A Book Lover’s Dream…

First, I want to start by saying I’m home after three weeks away and wow. The weather on the west coast was phenomenal, especially in comparison to the rain and gloom that I left behind. We had sunshine and heat! And when I say heat, I mean I had to go buy a couple of weather appropriate outfits because the capris that I took needed a break against the three days of 28C. It was glorious. My break from home was relatively unwanted although I was the one who agreed to go out and house and dog sit for my son. I was fearful of leaving my house during “sump pump season” and I couldn’t have done it without an amazing neighbour who kept an eye on things as well as picked up my mail. I’m so appreciative of good friends. The three weeks that I was away were productive for writing and gave me tons to consider for blogging. This blog is the first of those results.

Those who know me know that I don’t give away books from my “collection”. I love libraries and have a ton of gratitude for the service they provide to communities but I enjoy owning my books. I’ve been known to loan out my books but I expect them back.

When I go into a bookstore I have a difficult time walking away from a book with a good dust cover. One that makes me want to crack it open and start reading right there, standing up with no regard to anyone else around. I had a couple of days with my son before he and his then girlfriend, now fiancèe, left on their trip. We went out and I requested a stop at his local bookseller. As soon as we walked in there was a table of books set out to grab attention. I picked one up based on the title and the beautiful front cover. It spent a few second in my hands and was replaced on its pile with some sadness. There were good reasons to put it back. I was travelling and conscious of the weight of my luggage and I’m trying to be more careful with extra spending now that I’m retired. (That’s a whole other story - LOL!) Also, my “next to read” pile is very long already and I had taken a good book with me within which I’m thoroughly engrossed. I didn’t need a new book. So, two days later after the “kids” had left on their vacation, I was back in the bookstore and not only did I buy that one but I found another that I couldn’t leave behind.

I arrived on a Wednesday night and by Saturday I was sick with a nasty cold. Ugh. Two sicknesses within one month! (For those that don’t know I had a stomach virus over Easter.) It was very insulting to someone who rarely gets sick. I worked on my book, adjusting my regular routine to Pacific time, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, going through many kleenexes, cold meds and lozenges. By Thursday morning I was fading badly and only put in an hour before giving in to the cold. I took a nap. By the way, I almost never take naps! Double ugh! But, I wasn’t sleeping at night between the plugged head and the exhausting cough. So, I gave in.

I remained on the sofa after awakening and opened the new book. The one that had called my name. The one with the beautiful cover and intriguing title. The one with the best back cover I’ve ever seen. No reviews or blurbs from other authors. No words extolling the wonders of this author’s works. No list of other works by the author. One question. A question that speaks to every book lover I know and in particular to me. “Have you ever wished you could live inside a book?”

Oh my goodness, YES!! Of course I have. I love books. Love, love, love books! All kinds of books. I have Winston Churchill’s World War II six book series set in a bookcase awaiting my attention. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s complete Sherlock Holmes stories. I have books from my childhood including the Anne of Green Gables series and all of the Narnia stories. My shelves have nonfiction and fiction alike. They have spy stories, love stories, fantasy, history and on and on. Nowadays I will read anything that creates the slightest curiosity in me.

I’m reading an eye-opening nonfiction book about the IRA assassination attempt on Margaret Thatcher that is so well written that you feel, I mean really feel throughout the book. When I want to be swept away I’ll reach for a novel that brings magic to life, especially if it’s alongside the world in which I live. Nora Roberts is a favourite of mine for taking me on emotional, magical rides. I soak up Daniel Silva’s stories, great spy escapades that often take place in the world of art. I’ve learned so much about the art greats from reading his books! They make me want to know more and I find myself researching the pieces about which he writes. Steve Berry has a way of taking a piece of history and turning it into something current and exciting and best of all provides information at the end about what is real and what is his imagination. There are the stories that speak to your heart like, A Man Called Ove (as much as I like Tom Hanks the book is significantly better than the movie rendition). There are those that cause you to chuckle away like Ruff by Rod Carley and those that make you ponder life in general like A New Season or The Good Women of Safe Harbour. Quite honestly the only book genre that I stay away from is horror - my imagination is far too vivid and being scared is not a thrill that I seek.

So yes, of course there are books that I would love to live in! The book that offers the question is The Astral Library by Kate Quinn. It wasn’t a hard read, especially since I lay on the couch for two days and did very little other than read. (Not to worry, I got my butt up and out the door so that the pup had regular walks!) The book was an adventure, especially appreciated since I felt so lousy and unable to engage in some of the adventures I’d originally planned for my trip. It did two things.

It made me stop and think about what books I would like to live in. This turned out to be harder than I expected. Surprisingly my answer was - not all of them. There are so many books that I love but don’t want to live inside. There are many that I would pick immediately - it’s an incredibly fun but personal question. The second thing it did was make me want to share the book. I mean really share the book. Not ask for it back but send it out. I’ll tell people about books I love, I’ll even loan them out but perhaps selfishly I want to have my books around me at home. I’ll pull out my books and reread passages, chapters or the whole book sometimes. The Astral Library lives in my mind and I’m passing it to another book lover to soak up.

I’ve already sent it out and it may seem an extravagance to spend the money on sending it in the mail but there’s something special about this book. About the question it posed. About how it took hold of my imagination. I hope that if my friend enjoys it, she too, will pass it forward.

Now, my choice for living inside a book. The first one that came to mind was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I still love the idea of opening a wardrobe and stepping through it to the land of Narnia. A dream come true!

I did some thinking about my own book. Would I want to live inside it? The truth is, I already do. I’ve mentioned it to friends and will try to explain it here. It’s like the characters are truly alive for me. Things happen that weren’t planned. How is that possible when I’m the one typing or writing? I’m not really sure. It feels like the characters know their story and my fingers just make it come alive. One of the most incredible parts of this journey has been watching the main character Abigail, Abby for short, grow and develop into the most amazing woman. Forward thinking for her time. Strong but vulnerable. She’s no wallflower. I’m almost ready to query literary agents. Every part of this adventure is new to me and I’m soaking up every second. Hoping and praying it all turns out in the positive!

Writing Retreat…

The Second Half

christine.mcauliffe@yahoo.ca