An ancient library located just outside London seems to have been imbued with some kind of magic. One must be wary when in this library. Be careful of the book you pull from these shelves because, while on the surface, it appears to be just an ordinary lending library, although very old, magic lurks in the air and you just might find yourself fighting the Philistines or dodging cannon from a pirate ship. Whether by intent or just a latent wish to be there, you might be drawn into the story. Everywhere is that power of books to draw us into worlds we dream of and often wish to inhabit. If you have ever wanted to do any of these things, or even if you never thought of doing it, then walk down the street a bit and into the library at Through The Pages. In addition to the librarians who enjoy doing things "library", there are Protectors who can move into novels should a person become embroiled in a situation that becomes dangerous and bring them back to the library. Magic coupled with things technological creates a place of mystery and wonder.
Have you ever wondered how novels at Pan are born ? In the case of Through The Pages, it came of a casual conversation between folks interested in promoting the Reference Library. At the time, interest and activity were waning at the reference books and someone said, "Novels are doing really well. If the library was a novel, it would take off ."
It soon occurred to us to ask, "Well, why can't there be a library novel "? This, of course, sent us off into the technicalities of the thing and all the reasons why it probably couldn't be done.
One of us, who at the time, was woefully ignorant of all that went into creating and building a novel thought that if folks could come to the library we would create in support of the Reference Library, find their all-time favorite book and by intent or accident find themselves actually interacting in that book, why, they'd just flock to us and join and start writing all kinds of brilliant things. Leaving all the "tech" things to those of the group who did that well, she imagined being in a favorite book and what a person might do in the story. Excitement reigned, we went to work, found the pannies we needed and started out on our journey. The novel was tied to the Reference Library in the hope that writers would go there to research their novel. Already in place are most of the genre we felt would be needed, with, of course, the option of adding one "just for you".
New at Through The Pages are writers who appear young and are now busy in their adventures of young Simba and his friends in the Lion King story. Others who appear youngsters also, are presenting us with Beauty And The Beast. We are proud of them and so happy to have them.
Azrael, the angel and Flavia Amytas, both Protectors are embroiled in a story of evil and heartbreak.
The mystery deepens with more and more evidence of John Dee's influence in the library even though the man has been "dead" for hundreds of years.
We are proud to be featured in The Pan Historian and hope that each of you will come by and visit our library, enjoy the beautiful place Flavia has created, and read the wonderful stories there.
But, be careful which book you pick up.
