Cover story: Her Tales to Tell by Aimee Lortskell Given the choice of having no input on this release (which likely would have meant a bland compilation of singles) or taking an active part, Tori came through and actually did something pretty damn neat which once again shows us just how dedicated she is to her work. The bonus DVD is also truly a bonus, with the inspired inclusion of live footage sans obnoxious audience. A Note from The Librarian This is more of a chronicle of what we know of Tori from 1990 to 2003. So it's from her perspective of the last many years, having traveled around the world and going through her own personal stuff. It had to represent a whole musical spectrum because that's very much a part of the story. It's not just the ballads. It's not just what you heard on the radio.

Feature article: Scarlet's Walk by the Numbers by Brian Tanaka The Scarlet's Walk tours are over and Tori is home enjoying family life with Mark and Tash. It's a well-deserved rest considering the veritable mountain of music she played during the ten months of the 2002/2003 tour ("On Scarlet's Walk" and "Lottapianos" combined). Of course, numbers are interesting but they don't tell all. The Tori experience is a matter of quality not quantity, even when the quantity at hand is an embarrassment of riches such as this.

Ask the Expert: Ask the Expert by Nadyne Mielke Our expert answers your questions about collectibles, the multiple 'Glory of the 80s' singles, conventions, and the elusive official archive. You can buy the first and second 'Glory of the 80s' single at Amazon!

Multimedia: Album review: Tori Appears In Mona Lisa Smile by Cheryl LaFountain It's weird, at first, to see Tori actually standing in front of an old-time microphone, instead of seated behind a piano, but as she sizzles her way through "Murder He Says," and "You Belong to Me," she looks and sounds as if she belongs in the era. The strength of this soundtrack is in its inspired pairings of just the right voices to these classic songs, bringing something new to each one while retaining their old-fashioned appeal.

Essay contest winners: She's looking at you. Oh my god, you're sitting across from her, and she's looking at you. Blue-gray and more intense than you imagined. Say something. Anything. No, not anything. Wait, did she just say something? Don't look away, don't look away. Winter. I must have listened to the thirty second piano solo twenty five times. I had never played an instrument in my life (except for the recorder for a week in fifth grade), but I finally understood what people meant when they said that music is the universal language. How to describe how I felt at that moment -- frightened, sad, blissful, in pain, in love? And the stark and simple lyrics brought me to tears. Tombigbee is the story that will never be found in history books. Its survival is dependent on word of mouth. Amos has an obligation to keep the story alive. If she is lucky, her audience will leave with Tombigbee's message etched firmly in their memories.