Author's Preface
Friday, 13 July 1894
Ryn, you wonderful thief! My brother gave me a gift today, a half-birthday gift he called it. He was stupid and stole it to get it, but I love it anyway. The library here had a copy of From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne, but it was in French and I was having a hard time reading it so I stopped. I don't know how he found it but Ryn found an English translation and stole it for me!
I can't wait to start reading it. Jules Verne is wonderful with his crazy stories of adventure. I wish I could escape on some adventure away from Montrose. Ryn and I could leave and go somewhere away from all the blethering brats calling me witch and demon and banshee.
The best thing about his stories is they help my dreams. They're still scary mostly but I don't dream so much about mum and dad. It's not as bad if when I wake up I can know it was never real.