Artist Ivan Clarke, who is based in Queenstown, celebrated last week the release of his book Alveridgea and the Legend of the Lonely Dog.
The release was held at Mr Clarke's central Queenstown Gallery last Thursday and he has reserved 2000 signed copies of the first print edition to offer local patrons.
The hard-cover book was co-written with Stu Duval, of Atlantic Books. It is set in the bizarre port town of Alveridge, where cats and dogs inhabit a segregated society.
Clarke describes it as a world with twists, metaphors and social parallels.
His illustrations - paintings, maps, sketches, and other artefacts - became the basis for a limited collector's edition book.
Art featuring the Lonely Dog has sold for as much as $60,000 and his paintings have spawned a series of limited-edition bronze sculptures and figurines created by Sir Richard Taylor of Weta Workshop.
"The Lonely Dog's story has evolved as part of what I call the theatre of imagination and what I hope is a loving homage to the age-old art of storytelling."
Along with the book, the Lonely Dog is being developed as a film by producer Jeff Kleeman who says Mr Clarke had created "an entire universe rich with stories, characters" to drive a film.
"The lead, Lonely Dog, has tremendous multigenerational appeal.
"You can simply say his name to both adults and children and they light up with curiosity about him.
"The story is like a 21st-century Charles Dickens.
Mr Clarke said the opportunity to inspire imaginations through a host of different media was irresistible.
Mr Clarke introduced the world of The Lonely Dog and Alveridgea in 2005 with a series of paintings.
The book will be available in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
