FOR WRITERS: GREETINGS FROM A BOOK By Langdon Kennedy

Many of you know that my son is a writer as well, and although all of his stories amaze me, this one I thought was particularly lovely for writers, so sharing it with you today.

Greetings From A Book

By Langdon Kennedy

         Hello. My name's The Adventures of The Silver Wizard, and I am a book. And I'd like to take this time to tell you what it's like to be a book. Bear with me, it will only take a moment.

       Now I suppose I could spend my time complaining. I could talk about the irritation of being left to become dusty. Dust is like dandruff to us. Please dust us from time to time, alright? I could talk about the scars that are tears in our pages. Or the broken spines that are like broken bones. Or perhaps a bent or torn cover that's like having your face mauled. Or perhaps the feeling of isolation under furniture instead of the camaraderie of brothers on a bookshelf? Could I mention the shame of being used to stop a door? But I'm not sure if complaining would do me any good. I'm not sure if you would listen.

          No. I should explain to you the best part of being a book. I should explain to you what being read is like. It is a beautiful experience. It is how we live. A book manifests when it is read into the human mind. The soul of the book enters the soul of the human mind. We live in there. The words in us become. Every concept is born, breathes in a way, until we experience a sort of rush like adrenaline as every part of us is brought to life. When your eyes pull a word from the page into your mind you pull us away from stasis into being. Like waking from a coma into a new life. I suppose it is difficult to explain to you humans the reincarnation that is being read.

       And each time it is different, because each human interprets us differently. And each time we are read, each time the words on our pages are born into a human mind, it is different, and we live an entirely new life. Though the words on our page are the same, that soul of us is the same, we are born again differently in you. Each and every one of you are different parents to us. 

      And even when the same people read us over again we are born differently. It's a magical feeling, really.

      I'm sorry if that rant was a little long, but I took this time to talk to you today to give you a little perspective. And to make sure you're a bit more considerate when you pick up your next book. Oh, and don't skim. It hurts our feelings.

Sincerely,

The Adventures of The Silver Wizard

 

If you enjoyed Langdon's story, you can stop by and leave him a comment here: http://langdonflashfictions.blogspot.com/