Some time ago, I began collecting book themed ornaments. As a writer, any book related item is fascinating.
It started with the little dark haired girl balancing on a pile of books (bottom shelf), and became somewhat of an obsession for a while. Many ornaments I have found in thrift stores, and a couple were gifts.
I love the variations of these delightful pieces – some are quirky, like the tree-man and sleeping elf, while others match my love of fantasy, such as the two witch figures.
If I see a nice ornament with a book, or books, I do buy it, but think that I might need to invest in a bigger shelving system!
What do you collect?
Why did you start collecting those specific items?
There are numerous movie adaptions of novels, and many we know well, due to their multiple adaptations. This is a list of the most frequently adapted stories. I also noted the first publication date, which shows how particular stories hold our imaginations, over and over. These span from the 15th century to the 19th century.
Hamlet Originally published 1599-1601 Adapted over 31 times
Pride and Prejudice Originally published 28th January 1813 Adapted 28 times
Frankenstein Originally published 1st January 1818 Adapted over 37 times
A Christmas Carol Originally published 19th December 1843 Adapted over 44 times
The Three Musketeers Originally published July 1844 Adapted over 10 times
Les Miserables Originally published 1862 Adapted over 50 times
Alice in Wonderland Originally published November 1865 Adapted over 20 times
Sherlock Holmes Originally published October 14th 1892 Adapted over 44 times
Dracula Originally published May 26th 1897 Adapted over 62 times
And Then There Were Non Originally published 6th November 1939 Adapted over 10 times
It is the magic of a gripping, relatable and empathic narrative that makes these stories so captivating. No matter how many times we read them, or even watch them, there is a deep seated attachment to the characters, their plight and how they develop within the story.
We all have our favorites from these titles. They have become traditional, a part of society’s fabric and will continue to do so in one way or another, I am sure. As an author, I can only hope one of my stories will be as well loved and cherished as these author’s work.
Which one is your favorite?
For me it is Alice as I love the delightful world inhabited with surreal beings.
I let you know I was behind on my 2022 reading challenge recently. To help me catch up, I put several local author books on top of my pile. I’d purchased these when I attended two recent book events, Words on the Street and Words in the Park.
As you know I always review every book I read on Goodreads, so you can find my reviews of these books there.
Read books:
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
Whistler’s Night by H.M. Sander
Ready to Burn by Mandy Michelle
Saving Grace (Heart’s Haven book 2) by Katie O’Connor
It is always surprising when you get a notification from WordPress as to your blog anniversary. This is quite the milestone. There is effort in maintaining my blog schedule and coming up with new content, but the most enjoyable part is the connection I have with my followers. So a huge thank you for accompanying me on this journey.
Happy Anniversary with WordPress.com! You registered on WordPress.com 12 years ago. Thanks for flying with us. Keep up the good blogging.
I have a good friend, Karen who has a book swap with several friends and family and I am lucky to be part of it. I collected my next batch for my ‘to be read’ pile last week. It is, as ever, an eclectic mix of genres and authors. Something I enjoy, as reading outside our ‘comfort’ zone gives us pleasant surprises and a new venture into stories otherwise unread. Some are successful, some not, but without the opportunity to read, we would never know. This is the current stack I will be making my way though.
What do you have on your TBR pile? Is it as varied? Which authors do you gravitate towards?
And remember today is National Book Lovers Day! So another celebration.
August 1st is a holiday here in Alberta, so it was nice to have an extra long weekend. I’m please to day my ‘stalled’ situation in the completion of book two of The Delphic Murders – The Tainted Search – was overcome and I managed to finish the manuscript. It is now in the hands of a few beta-readers. It was such a relief to finally overcome the hurdle. I will let it ‘rest’ for a month and then go back to it for the next round of editing and revision. In the meantime, I have other dormant manuscripts I can return to, but as with all things it may not go to plan. I had a new idea for a contemporary novel and also have the idea for a prequel to the Rython saga. Never a dull moment in a writer’s mind!
As you know I enjoy sharing my responses to writing prompts, this is my latest:
Characters in a Crunch Write a scene or story that includes a character eating cereal. What does a character’s favourite cereal say about their personality?
Regimented Rosemary
Rosemary sat at the small round breakfast table, set for one with a place mat, napkin, silver cutlery and a pot of tea with a china cup and saucer to match. She set it every night before going to bed. Everything in its place and orderly. As she looked through the window at the garden, enjoying the fruits of her many hours of labour over several decades, she spooned mouthfuls of cereal into her mouth. As a child she always loved her grandmother’s English cottage garden. Hollyhocks, honeysuckle, roses, and all the colours of the rainbow all in perfect rows. Now, her garden was a joy to her grandchildren, she had come full circle.
With deliberate care she spooned around the bowl to make sure she had a good mixture of ingredients. She didn’t like overly sweet or one type cereal, she found it boring and the sugary treats stuck to her dentures. Over time she had created the perfect start to her day. Bran, fresh berries, oatmeal and a little honey. Her breakfast kept her regular, gave her a portion of fruit and filled her up. When she stayed with family, she took her ingredients with her, just to ensure she didn’t have to suffer store bought cereal.
Rosemary enjoyed short stays with family but had to resist tidying and organizing when she did. People lived in such chaos! Her home was picture perfect and that is the way she liked it. Orderly contents in cupboards and closets and a check list for everything. With the last scoop of her cereal she patted her lips with the napkin, then took the crockery to the sink, washed and dried everything and put them away.
Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers 