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Silwen
Post subject: The Bookshop
Posted: Sat 12 Mar , 2005 12:15 pm
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The Bookshop

Up on Highstreet where the sidewalks bustle with the people of the city, there is a quiet little shop so small that it is left unnoticed by most pedestrians. From the outside it does look rather dull, hunched between tall buildings, with a bleak, crackling façade and dirty windows. If anyone cared to stop in front of it to peer through the smudged glass, they would see very little, and would soon lose interest. They would take a step back, shake their heads and continue on their way. They would never know what they are missing.

For behind the unattractive wall, past the handwritten sign that bids all readers welcome, a strange world of letters and wonders awaits the true bibliophile.

Over the years The Bookshop has become a gathering palce for booklovers of all kinds, and apart from the occasional mythic creature of literature that has somehow strayed into this most unusual place and decided to stay, every guest has found their way into the shop in much the same fashion:

Walking the streets of the city, thinking pleasant thoughts or pondering over a question of great importance, the customer is inexorably drawn towards the little shop. Suddenly, they find themselves at the creaking wooden door and before they know how or why, they reach out for the knob and the door opens to the sound of tinkling bells. A short, brown-skinned young lady with long dark hair looks up from a sheaf of papers on which she has been writing another chapter of her never-ending novel, and smiles at the new guests – for, to her, all customers are guests – and she welcomes them and bids them come in. The door closes with another tinkling of bells, and the shopkeeper introduces herself as Silwen, and is there anything she can help them with?

The guest is surprised by the magnitude of the place and the strong bookish smell that comes from the storage of old papers. The keeper’s desk is situated on the left side almost underneath the stairs to the upper stories. It is full of old books in various stages of aging, loose papers, a number of pens and quills and inkpots. At one end a yellowing globe and the cash register mark the end of the large desk. Around the room, the walls are lined with shelves all the way up to the ceiling. Cupboards and chests spill over with even more books that join the piles on almost every inch of the wooden floor.

The guest finds it difficult to make his way through the piles without upsetting them, but Silwen reassures them, they will soon get used to it, and she weaves her way easily through the shop. Before they know it, they are being led up the creaking, crooked stairs to the upper floor. They are shown through each of the rooms, one as full as the other and no different from the ground floor. Then, another storey and more books. Each floor and almost every room is dedicated to a different category: travel, history, cooking; novels, plays, poetry; English, American, New Literatures; Latin American, Skandinavian, African; all languages, all centuries and all ages. Everything the heart desires. All that has ever been written can be found among these treasures.

“Make yourself at home,” the shopkeeper says. “I’ll make us some tea.” And off she goes through another small door that, just a moment ago, had been a shelf before the unwitting customer can voice a single word of protest.

And this is how they have found this place, this haven in a separate time and space. And few who have ventured here have ever left again, but enjoy the company of like-minded friends. Every so often they are joined by Jane Eyre for a little bit of feminist discussion, or by Pi Patel who tells the most amazing stories of animals, and who is equally conversant in matters of religion and science. In unexpected moments, there are visits from gods and goddesses of myth and other creatures of legend who mingle with the guests and are regarded as very pleasant conversationists.

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Lily Rose
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Posted: Sun 13 Mar , 2005 5:45 am
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*Lily pokes her nose into the Bookshop, wondering if an outcast like her might be accepted here....her face lights up when she sees stacks upon stacks of books by her favorite authors...RA Salvatore, Guy Gavriel Kay, Anne Rice...anything that her little heart might desire....She turns to the shopkeeper...*

Might I join you here?

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Silwen
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Posted: Sun 13 Mar , 2005 11:19 am
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Welcome, Lily Rose! Make yourself at home here. A cup of tea, perhaps?

I've only read two of Anne Rice's book: Interview with a Vampire, and Servant of the Bones. I liked both oft hem, but haven't read any more. My best friend loves her Chronicles and has probably read all of them by now. Do you have a favourite book?

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Teherin
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Posted: Sun 13 Mar , 2005 10:00 pm
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*titch shakes her umbrella off in the tiny porch and looks around ... 'Wow - great place, I love bookshops, they are a definite Time Warp area .. sort of losing time :D'
Hi silwen, Hi Lily :)

Lily - like most of the authors you mention - have only read one of Anee Rice's books though :(

How about you Silwen ?

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Silwen
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Posted: Mon 14 Mar , 2005 10:07 am
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Hello titch! :wave: Well, my favourite author is the Canadian Michael Ondaatje. Recently, Keri Hulme, a NZ writer, has joined him on my number 1 spot, though. I've probably read everything available by Ondaatje, except for the poetry that is no longer being printed. Hulme has another novel I don't know yet, but I've read "the bone people" and just finished "Stonefish", a book of poetry and short stories. I will be writing about her in my PhD thesis. :clap: (Was about time I found someone.) BTW, I love your sigpic; so cute!

