Chronique écrite par Stéphanie Manitta
It's been almost a year since I started writing this column in the Gazette du Village. Already! Many of you have appreciated the arrival of Celebrian, my little alien, who now comes to visit you every three months. Some of you have even shared your opinions and asked for more. Your trust and compliments mean the world to me. Thank you so much!
If you've missed the previous chapters, let me remind you that I'm talking about a Being from elsewhere. She – yes, She – bears the name of an elf. This little EENI* embodies light, innocence, and celebration. And she is ready to live many more adventures with you in 2024.
Spring is in the air as you read my lines, and I continue my fantastic chronicle around a place with a special aura. If you've ever let off steam, nourished, or hydrated yourself at the Village du Soir, you should enjoy this fifth chapter.
She has grown a lot since her first gaze upon the Carrosserie. Yes, she has grown since her first steps out of the metal barrel that saw her birth. A year ago, in an office, she discovered the Gazette without knowing it would speak of her. Does she know it now? A year ago, she settled on the shoulder of a young author to explore the Village Market, then on someone else's shoulder to enjoy an exhibition. Has she ever landed on yours?
Today, the author is not here, and Celebrian, although she is physically developed, feels something new: nostalgia. The alien thinks she loved coming into the world. Every light, every spark in the eye, every creation seemed new to her. She had everything to discover, feelings to let bloom, people to meet.
Oh, she is, of course, happy to have experienced all this and even happier to have opened her eyes this morning. She is pleased to find Pueblo, the Gazette's mascot who wanders from page to page. But despite her youth, she already feels like she has lived everything. The EENI finds it a shame to have explored and learned so quickly, on the shoulders of the Village's visitors or alongside passionate staff. Is this why she feels so much weariness?
Celebrian doesn't realize the passing of time and all that she has absorbed. Suddenly, she remembers. The author may not be present here today, but she saw her again at a previous market. The images impose themselves on the alien; jewelry, sculptures, pottery, clothes, recycled candles, wood carving, crochet, illustrations, natural stones, soaps... books. Celebrian felt that partnerships would happen, and partnerships there were! Crocheted tote bags and wooden bookmarks accompanied a certain "Body of the Soul - No Luck for You" upon its release. And Celebrian, in addition to revisiting the stands, feels from afar the gratitude of the artists who collaborated on this work.
The alien realizes what she's missing, in fact: perspective. One year was enough for her to meet incredible merchants and artists, enough to go on hunts for lost objects, enough to dance all night to unforgettable rhythms, enough to escape from zombies or marvel in Atlantis, enough to see collaborations emerge. Above all, she considers herself lucky to have celebrated this milestone on December 31, to have made a wish by sprinkling glitter in her life.
So, the nostalgia and weariness disappear. Because Celebian has experienced more than all the villagers combined. The EENI finds her courage and her smile again; they bloom. She now opens up to her own light, her own spark in the eye, her own creation. Her blossoming, she owes it to her courage to have come out of her barrel, but also to having found the shoulders of people as perches.
A new Village Market is happening at the dawn of spring. In March, April, and May, numerous events are organized to sing, move, dream. Celebrian is proud of this too. She is especially grateful to have been a part of it for more than a year.
**Unidentified Strange Being
Highlighting Littera'Louve
Dear friends of words,
I have the immense honor to highlight here the enterprise I founded at the beginning of this year, 2024.
Littera'Louve is my desire to offer virtual or in-person spaces for shared dedication.
Whether it's a work of fiction or non-fiction, it evolves with you in a safe environment. It's not about learning to write, but rather about bringing your novel, your collection, your journal, or any other writing project to its full potential.
Born in Geneva, I started writing at a young age because it allowed me to channel my hypersensitivity. Later, I became a social worker for ten years. I have already published two contemporary novels and have the ambition to write twenty-seven more, in various genres.
With Littera'Louve, I use my skills to guide you through the seasons, in groups, and help you finally reveal your writing.
The workshops start at the end of March, there's still time to register! You will find all the offers on my website, under the dedicated tab. And, of course, I remain at your disposal for any information or personalized request.
Most importantly, see you soon between our lines.
Stéphanie Manitta
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