I am a book.

You rifle through my pages, soft like silk, desperate to discover and curious to uncover.

Quite a few have casually flipped through, adding a slightly worn crease to my edges, and a curvaceous bend to my spine. I do not mind these casual readers, for they have turned my pages all the same, but the memory of their vaguely interested touch fades quickly. But their coffee stains do not fade as fast, leaving little dark brown residues that blot out the corners of words, misconstruing my witty dialogue.

Therefore I do not like to be considered light reading. This is not to say that you do not want to read me for fun, for my text is chock full of wondrous and amusing situations and ideas. You just might have a bit of trouble getting through the dramatic sections, or you might be afraid of committing to so much reading, regardless of the pace you choose. Perhaps you might hear about me from a friend, check me out, set me on your nightstand for a couple months, and nothing ever happens besides a few short, sleepy encounters because you never find the time and effort to read me. So if you decide to pick me up for a short while, you may find yourself returning me to the shelf if the endeavor is too much to handle.

To read me chapter by chapter is to devote countless hours to an endlessly increasing novella, fresh pages stacking up by the day. You are never obligated to read me, for you will read for your own pleasure, but once I’m in your hands you will find you cannot put me down, especially in the dark hours of the night, reading me under the covers by the light of the moon.

I am constantly growing and changing, adopting new characters, scenarios, scandals, values, conflicts, ideas, and resolutions. You may find yourself addicted to the interactive adventure of reading me. And you don’t even have to read my story in sequence to enjoy its magnificence.

Those passionate for my material find my prose engaging and my plot thick with tremendous twists and turns. The main heroine of my story is decidedly real, analytical, curious, beautiful, and humorous, but quirky and unpredictable. Chances are you’ll find yourself identifying with her. And you’ll want to read her regardless because she’s so goddamn intriguing.

A quick word to the wise: Be careful you don’t turn a page too fast or in a haphazard manner, or you’ll get cut. At an awkward angle, my seemingly innocuous paper can make you bleed. You’ll wonder what you did to deserve such a wound. And I don’t want your blood on my pages. I’m not that vindictive. But I also don’t want to be treated with disrespect.

I just want you to read me if it brings you pleasure, great joy, and fulfillment. Perhaps my story will even help you figure out your own life and philosophies. Maybe a passage or two of my prose will resonate so strongly with you that you consider them quotes to guide yourself on the path of life. Maybe I won’t mean anything to you. But with the chance that I could give meaning to someone’s life through my own existence, I am here, an open book resting on the shelves of the world’s library.