Story Details
Published on 2021-11-01
In this poem, the seven times seven kinds of beings all frequent the most exotic of book emporiums, where there is something for every interest and the most diverse of mythic characters may chance to undertake adventures beyond their own persuasions.
Author Details
Mary Soon Lee was born and raised in London, but has lived in Pittsburgh for over twenty years. Her two latest books are from opposite ends of the poetry spectrum: "Elemental Haiku," containing haiku for the periodic table (Ten Speed Press, 2019) and "The Sign of the Dragon," an epic fantasy with Chinese elements (JABberwocky Literary Agency, 2020). After twenty-five years, her website has finally been updated: marysoonlee.com. Lastly, here's a bit about the poem. Often when I sit down to start writing a poem, I begin by reading a few entries in "The Daily Poet," a book of writing prompts by Kelli Russell Agodon and Martha Silano. Sometimes a prompt takes hold and forms the seed of a poem, even though I may not follow the directions exactly. I wrote "Mythic Book Emporium" after reading an entry that made me think about my favorite bookstores. One in particular -- At the Sign of the Dragon, owned by Marion and Richard Van Der Voort -- was very important to me when I was growing up. I've loved reading since I was very small, but it's usually a solitary pursuit. Their bookstore let me feel that I was part of a community of readers. In writing the poem, it made me happy to imagine an even wider community of readers, encompassing fantastical creatures, some of whom wander out of their section. As a footnote, this poem sparked further poems about different types of readers, such as "What Phoenixes Read" and "What Aliens Read." I love it when writing one poem leads to others.
Illustrator Details
Jane is the Founder of Chroma Marketing Essentials, a digital marketing agency located in Jeannette PA. She holds a degree in Visual Communications from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and more years of experience than she cares to count. Before founding CME, Jane worked as an Artist, Art Lead, Art Director, and Project Manager for the computer game developer DreamForge Intertainment, where she worked on a number of early computer games, including Roger Zelazny’s Chronomaster. Jane, a lifetime fan of science-fiction and fantasy, has joined her husband Scot in forming DreamForge Magazine.
Mythic Book Emporium, by Mary Soon Lee
Author Details
Mary Soon Lee was born and raised in London, but has lived in Pittsburgh for over twenty years. Her two latest books are from opposite ends of the poetry spectrum: "Elemental Haiku," containing haiku for the periodic table (Ten Speed Press, 2019) and "The Sign of the Dragon," an epic fantasy with Chinese elements (JABberwocky Literary Agency, 2020). After twenty-five years, her website has finally been updated: marysoonlee.com. Lastly, here's a bit about the poem. Often when I sit down to start writing a poem, I begin by reading a few entries in "The Daily Poet," a book of writing prompts by Kelli Russell Agodon and Martha Silano. Sometimes a prompt takes hold and forms the seed of a poem, even though I may not follow the directions exactly. I wrote "Mythic Book Emporium" after reading an entry that made me think about my favorite bookstores. One in particular -- At the Sign of the Dragon, owned by Marion and Richard Van Der Voort -- was very important to me when I was growing up. I've loved reading since I was very small, but it's usually a solitary pursuit. Their bookstore let me feel that I was part of a community of readers. In writing the poem, it made me happy to imagine an even wider community of readers, encompassing fantastical creatures, some of whom wander out of their section. As a footnote, this poem sparked further poems about different types of readers, such as "What Phoenixes Read" and "What Aliens Read." I love it when writing one poem leads to others.
Illustrator Details
Jane is the Founder of Chroma Marketing Essentials, a digital marketing agency located in Jeannette PA. She holds a degree in Visual Communications from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and more years of experience than she cares to count. Before founding CME, Jane worked as an Artist, Art Lead, Art Director, and Project Manager for the computer game developer DreamForge Intertainment, where she worked on a number of early computer games, including Roger Zelazny’s Chronomaster. Jane, a lifetime fan of science-fiction and fantasy, has joined her husband Scot in forming DreamForge Magazine.