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Silwen
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Posted: Wed 16 Mar , 2005 2:12 pm
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The most popular Germany newspaper is having a short story competition. The thing is, it's got to be erotic fiction. The monetary prizes are very good so I couldn't resist and hada go at it. To my surprise it turned out just right, but I am thoroughly ashamed of having written something like that. Nobody has read it and I don't think I'll ever let anybody read it. I used a pseudonym when I sent it to the paper. I really hope I am considered! I could use that money (1st prize € 5000! :Q ). :pray:

I'm not quite sure if we have any erotic fiction here in the Bookshop, but we should. :poke: As I said, anything that has been written is to be found here.

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Andri
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Posted: Fri 18 Mar , 2005 11:29 am
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The sound of the little bell hanging over the door notifies Silwen that a new customer has entered the shop.

Andri walks in, looks around and tries to take in with only one glance the huge amount of books that are stacked pile after pile, covering shelves, tables, chairs and floor.

'Hello' she calls out. 'Anybody here?'

At the sight of the approaching Silwen, Andri offers a smile.

'Hello, ehm, this is really ackward, I am not sure how to say it but...you see,... I received a postcard yesterday, a beautiful postcard with the picture of a green leaf, signed by Silwen...so, I, ehm, I wanted to find you and thank you. I looked in all the bookshops in the city but couldn't find you. I am glad I finally did!'

I am reading a book by Carlos Ruiz Zafon called 'The Shadow of the Wind'. I am still half-way through it but the beggining of the book takes place in the 'Cemetary of Forgotten Books', a labyrinthine library of obsure and forgotten titles. This place here reminds me a lot of the 'Cemetary'.

So, I hear that you have quite a collection of erotic literature. What would you reccomend?
=:)


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Silwen
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Posted: Sat 19 Mar , 2005 12:26 pm
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Hello Andri! :thewave: I am so glad you found your way. Well, the card was a spontaneous hello from Germany. I'm glad it arrived and found you well.

I've seen "The Shadow of the Wind" in a local bookshop and was thinking of getting it. From what you say about it, I think I really have to get it now!

This Bookshop here is a true reproduction of a second-hand bookshop I visited in Christchurch, New Zealand. I couldn't believe my eyes! The shopkeeper himself looked like a character froma book, and he was painting/drawing all sorts of beautiful maps.

As to which erotic books I'd recommend. Well, I haven't read too many myself. But if you tink you know what is good and what is evil and nothing anybody says about it, you won't change your mind, then I guess it would be safe for you to read de Sade. It is fascinating how right he seems to be, he has all the arguments and there is nothing you can say about it. Anyway, there is only one book of his that is really pornographic. The others are mainly about society and politics.

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Andri
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Posted: Sat 19 Mar , 2005 4:02 pm
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Silwen wrote:
I've seen "The Shadow of the Wind" in a local bookshop and was thinking of getting it. From what you say about it, I think I really have to get it now!
Give me a couple of days more to finish it and I can tell you if I like it or not. The book started off well, the idea of the Book Cemetary is fascinating. After that, however, I feel that the story drags, lacking real interest. I guess the purpose of the writer is to give little stories to accompany and ornate the main story but it becomes distracting at some point. I can give you a better review in a couple of days. :)

As to the work of the marquis, I haven't read any of his books but I was told again in the past that his theories on society and ethics are interesting. Perhaps I should give it a try at some point, after I finish a pile of "to-read" books that sits next to my desk. ;)


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moonfariegalena
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Posted: Sat 19 Mar , 2005 4:42 pm
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galena is taking her time walking down the street, and enjoying the first rays of the spring sun...when a cat so very like her old friend skunk crosses her path, she has no choice but to follow
after a few turns the cat dissapears behind a very small and dirty door...sound of the bell is followed by a soft purring form a cat who is now curled up in a very comfy armchair.
galena hears parts of exciting conversation coming from a room not so far away, and can`t help but smile as she walks past the shelfs and shelfs of books.
somewhere inside her mind a voice whispers how terribly inapropriate it is to just wonder around...but seeing a beautiflly decorated edition of "Katturan odyssey" she can`t help her self... sitting down, with a cat in her lap, she opens the book with reverance and...is taken by the magick.

hello silwen, andri, teherin, lily...


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peeg
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Posted: Sun 20 Mar , 2005 2:51 am
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The bell in Silwen's shop tinkled once more as another visitor stepped over the threshold and looked around her. The Bookshop was small and cosy-looking, exactly as any bookshop should be, but unlike many bookshops it was also very clean. Peeg smiled, pulled back the hood of her cloak and approached the shopkeeper

"Hello Madam....i've been reading 'The Witches of Ealinean' series by Kate Forsyth lately. Any chance you might have the fifth book of the series?" she asked, leaning on the counter. The shopkeeper turned to look at the newcomer, and her face lit up into a smile as she recognised an old friend

"Peeg! How lovely to see you here!" Silwen cried, and walked around the counter to hug her friend. The two laughed and exchanged little updates on their lives, then Silwen returned to her place behind the counter

"Now, let's see.....Kate Forsyth, you said?"

