"No enunciation of the Truth will ever be complete, no method of training will ever be suitable for all temperaments, no one can do more than mark out the little plot of infinity which he intends to cultivate, and thrust in the spade, trusting that the soil may eventually be fruitful and free from weeds so far as the bounds he has set himself extend...."–Dion Fortune, Esoteric Orders and Their Work and The Training of the Initiate
As we see in the hearts of whom her words touch, the Works of Dion Fortune have been fruitful and they continue to influence new generations. I was a teenager when I first discovered her writing in the 1980's, and she gave me a template for my own explorations, and without that, I wouldn't have found my own voice. Like many, I feel that this author has inspired me to cultivate my own "little plot of infinity." And though some newer generations are quick to cancel or to ignore authors from distant time periods such as hers or even mine, it would be a mistake not to acknowledge the contributions that even controversial authors make, while understanding that times have changed and we can be sensitive to that, especially when their Works are deeply embedded in several traditions that have flourished because of them, and have continued value.
Dion Fortune was one of the only female voices that I found back then, especially not having the internet until I was older, but whose books told me that women can be empowered. That changed everything for me. But I'm also aware of some complaints issued about her books. We can and should have a conversation about all the divisive issues that may arise from reading her books or those of other writers of different time periods, such as regarding race, classism, and so forth. There are some attempts in modern times by publishers to remove hurtful words from dead authors in their new publications. Though I don't believe in censorship, I'm sure I don't have the answers either. Personally, if I see a word that I don't like, I understand that it wouldn't be acceptable today, but these books weren't written today. They would be held by modern standards had they been. We need to face the past with honesty and see how far we have grown since then. And I hope that we as a society can continue to realize the value of her books while carrying forward the right of all of us to be allowed our own spade in which to add our Works to the Whole, no matter how large or small, with our own imperfect hands. As we try to cultivate our strengths as a collective humanity, while also facing our past flaws and bringing them to light, which is a first step, we discover many more steps to do in this Great Work. Authors capture the good and the bad in any time period, and it is up to us to learn from it, not pretend that problems didn't or don't exist.
We often put writers on pedestals and can't handle it when we discover their humanity. I'm sure we are all human, different and imperfect, but we can love and grow in the Great Work together, while we work through our own complexes and imperfections along the way. And I have plenty of my own. Writers today come with different expectations, and even so, you might not like or agree with them either, which you have the right to decide. Few writers make everyone happy and even most biographies are tailored to how the public would like to perceive them, not as they actually were, so let us face imperfections with maturity when we find them. Maybe that isn't good enough, but I do hope we can find a way to come together so that we can share in the legacies of those who paved the way for those who would like to add their own spade to the mix.
As for this novel, I hope people can relate to this book and think back to when they first discovered Dion Fortune for themselves. One of my favorite authors says that everyone has their own tale of how they came across her books. That is very true and I love hearing their stories. Maybe this book will remind you of when you were younger or first encountering the Mysteries. And though this story is fictional, I do use some of my own experiences to make it more real, at least to me.
I'm also using some people from my real life, such as Les Rogers, to give my characters depth from which to draw from. Who was he? He was a mysterious man who stayed on the outside of my life, but who wrote letters to me, even though he lived in the same city. Because he was so secretive, I sometimes wondered if he had previously worked in the Military or in Intelligence. After all, I lived in Virginia where that was the norm. Maybe he belonged to some secret society too. I'll never know. For whatever reason, he made an impact on me. He came to mind when I was thinking about a Jelkes-type character to create. I thought about what it would have been like if I were the main character meeting Les in person. I only wish he allowed himself to interact with me outside of letters. I never bothered to question how strange that really was until now. I guess I liked the mystery. And I really wanted to describe what he meant to me. I hope this book shows that.
How did I meet him? In the late 1980's, he answered an ad in an A.R.E. (Association for Research and Enlightenment) newsletter, where I was looking for a teacher. I was into the New Age and Hinduism at the time, but he answered anyway, and we began writing letters about all sorts of esoteric topics. We lived in the same area, but we never really met, though he came into my work place a few times. I saw him over the counter and knew it was him. With his red hair, thin nose, intense eyes, triangular face and goatee, he looked like he should have horns too, and his energy was quite intense. He fit the image of a TV villain, I teased. When he sent me a picture, it confirmed it was him. It was kind of odd that he didn't speak to me in public.
Why wouldn't he meet me beyond this? Was his energy too intense? Dion Fortune mentioned that adepts sometimes are hard to be around. That seemed to be true, but I also suspect that he feared interfering in the direction of my life. He left me to my Path, though checked in on me from time to time for several decades. He later retired to McLean, Virginia and we kept in touch for a while.
I got one last letter from him around 2007, but never replied. The mailman recognized that it went to my mother's address, so he delivered it to the house I owned a few blocks over. I'm not sure why I didn't answer right away. I was going through some things and soon moved away to Alabama. I tried writing to him one time after that, but it went unanswered. I think he passed away, as he was so much older than me. I do miss him, especially with recently writing about him and feeling this sense of loss and love that I always had for him. I remember Les so fondly and this book is written with affection for his memory. It is a way to honor what he meant to me. By writing about those who matter to us, it is a way of keeping a piece of them alive and present in our lives.
Another person who I made a character after is Iona Miller, who liked my Iona Mac Arthur character in a book we were working on together called The Immortal Hour of Netta Fornario. Iona Miller naturally came to my mind when thinking about a Le Fay character. But she also wanted to be a Dr. Taverner character when I mentioned that for my other book, The Storm in Our Stars, so I revised the Mac Arthur character for this book as a way to show my appreciation and gratitude to her. Like Les, she has passed away, but I still think about her. She lives on in my present works just as he does.
I didn't use her real name in the story, because I wasn't sure if her family and friends would be too keen on me using it, though they don't seem to be doing much to keep her name alive anyway, which bothers me. I don't know Les's family or even know how to contact them anymore, so I felt more at ease to use his name in tribute to what he meant to me all these years. And I use the character name for Iona, knowing that she enjoyed it very much. In that way, I can show my love and not have to worry about any conflict. In the end, this book is a tribute to all of those who have had an effect on me, and that would include Dion Fortune's books, as well, which will be my focus.
How did I get the idea for this novel? This book came about in an odd way. I saw a premade cover that I liked and asked myself, "What sort of book would fit this cover?" Suddenly, the idea came to me and it pretty much wrote itself. I guess I wanted to reach back to my teenage years and revisit where all that exploration began.
May this novel lead to deeper appreciation and/or renewed interest into the writings of Dion Fortune. If so, I will have accomplished what I aimed for. I merely want to honor all of those near and far who added joy and depth to my life. And I'd like to pass that on, if possible. All we can do is to put it out there. One never knows how it will be received, but as writers, sometimes we have to do it anyway.
"And one day the girl with the book became the woman writing them" - Kristen Costello
That came true for me.
If you are expecting a novel like "Harry Potter," you will be disappointed. Though this book is set in a fictional setting, everything else about it is real...and possible. That is the difference. It is tied to true esoteric concepts, and though many experiences are subjective, it has been a profound journey. Reading books from a practitioner can have an effect on others, as Dion once suggested, and I have no doubt about that. It is a book to read and contemplate, even slowly, to get the best result.