Page 53 of Authentically, Izzy
To: Brodie Sutherland
Date: March30
Subject: Portable magic
Brodie,
You are the best Yoda Griffith I have ever known! I’m still grinning at your valiant attempt to combine the two. I still can’t understand how you made the wordy’allsound so delightful. Are you certain there isn’t a little southern gentlemen in your family history?
The pointy green ears that bounced when you laughed became so distracting I forgot to ask you how Brynna liked the graphics I sent. She told me she adored them, but I have a feeling she’s generous in her praise, as a rule.
Though I’m not a fan of Stephen King’s books—not because of the writing (for he’s an excellent writer) but for the itchy uneasinesshis stories leave behind in my mind—I AM a supporter of his literary thinking. Here is an excellent quote: “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” And to think we saw the magic come alive all the way down Main Street! The Book Parade pulls in so much of the community. I can imagine your towns would love something like this. Especially with all of the readers you have.
And what a beautiful family legacy you possess!! To love stories so much that your parents initiated bringing books to life for your uncle and sister... and then to so many more. Did your father ever narrate them in English? It explains why so many of my online searches about Skymar lead me to the book industry in one way or the other, particularly related to the fact that your islands are one of the top manufacturers of books in Braille! I’ve never thought about how words build pictures for the mind. I know it’s true, but I’ve never really thought about it. Does your sister Fiona enjoy reading?
You are very kind. I don’t feel particularly creative, but I’m grateful I can channel my almost-obsessive love for books into such delightful directions. Those children’s smiles? An adult who shows up as soon as the doors open at the library to ensure they are first in line for the newest release of their favorite author? A story binding two uniquely different people together? It’s fascinating and wonderful to me! I may not enjoy Josephine’s matchmaking, but to match the right person with the right story is one of the most delightful things! Itiskind of like magic happening right before my eyes.
What do you enjoy most about your job? Since you’re a bookstore owner, I feel I could glean so much wisdom from you if I venture forward into my own little bookshop adventure. Maybe we could discuss it during our next video call?
I just finished reading George Orwell’s novel1984for the first time. I don’t care to read it ever again. It’s brilliant and terrifying all at the same time. Please recommend something senseless, happy, and completely out of touch with reality so I can forget the possibility of the world turning into a totalitarian, repressive regime set to eradicate independent thought! I’m turning on the Hallmark channel right now for my own mental health. (Do you know what the Hallmark channel is?) Perhaps I should pick upCatch-22? Or Fielding’sBridget Jones’s Diary? OrDon Quixote? What do you think?
Isabelle
PS: I’ve enjoyedallof C. S. Lewis’s books.Till We Have Facesis one of my favorites, but I fell in love with Peter Pevensie when I was ten.
From: Izzy Edgewood
To: Penelope Edgewood, Luke Edgewood
Date: March31
Subject: My life is a movie... but I’m not sure which genre
So I had a video call with Brodie before leaving for my dinner with Eli. (I’m squeezing my eyes closed at the very idea of... well, whatever it is right now.)
Eli and I had a good dinner. We talked books, and you know how much I love to talk books, but he did open up a little about his educational background and growing up near the coast. He doesn’t seem to be very close to his family and isn’t interested in getting a pet right now. He said “his stories are enough company and distraction for now.” Being a person who has loads ofimaginary friends, I could somewhat understand his statement—though I can’t imagine life without Samwise. Also, he mentioned having some conflict with the university he was at before coming here and was “glad to move to a slower pace of life with folks who are generous-hearted.” I’ve never been in academia, but the conflict among the staff of Hogwarts was constant, if not life-threatening, on a regular basis.
BTW, his ancient-historical adventure book was good. Not my favorite and a bit heavy on details at times, but interesting enough for me to finish it. Eli talked a lot about the writing process, so I know it must take up a great deal of space in his mind.
The new German restaurant in town is fabulous, BTW. We should go there together when Penelope is in from school next time. I couldn't pronounce half the dish names, but the waitress couldn't either so I didn’t feel so bad about it, and when Eli tried, he ended up sounding like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Imagine that! A Clark Gable Terminator! LOL.
Anyway, Eli wants to try his hand at a contemporary romance novel. I always think it’s interesting to get a guy’s view on romance, so of course when he asked if I’d be willing to read a few chapters, I agreed. What an honor! I think it must be such a vulnerable thing to have someone read your infant words of a story! He’s sending me the first three chapters. How exciting!
When he let me out at my house, he went in for another kiss (or at least that’s what it looked like he was doing) and, for some reason, sweater-vests and Yoda masks popped to mind and I just couldn’t kiss him. I’m likely never to even MEET Brodie!! How can he control my kissing future in this way?
What’s worse: kissing a kind man just because he’s physically present and nice enough, or daydreaming about a kiss to a possible Mr. Right that may never happen? What does Dr. Phil say about that, Luke?!
Brontë may be calling again.
Izzy
PS: Why does thinking about kissing have to be so preoccupying?
PPS: I think Yoda is my favoriteStar Warscharacter.
Chapter10
From: Luke Edgewood