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Silwen
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Posted: Sun 20 Mar , 2005 11:30 am
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Peeg, would that be "the Fathomless Caves" then? I've got it somewhere here, probably in the section on witchcraft on your right. All of the series' books are there, I can assure you. BTW, I'm glad you made this Bookshop "clean". :D Hadn't considered that.

After Peeg has gone off to look for her book, Silwen goes to greet another newcomer, Galena.

Hello, friend. Is it a good book, "Katturan Odyssey"?

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moonfariegalena
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Posted: Sun 20 Mar , 2005 11:43 am
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hmmm, quite interesting... based completely in the animal kingdom, a lemur village to be exact. and the illustrations just pull you in :LMAO:

in general, I enjoy a good fantasy...especially if it has Wicca elements :D like Avalon series by MZ. Bradley or the Sevenwaters trilogy by Juliet Marillier

actually, your bookshop is very much like what I have in mind of opening...like a good and proper economist I even made a bussiness plan for it and it`s burried somewhere beneath the diverse papers in my room :D
it will be called "The world of the Lorialets" and would be a bookshop/caffe- the last homely one :LMAO: :love:


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peeg
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Posted: Sun 20 Mar , 2005 12:52 pm
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Indeed, Silwen, it was the "Fathomless Caves" that i was seeking. Have you read that series? If you haven't i'd highly recommend it....it's excellent! Good writing, and it prattles along at a good pace :D

Peeg begins to head to her right to look for her book, but pauses as she hears a familiar name

Did someone say Juliet Marlillier? Galena, she has got to be my all-time favorite writer of fantasy. I am of the opinion that you haven't read real high fantasy until you've read Juliet Marllier. :D :love: Still haven't gotten around to reading M.Z Bradley, though....i heard she's inferior compared to Marillier =:) :D

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Silwen
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Posted: Sun 20 Mar , 2005 2:32 pm
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I don't really read fantasy apart from Tolkien. I've only read to other trilogies of, admittedly, "young adult" fantasy: "The Hollow Kingdom" trilogy (the last part is not yet released), and the "Prosperos Children" trilogy which is good as a whole, just part two is badly constructed. I tend to read other fiction, although it's hard to say exactly what I go for. The books I read are very well-written, often quite poetic, not always realistic. Maybe I'll read 'The Witches of Ealinean' series - I better check its availability here soon -, I always wanted to read Bradley's books, but I am not sure I'll like them. Need to find someone among my friends who has the books in English so I can borrow them. if I'm lucky we may even have them in our university library.

Galena, well, that book sounds liek it is something very different. I'll also need to check it out. What does the name of the bookshop/café mean? I wish we had such places here. :'(

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moonfariegalena
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Posted: Sun 20 Mar , 2005 4:16 pm
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weeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllll, when it comes to the Witchcraft themes I admit Sevenwaters is better than the Avalon series....I was crying hysterically all the way through the Sevenwaters :oops:

but Bradleys Darkover simply takes your breath away...I just read the Sevenwaters from Marillier. is there anything else you would recommend, Peeg darling :D

Lorialets are a type of faeries, children of Selena and Endimion...and always yearning for the Moon which they can`t ever reach cause they`re sort of stuck on Earth, the hype of melancholy... ;) but in a good way :oops:


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Silwen
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Posted: Mon 21 Mar , 2005 10:30 am
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Galena, that sounds good to me - but isn't the name a bit too long for the shop?

It looks like I'll need to get the Sevenwaters books as well. Crying all throughout it? Perfect! :D Unfortunately none of the books you mentioned are available in the library except for Bradley's - but they're in German translation. The Ealinean books at least are available at amazon.de so i think Sevenwaters will also be there.

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Mahima
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Posted: Mon 21 Mar , 2005 12:18 pm
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Mahima walked into the musty-looking shop, carefully swinging the door open and hears a tinkle playing over her head as she steps in, her eyes adjusting to the soft light after the strong sun outside

Hullo??[/i]

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moonfariegalena
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Posted: Mon 21 Mar , 2005 1:01 pm
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oh, hullo

whispers Galena, looking up and closing the book in front of her

actually, in croatian it would be just two words, and although lorialets is a bit long...the whole idea is a one books fanatic for other book fanatics sort of thing :oops: ;) :D so I think they`ll appreciate the thought

the profitability of the whole thing is rather questionable, so I`m rethinking the possibility of doing a book club sort of thing, registering as a non-profit organization...or something :D


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Silwen
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Posted: Mon 21 Mar , 2005 5:33 pm
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That sounds like a very good idea. Believe me: if I were in Croatia near the shop, I'd love to visit! (Somehow I didn't consider that the shop's name might be different in a foreign language :roll: .)

Hello Mahima! I couldn't resist putting this thread up.:D Make yourself at home!

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