Invitation To Otherworld

The call of faerie. It began in childhood, in books. An invitation to wild, unseen places, to mystery. Every night before bedtime my mother read to me from various books, but my favorite by far was the one featured above. The red cover and gold scrolling promised magic, and every time my mother took it off the shelf, my excitement grew.

It’s a Readers Digest book of fairy tales published in 1967, and I think my love of books and art may have begun in these pages. My vivid experience of each tale lives within my skin. I’ve been forever changed by my mother’s enactment of the words as she read, the way she altered her voice to sound like the wind when it blew, or the way she’d cackle like a witch when one appeared in a doorway. The scent of her perfume, the way she widened her green eyes when magic was afoot—these memories have grown up with me, are a part of my body, and to this day, certain stories will elicit the same visceral reaction inside me.

I loved the film Chocolat. From the first notes of the musical score to when the narrator begins, I’m hooked before two minutes have ticked by (paraphrased):

           “Once upon a time...

            there was a quiet little village...

            in the French countryside...

            whose people believed in tranquilite.

            Tranquillity.

            If you lived in this village...

            you understood what was expected of you.

            You knew your place in the scheme of things.

            And if you happened to forget, someone would help remind you.

            In this village...

            if you saw something you weren't supposed to see...

            you learned to look the other way.

            If by chance...

            your hopes had been disappointed...

            you learned never to ask for more.

            So, through good times and bad...

            famine and feast...

            the villagers held fast to their traditions.

            Until...

            one winter day...

            a sly wind blew in from the north.”

The beautiful story-telling voice seductively invites me to cross the veil between this world and faerie. Well, there is Johnny Depp, too, but actually, he appears in many of the films I watch precisely because they involve some kind of magic and mystery. (Dark Shadows comes to mind. Such a fun, dark romp. Thanks, Tim Burton.)

When I found out Chocolat was based on a novel, I searched for more books by Joanne M. Harris, and immediately bought one on my Kindle. The other I purchased as a hardcover. Well, I had to, didn’t I. Just look at it (above). Illustrated by Charles Vess. And it’s blue. It’s fragrant with magic!

But, oh, the joy as I read the opening lines:

“1 - Nectar

When the Nine Worlds were still very young, there were no stories. There was only Dream, the river that runs through all the Worlds, reflecting the hearts and desires of the Folk on its journey towards Pandaemonium.”

And so it begins. The tingle in my spine causing the hairs on my arms to stand, my eyes widening so they won’t miss a word. It’s the invitation to faerie, to Otherworld, the one my mother invited me to so long ago. Real magic is infectious because its origin comes from the most ancient of all healing spells. Can you name it?

* * *

Excerpt from an Upcoming Story: “Gator Eye Lake”

“Glitter on the dark, sprawling surface of Palm Cove Lake momentarily distracted me from the drifting pieces of a rowboat. Half an oar bobbed near the dock. Some fool ignored the warning signs, ventured out late last night. Probably on a dare. It’s not the first time someone’s gone missing. It’s why the locals don’t use the lake’s proper name, Palm Cove. They call her Gator Eye. Mind you, a gator’s never been found in the depths of these waters, but it’s the only way to explain why folks keep disappearing.” ~ excerpt © 2021 Jan M. Alexander * All rights reserved

Until next time, keep the magic in your heart!

Jan

*Thanks so much for reading!