Greetings all!

Just received this link from the official Banned Books Week Myspace page today!

http://www.charlotte.com/breaking_news/story/507359.html

Absinthe Dreams,

Kimberly

Goth Librarian

First, there was the light. Not the kind of light that is glaring or harsh. No, this light was soft and inviting, as if it desperately wanted you to trust and belive in the light and what it represented. That was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes. Strange thing is, I could not remember what happened before I opened my eyes. I opened my eyes a little more and found myself to be in a room with no windows. The walls were white, the carpet on the floor was white, even my clothing was white. I touched the soft material of the shirt and pants then laid my head against the wall in confusion; just why was I there? Suddenly, a door appeared on the opposite side of the room and a young man dressed in a red tunic with black shoulder length hair stepped into the room while holding a clipboard of some kind. His face betrayed no emotion and I was too curious to be afraid of him. He walked to the center of the room, looking all around, stopped, then finally fixed his gaze on me. He said in a deep voice, "Welcome to the Evolution," and smiled. Still curious, I asked him what the Evolution was. He replied, "For centuries, Man has searched for the perfect means of achieving intellectual power but has never quite gotten it right. Those with limited brain capacity have always been thrown together with those of a higher intellectual power and as a result, both groups have suffered. No more," he said as he wrote something down on his clipboard then returned his gaze to my questioning face. "We, our company, have answered this delicate question and have solved it to where it hurts and affects no one in a negative manner."

"What do you do?"

"We place those of like minds together, forever."

"But what of families? Friends, loved ones?"

"All of that can be replaced with the new structuring." I looked down at my clothing again then said in a soft voice, :So where do I belong?"

"You, my dear," he said, "are to be with our highest group."

"And of my family?" I dread hearing the answer.

"I'm sorry . . . . "

I closed my eyes, not wanting to feel the tears falling down my face but it was, of course, too late. So this is what happened, I thought as he helped me up and out of the room. This is what Man has become. The memories of before came back to me in a rush; the intrusions, separation of families, people being pulled apart from embraces that would never happen again, all of it. I remember seeing my family being led away like sheep while I was led to another building. As I walked out of the room with the man and into my new life, I wondered what truly happened to my family. Were they really placed in other areas such as the one I was going to but for people with lower intelligence? I shuddered, not wanting to think about any other possibility. I walked along with my guide to my new home but inside I was already dead.

It was night. As she stood at the top of the back staircase, she sighed heavily while staring out across the parking lot behind her apartment building to the blue and white painted houses that lined the massive wooden wall, separating the two worlds. The night was slightly warm but a hidden chill in the air still reminded people that Winter was not ready to release its grip on the city. She took another drag from her cigarette (a habit she picked up from her boyfriend) and blew the smoke in the direction of the houses. She then closed her eyes and created thoughts of her living in one of the simple houses, wanting so much to continue her life as a bohemian while still clinging to her nouveau ways. And yet, she thought as she took another drag, I still don't know what it is I am exactly looking for. She finished off her cigarette and threw it in a glass half filled with water then let herself back into her apartment filled with books, art, and dusty candles. She was to spend the night at her boyfriend's house and he had called earlier just to make sure she was still coming over. She smiled briefly, her thoughts already projecting another great night with him then pulled out her backpack. The houses, she thought as she stuffed two pairs of underwear in her backpack, are what I wish could represent me.

His legs still felt cold when he touched them for the tenth time that day. He leaned back in his chair and blinked once slowly; no emotions showed on his face as his brain began to process his situation. He was confined to the chair for the rest of his life but it was he who tempted Fate in the first place. He wanted to unlock the secrets of the book and become master over it. It was he who desired to gain knowledge no matter the cost. And was the cost worth it? At the time he thought so; sacrifices must be made in order to understand and evolve beyond those other organisms who shared his DNA and genetic makeup. Now, thanks to the book and his insatiable curiosity, he would be confined to a chair for the rest of his life but his mind would be filled with knowledge no human should ever have access to. A smile appeared on his lips as the coldness set in even further.

Greetings everyone! Sorry for the delay in sending the latest newsletter but my life has been like a whirlwind recently. However, this will be a short newsletter since I am now working on the final stage of editing my short story collection, Absinthe Dreams.

But, I would be remiss if I did not drop a line every now and then to say hello, right?

So, what's going on in the world lately?

Right now, the only thing on my mind (aside from writing) is: STAR WARS!!!! For those of you who have not heard, there is a new Star Wars movie coming out on August 15th entitled Star Wars: The Clone Wars. This computer animated movie takes place between the animated series featured on Cartoon Network and the movie Revenge of the Sith. I have already put in my request to take the day off for this event!

It has been confirmed: yours truly will be a writer guest at this years' Mid South Con!I will probably be on two panels but the paperwork has been completed. My badge name will be Goth Librarian. Huzzah!

The new catalogue has NOT been posted yet due to some last minute changes to the overall structure of the store. Viridian does, however, have four new books listed on our E-Bay site with four more posted tomorrow. Details will be given on the catalogue in the not too distant future.

Well, that is all for now (I told it was going to be short and painless).

I leave you with the poem Grave from the great Modernist poet Marianne Moore:

Grave

Man looking into the sea,
taking the view from those who have as much right to it as
           you have to it yourself,
it is human nature to stand in the middle of a thing,
but you cannot stand in the middle of this;
the sea has nothing to give but a well excavated grave.
The firs stand in a procession, each with an emerald turkey-
           foot at the top,
reserved as their contours, saying nothing;
repression, however, is not the most obvious characteristic of
           the sea;
the sea is a collector, quick to return a rapacious look.
There are others besides you who have worn that look --
whose expression is no longer a protest; the fish no longer
           investigate them
for their bones have not lasted:
men lower nets, unconscious of the fact that they are
           desecrating a grave,
and row quickly away -- the blades of the oars
moving together like the feet of water-spiders as if there were
           no such thing as death.
The wrinkles progress among themselves in a phalanx -- beautiful
           under networks of foam,
and fade breathlessly while the sea rustles in and out of the
           seaweed;
the birds swim through the air at top speed, emitting cat-calls
           as heretofore --
the tortoise-shell scourges about the feet of the cliffs, in motion
           beneath them;
and the ocean, under the pulsation of lighthouses and noise of
           bell-buoys,
advances as usual, looking as if it were not that ocean in which
           dropped things are bound to sink --
in which if they turn and twist, it is neither with volition nor
           consciousness.

Marianne Moore

Absinthe Dreams to you all,

Kimberly
Goth Librarian74