed up together.