About the Author
Michael Francis Boughton
At eighty-four, and living with COPD and heart failure that keeps him largely housebound during the winter months, the author has learned to create space beyond physical limitations through imagination and writing.
Developing ideas and stories has become both a refuge and a creative outlet, allowing him to continue working and exploring new projects despite the challenges of ill health.
His current work has also led to an unexpected creative collaboration with Yavolytai, a Ukrainian refugee who arrived in the area several years ago. Discovering that she had been a professional singer in her homeland, he contacted her to ask whether she might be interested in working together.
After several months of rebuilding her voice following a long period away from singing, the collaboration began to take shape and continues to develop alongside the writing.
Alongside the book, the author has been working with Ukrainian singer Yavolytai on a series of songs inspired by the themes of the project.
After arriving in the area as a refugee from Ukraine, Yavolytai had not sung for several years. When contacted about the possibility of working together, she responded enthusiastically but explained that it would take several months of practice to rebuild her voice.
Since then they have recorded at least ten songs together.
The original idea was to release an EP of music ahead of the book as a way of introducing its themes and atmosphere, although the promotional side of the project is still being organised. Both the book and the accompanying music continue to develop together.