Book House Kickstarter

TRANSCRIPT FROM BOOK HOUSE KICKSTARTER 2014


Greetings, Good Listeners.  Have you time for a quick story?

Once upon a town there squatted a meek dwelling with majestic powers stretching beyond its leaning walls and painted structure.  By name and appearance, the building submitted to a history and style that referred to its being as a house.  By reputation and merit, however, it became much more.  It was a home.

The walls were shelved with wooden planks fastened by nails and bedded by glue.  The planks were blanketed with printed packages, hard covers and soft, quilted categorically and snuggly.  The packages were wrapped with words, endlessly coiled through meaning and purpose, transcending time and space, surviving the Gods that conceived them.  The words were laced with spirited blends of fantasy, adventure, wonder, and awe, all working within the mind as a means of releasing the soul.  The magical essence of this place came directly from these words; millions of them, a network of tiny little taxis ready to transport any open mind to an unexpected destination.  Entertainment, enlightenment, inspiration, comfort, education, escape…these were all residents of Rock Hill at one point.  For 27 years, these walls, these planks, these packages, this home would act as a gateway into the imagination; their words would be vessels steering into the unknown.  This was at a time when readers would flock to The Book House.

Dimly lit days had fallen upon the neighborhood landmark.  Its doors were forced to close.  Its books were forced to move.  The building was forced to come down.  T'was dark, that last night was, all hope suspended, a family's dreams postponed.  An entire highway to enlightenment and escape and adventure abandoned.  Only a candle's flicker was left to warm the chill air left stale by such poor circumstances.  And how long until the wax would cry out its tears?

Long enough, it turns out.  Long enough for a cluster of locals, loyalists and book-lovers to see the light and respond.  The flicker was enough to ignite the passion of a community.  Friends, neighbors, family members, strangers - all enthusiastic readers - pulled their hands out of their pockets to forge a new bond that would help bring The Book House to a new location, one more vibrant than the last.  Volunteers and contributors would support the recovery just as stoically as new walls would support new shelves.  The Book House would open once again, bowing humbly to all those who'd lent their time, sweat and passion.

Now a year later, the move is a memory, but the struggle to keep moving is ever more prevalent.  The debts of the past and the challenges of the future crash their waves, sliding each step in the sand further back than where it began.  The flicker is back.  With great accomplishment has come great battle.  Resources, soldiers, strength, hope wane.  Replenishment is required.

Yes, I admit, our tale is a somber one; but at least it's one still being told.  If Rock Hill represents the setting of our first chapter, can you help us write our second?

Thanks for following along, Good Listeners.  We'll see you at The Book House.