From the Foreword

This book arose out of a short story in a volume of mine, Twice Conquering Love (NCPI, 1992). The introductory story was an invention called 'The Golden Egg of Love' and I was urged by my good friend, Trevor Klein, who was, at that time, Manager of the Angus and Robertson Book Stores in South Australia, to expand it into a book. He threatened never to help me with my publications if I did not write this novel. I wrote the book and he has gone to some lengths to design the cover. My first volume of short stories was published by Angus and Robertson in 1981, entitled To Command the Cats, so there is some slight connection in publication. I tried to follow the story-line of the 'Golden Egg of Love' and think I may have succeeded. I am glad Troubadour Press agreed to publish it.

I leave the reader to the delight of mystery, knowing that mystery is never a fantasy but truth as it becomes revealed to the reader. Many of my friends have a dislike of allegory-fantasy type stories, and I cannot altogether blame them. They are certainly not everyone's choice. Even so, I think any reader can just read a novel such as this for its action, enjoy that and forget trying to solve its meaning. I believe an allegory should never run riot, the author going crazy in his imagination and inventing characters and incidents which ultimately have no meaning. I call that cheating, and deny it is genuine creative writing. I feel sure I have not cheated in this book, but then even I, the present writer, might never know!