Books, again!

Well, my brain is somewhat able to function again this morning. Maybe it helps to see the blue sky! The past few days, heaven helped me water the garden.... a little bit excessively, but still, thanks for the help!

One of the bonuses of having fits of coughing in the middle of the night and being unable to go back to sleep is, that I had time to read! And as it happened I had just bought a pile of books! Time Bites, by Doris Lessing, Irish Women Letters, compiled by Laurence Flanagan, Ghost light by Joseph O'Connor, and They Came like Swallows, by William Maxwell. (All courtesy of Vibes ad Scribes in Cork. A 'dangerous' place to go into...) From the library I borrowed Sea of Love, Sea of Loss - letters to Olive by John Quinn. I haven't had this many books in one go for along time!

During the writing weekend in Cuisle (thanks to the IWA writing competition- see archive ) the facilitator, Michael J.Farrel, suggested reading to help with current writing projects. Good plan!

I started with They Came like Swallow and I simply loved it. Devoured it!

The beauty of the story, the great use of language, funny, sad, brilliant imagery. I'll give you a few samples: The Koenings were German, but they couldn't help that; Blindfolded and set down like the suitcases, Robert would have known where he was; Bunny saw that there was arithmetic in her eyes; He turned his head quickly and focused his attention upon the Japanse pilgrims who were climbing in and out among the folds of the curtains.

I was overjoyed to have found this book, probably because I loved the cover and the title.

This book is now shared First Place with Tove Jansson's book Fair Play.

Next choice was Sea of Love, Sea of Loss - letters to Olive. I remember John Quinn on his great radio program 'The Curiuos Mind' at one time reading a letter to Olive (his wife who had passed away). The bit I remembered was about a 'down and out' he met in St.Stephens' Green in Dublin. '... he embraced me (I can hear you laughing!), leaned forward and whispered in my ear: "The seed in your heart shall blossom...'

This little line meant a lot to me when I heard this and was in the midst of a 'rough time' myself. Glad, to have read it at this point in my life, when I feel 'my seed has blossomed!

It is funny how of late I have these lovely little 'flutters in my belly' when I sit in the 'reading chair' in my study/library/ (office/spare bedroom/storeroom). I get this sense that something creative is bubbling up in my belly. It is even more exciting as I have no idea what is to be 'born'!

As even seeing the pile of books, is enough to set the butterflies free, I can imagine that the 'creative bubbles' are down to a writing project. Although I'm well to aware that writing for me is never just writing. For me a book is more of a book, when there are images in it.

So, what's in store? The only thing I certain about is, that whatever I'll write will be close to my heart, and will be writing about my world, either life in my beloved garden, or the "world in my head" as in the Cirrus Chronicles (of which the second story is about half way). Reality and fantasy. I can live with that. Watch this space, is all I can say. (That is, ... if you are interested to read about how the creative bubble exploded? :-)