The Tiny House That Flew

Rico Moore was born and raised in Fort Collins, adopted by two wonderful parents, Marty and Marv, who always believed in him, supported him and encouraged him to follow his dreams. His new book release, The Tiny House that Flew, is about a young family and their journey toward a simpler, more harmonious existence, aided in part by building and living in their very own tiny house. The story takes a magical twist one night when their tiny house takes flight. The story was written by Rico Moore and illustrated by Jenna Allen.

Moore went to college in Boulder at CU and studied humanities, then got an MFA in poetry at CSU, where he met his wife, Tirzah. They traveled and lived in the Pacific Northwest, then came back to Colorado, where The Tiny House that Flew was written. They live with their cat in a tiny house in northern Colorado and spend lots of time outside. “I spent a lot of time outside; in the city’s natural areas (around and in Spring Creek), and on our family land near the Wyoming border, which is next to large tracts of National Forest. I was taught to honor and respect life, especially the life of nature.” Rico says. “I fished, dreamed, hunted, wandered, et al. on the myriad natural lands in Colorado. I’ve always been a writer, crafting stories from a young age.”

Moore’s vision of the world is one of a simpler, kinder existence and the work implores the reader to examine their own relationships with nature and existence. Rico expresses concern on the times, “According to leading international scientists, we are barreling towards a global crisis regarding biodiversity and climate change, and without significant paradigm-shifting efforts to confront that which drives degradation, the future is overwhelmingly tragic. But this crisis point is an opportunity to shift our lives and re-orient our society towards sustainability. There is no other choice than to believe in this possibility and to act on it. The Tiny House that Flew is an homage to those who dare to dream a better way and act on it.”  

As The Tiny House that Flew portrays, Rico, his wife and cat have a dependent relationship with the natural entities and systems that support their lives, Rico says their dependency on this sustains their health and wholeness for their survival. “After we graduated from MFA, my wife and I worked for room and board on organic farms, and are strong supporters of local and organic food and goods. A few years back, we moved into a tiny (100 sq. ft.) house with very few amenities.” Rico explains. “We have a tiny footprint in nearly every way, and we’re always refining. We’ve cultivated a way of constantly critiquing our lives, which keeps us lean and sharp. I work to fearlessly and fully align my life with my values, regardless of how discordant this may be with the primary offerings of our highly material culture.”

On the fruition of a dream burgeoning into reality,  writing has always been the most powerful way for Rico to see himself reflected. Moore says, “–not just my “self,” but also the dapple-lit leaf shadows dancing on the page and the roots they imply, the river, the sky. Some people have a natural affinity for wood, perhaps I have one for words. I wrote a story of skiing through deep snow into my family cabin in winter in fifth grade. I felt the world of the written word come alive and it’s grown wild ever since. I’m always working to craft it.”

Rico says, “I mean this book to inspire people of all ages to pacify their relationship with the natural and with people of all walks of life that honor diversity, and show how these are ineluctably connected; to be one in a chain of many imagining a better way, a more beautiful world where there is a reciprocal relationship between fair human communities and thriving bio-diverse ecosystems. The book is about a sustainable path arising because a family slows down and re-shapes their life intending to increase harmony, within and without. From this action, their child has a dream, and this dream is believed in and empowered. This true belief—the belief of action—is the impetus for magic, which I embrace wholeheartedly. I hope people see this in themselves and are inspired to interpret it in the context of their lives.”

The one word of advice Rico would like to give to someone who wants to take the steps to live in a simpler, more harmonious way is to Act.

Pre-order the book at https://www.wolverinefarm.org/product/the-tiny-house-that-flew/

Reading and Release party TBA.