BOOKS ARE PEOPLE

This is an interesting metaphor but when one considers how people judge a book, the similarities are quite frightening. First and foremost, people judge a book by its cover. It is the initial contact that sparks a connection between book and potential reader. They analyse the cover, working out whether it is indeed something worth pursuing, getting to know on a deeper level and if it is worth devoting time to get to know it. People create first impressions based on appearance and without even knowing, the same judgments flow through their mind.

People are known to be judged by their size and shape as well as appearance and soon assumptions are made on their lifestyle and social economic status rather than finding out the true reasoning for why they appear as they are. The size of a book can create illusions that the size of it makes it not worth reading, or they have nothing in common. The book could be old and tatted and one can be quick to move on to one that is fresh and unused. A prejudice can instantly be formed without considering the books true potential: What is written inside.

This is true of people, being judged solely on their appearance. It takes true character, one I highly respect, for people to push past the size of a book, and invest time in getting to know it. The same as people, image does not mean better company, it means superficial disillusionment of what you think society wants you to act.  The books that may have the smaller writing and the larger page numbers can, but not always be the most satisfying company you will keep, while on the opposing side, those of less pages and large font can, but not always be unfulfilling, shallow, simple and leave you asking more questions than answers.  

The most fascinating aspect of people is the stories they tell; how they have completed or continued the journey of the person they really are and how they came to that conclusion. A book’s true beauty is the words on the page and the hidden depths, journeys and adventures they take us on. Like books, some people are more in-depth than others, or can be extremely complex. They can also be misunderstood or have difficulty comprehending what messages they are trying to express. Needless to say, if we give it a chance, you might be surprised how words formulate in to a more fluent pattern and the bigger picture is revealed.

 As images do in a book, a person’s appearance speaks volumes of who they are, who they want to be, and the people they wish to develop a strong bond towards. The words are the conversations that solidify the relationship.  Some books are forced upon us; we have no choice but to work with them, such as textbooks or readings forced upon us by company policy or by a brainwashed boss about some new phase of the month. This is like work colleagues and that family member that you have no choice but to love or see on whole family functions; its grueling but you get through it, but still if you look for the true message within, these relationships can be meaningful.

Then there is the book that changes our lives, motivates, and transforms us into a better person, who reinvigorates our moods, our hopes our dreams, that what we desire is possible. As with people, there is always that one person, or in some cases a few that help mentor, inspire, or makes life special. Like a book, it could be a single moment, a conversation, and a critical time in the story when something needed to change, that the twist comes along and your feel that euphoric moment that everything will be just fine.

Books are a means of entertainment, one that amuses but stimulates reflection on our own lives whether it is fictitious or not. Now don’t tell me there isn’t that one friend who always entertains you, makes you laugh and some how make you feel so much better about yourself for being around them or getting to know them. Or that one friend that has so many stories, you find yourself fixed in wonder and at times uncomfortably staring at them with drool frothing from your mouth. Like a book, while they are there to entertain, the story they tell can provide us with so much knowledge and hidden meaning about who we are as a person, and make us consider our wants and needs in life.

The defining moment that seals the bond between a book and a person is the language it uses. Some use simple language that may not even be phrased correctly, while others use language so complex that only the computer they typed it on can translate what they are attempting to communicate. As in life, people of different languages have messages that are quite meaningful and indeed life changing, but we as people can take the easy option and just choose not to understand them.  

The language of love seems to be my ‘Achilles Hill’, where I struggle to read the body language, the cues or I find a person who will read the first couple of chapters and then lose interest. How do you create the story of that one special person who is completely in awe of you; wants to not only read chapters but also write new chapters with you?  This is an enigma that many people battle, each with their own different obstacles that restrict their ability to move forward and give someone a chance.

As the story grew in my mind, I fell in love with ‘The Treeman’s Curse, so much so that I have nearly completed two rough drafts of the series with two more to complete. However, time is needed to give it the attention it deserves.  As a book needs time devoted to it to appreciate its true riches, so do people.  Modern day society can force us to rush things and the instant we are not stimulated, we soon move on to something or someone else new to get our next quick fix. Authors who have such a fan base have devoted their time to create a masterpiece, that allows the rose that is their story to reach full bloom and ensure their reader can enjoy the journey of its growth; like the story, the petal begins to unfold.  What would happen if more people were willing to do this with their relationships?

When I wrote the Treeman’s Curse, it was like a personal friend I was trying to create. I wanted it to attract the attention of an onlooker, who would admire the image it presented. I wanted them to turn the pages, and look at the deeper meaning inside, the hidden messages the characters and relationships attempt to portray and be entertained by what I hope is a unique story to a familiar genre and style. Like a rose growing on its thorny stem, the story and the characters within it slowly unfold and reach full bloom, and it is literature I hope that people will invest some time in and even experience that euphoric epiphany, which changes their lives for the better.