The genesis of Alan Riva’s first novel, The Jar of Dreams, sprang from a dream he had while sleeping under a cow shaped mountain half way up the Himalayas. Converting the dream to words became his 24-year long obsession. The result is a 300+ page novel, a 25-page glossary of the language Alan created for the inhabitants of his make-believe world, The Land of Vaniya. He’s even drawn a beautiful map of this world that sits at the beginning of the journey you’re taken on when reading this novel. If that’s not impressive enough there’s also a 16-page guide to the magnificent Lands of Vaniya – no GPS required.
It’s a story about the stories we tell ourselves — the dreams preserved, postponed or abandoned as life unfolds. The “jar” becomes both symbol and device, representing hopes carefully stored away, sometimes protected, sometimes forgotten.
Past and present blur gently, capturing how recollection actually works — triggered by objects, conversations or fleeting sensations. Narrative feels lived rather than constructed, unsurprising given Riva turned down the offer of a big publishing house to publish the book 8 years ago because he hadn’t lived with it long enough. Riva truly inhabits The Land of Vaniya when he’s not living in his Northern Beaches world.
This book is large-scale, world building fantasy, think Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings and you’re in the right zone.
The Jar of Dreams is ideal for readers who enjoy thoughtful, character-driven stories that unfold gradually. If you prefer plot-driven novels, the understated narrative may require patience, but the rewards are subtle revelations about life, memory and choice.
Where to buy
Alan Riva is offering signed limited edition copies through www.thejarofdreams.com or visit Bookoccino at Avalon.
Everything and Nothing
Tears rolled down my cheeks reading some of the poems in Everything and Nothing, local writer Evered Higgins’ recently released poetry collection. The poems are tender and wise and the spareness of the writing immediately draws you in.
Riva and Higgins are interested in the quiet moral terrain of everyday life—how people make choices, how they remain true to themselves and how much courage it can take to follow your own dream, instead of those of the people around you or societal norms.
None of these ideas are new but in this crazy world that beckons us to grab, grasp and grovel, they remind us of what really matters.
At 114 pages Higgins’ poetry collection is slim enough to keep in your pocket and let its wisdom seep in to your being. Even how the collection is structured reflects the poet’s life priorities. It is broken into sections titled: on life, on work, on family, on sadness, and on love.
Higgins’ writes, “The feeling of being is indescribable, and all the words in this book fall hopelessly short. These poems are an attempt, at best, to describe the torrent of daily life and how we can feel as individuals trying to find a place in the world.” They don’t fall short. This is a poetry collection with meaning that will linger in your mind and heart for a long time.
Where to buy
Shop local at Desire Books Manly or go direct to the author’s website.