(1888PressRelease)
October 01, 2007 - Pepperell, MA: What do Dracula, Huckleberry Finn and Harry Potter have in common?
They all star in books that have been banned at one time or another.
September 29 through October 6 is Banned Books Week, highlighting a serious concern for independent publishers like Inanna Arthen, owner of By Light Unseen Media in Pepperell, Massachusetts. Arthen's first novel, Mortal Touch, was just released in July. Reviews have been enthusiastic, but Arthen points out, "there are people who wouldn't want you to read this book, because it deals with characters who are vampires and psychics. It would be accused of glamorizing the occult."
But the only agenda behind Mortal Touch, Arthen assures you, is to glamorize good story-telling and interesting characters. "You can say the same thing about almost all banned books," she says. "Books that are well-written and effective, and use their craft to push boundaries and defy expectations, have a tendency to provoke strong reactions. People love them or hate them, and unfortunately, when a book evokes that kind of response, there will always be people who say we should be 'protected' from it."
Independent publishers like By Light Unseen Media are the first to take a risk on books with potential to shake up the status quo, and independent booksellers make sure those books get to their readers. "The independents know that quality is what counts, and daring to be different is what makes a story entertaining. That's what keeps a book in print for generations," Arthen says. "Chances are, at least one of the best books you ever read has been challenged somewhere." The list of titles challenged or banned in the 21st century, as compiled by the American Library Association, is filled with books that today's parents remember reading when they were children.
In the spirit of the Banned Books Week slogan, "Celebrating the Freedom to Read," By Light Unseen Media has donated brand new copies of Mortal Touch to the public libraries in Pepperell and Townsend, Massachusetts. "Take a break this week," Arthen says, "and visit your local library or your friendly neighborhood small bookstore and treat yourself to a book that someone thinks you shouldn't read. Your mind will thank you for it."
To learn more about Banned Books Week, visit the website of The American Library Association, www.ala.org. For more information about By Light Unseen Media and Mortal Touch, visit http://bylightunseenmedia.com/.
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