Inkspell

"You cannot fully read a book without being alone. But through this very solitude you become intimately involved with people whom you might never have met otherwise, either because they have been dead for centuries or because they spoke languages you cannot understand. And nonetheless, they have become your closest friends, your wisest advisors, the wizards the hypnotize you, the lovers you have always dreamed of."

Antonio Munoz Molinas, "The Power of the Pen"

There is something magical hidden between the lines of books. Something that whispers your name and pulls you deep inside the story. Every word serves as a carriage that takes you far away from all thing ordinary and plants you in places you've only seen in your dreams.

Books have always been my sanctuary when I was alone or afraid. Many times I've flown to Neverland, sat in the Gryffindor common room, and stepped through the wardrobe to Narnia. My love of books grew from reading when I was alone or afraid and turned into a craving for the spell that they cast. Whenever I have a spare moment I use it to throw my spirit into a new adventure. Run through unexplored lands, meet people whose lives are so unlike my own, taste the foreign air, and thrust out my chin defiantly when the villian stands before me.

I recently read a book called Inkspell, part of a pretty good series, but it was the title that I loved so much. The idea that ink can cast a spell over the reader and make you forget for a while where you came from and those you left behind. I know that feeling. The magic is very real to me. Many times I've been pulled out of a book by the voice of a family member, leaving me feeling disoriented and wondering how I came to be at my house. Have you felt that before?

Sadly, with all of the new media avaliable to the public, books have become lonely beings. They sit on the shelves gathering dust, the enchantments forgotten. The characters trapped behind the covers and their stories untold. When was the last time you read a book for strictly for enjoyment? I hope you answer is, "I'm reading one right now!"

Let the ink cover you. Let it free your mind and take you on amazing adventures. Escape into the pages.