October Short Story: If you enjoy reading, you will love this

Dear Readers,

I hope you have your cuppa tea/coffee and are ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy a sweet short story. I am back in Jeddah Writing Club and the October meeting was a resounding success. We met at the lovely Voila Cafe, acclaimed for its different kinds of hot chocolate. The member's shared amazing pieces, the topic was 'Bookshop' aka every writer's/reader's heaven! My inspiration was the the bookshop owned by Meg Ryan in the movie 'You've got mail' (one of my all time favourite movies). Yes its cheesy, I like cheese! Cheese is good. In moderation..of course.

I confess I wrote my piece on the day and the end in the car so as far as writing goes it is nothing spectacular, but I got positive feedback, I think its a good fun read especially if you know the references ;-).

One book at a time

It was a second-hand bookshop, the kind where they let you sit undisturbed in the corner or on the overstuffed couch or the big chair by the window. The kids would be gathered around the owner reading out stories for the little ones sprawled on the rug or bean bags. The smell of homemade chocolate chip cookies wafted through the shop and milk was the fashionable beverage of choice. I used to buy the C.S Lewis Narnia series and sit there reading them. I’d be back again to sell my old book and buy a new one. It was almost like a library. Except libraries were such cold dreary places for adults. No atmosphere.

It was here that my imagination thrived in the fantasy world of Harry Potter,  and Terry Pratchett.  It was here that I went through my tom-boy phase where I read heart stopping thrillers oblivious to those around me. John Grisham, Robert Ludlum, Jack Higgins I read them allwhile sporting my short hair and Doc Marten Boots.

It was again here where I discovered  my feminine side with Jane Austen and what it was to be completely involved in a romance to have words make you tingle and smile .

When I'd finish a book I would often find a little sticky note suggesting what I could read next. Sometimes the notes asked questions: whether I'd like the book why or why not, and to rank it out of 10? Whether I'd experienced something similar to what happened  on pgxx? Whether I’d ever felt that way about anyone? Whether there was a Henry or Edmund in my life? I was supposed to leave the answer in the bookshop in such and such a book (for e.g. The book of answers by Carol Bolt pg 90)

The note at the end of Mansfield Park by Jane Austen  was signed off from Edmund to Fanny, so sweet, I thought.

I found the notes  fantastic... And they added to the excitement of finishing the book. Sometimes there were tiny trinkets or charms tucked into the note in the cover, all in the theme of the book.

As I grew older I bought a book from the Mills and Boons series and instead of the last page on the first page there was a note.

I am VERY disappointed.

I was so ashamed.

I remember I dropped the book and as I was still in the bookshop and I immediately exchanged it for another one...  I didn't know the nameless faceless writer. I thought sometimes it was the lady who owned the shop or her daughter who usually served me that they wrote notes for all their regular customers.

The summer before uni started, I read Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist and I remember clearly the note asked me to hold true to my values and not let others change me, and hoping that the new experiences and studies would not put me off reading for pleasure by next summer.

I had kept the book and taken it to uni with me. As I packed my things at the end of the semester my roommate was helping me and she dropped the book and out fell the note. She read it and with raised eyebrows and a wicked smile.  

“Sooooo who is this secret admirer you've been hiding from the whole year. Who's sends you oh-so- cute messages.”

 I looked up perplexed "What admirer?!"

Then I saw the note on her hand and I shook my head, “No, no they do that for all their customers.” 

And she launched into a million questions,  and I have to admit the more I told her the more I realised it was a bit odd. Maybe for once my roommate’s imaginary romantic scenarios involving me did exist. She was always imagining things like the coffee guy gave us free cupcakes  the whole year coz he had crush on me.

(I told her it was a special offer, she told me the offer ended in September and we were now in June- whatever-she was crazy).

I went back home that summer as usual looking forward to reading and visiting the book shop but a bit more intrigued  the next book on list had been Mansfield Park-again.

Next to it was written, I know you've read this book before but you might want to read it again like an old friend. When I’d read it first I'd wanted to keep Mansfield park but I'd been short of cash and had reluctantly sold it back to the bookshop.So I was quite happy to get it again. I went and picked up the book and hurriedly looked for the note. It said:

I have been an Edmund to you in the only way I could be (given that we are unrelated) through books and little notes. I want to know now that you are all grown up and may I add you've turned into a lovely young woman would you consider giving me a chance to ask you to be mine.

I want your book to me mine to be read for the first time to be the one to pull apart the uncut pages. I want to read you every day for the rest of my life never will you be borrowed or end up in a second hand bookshop like this one.

I want to touch your brand new smooth white  pages and I will love them even more when they are yellow and dry.

I want to inhale your magazine like freshness and I will love it even more when it is has the scent of an old book.

I know until now you have lived and loved  through books.

But now I want you to live and love with me, through me.

It may not be as perfect as on paper, but it will be more powerful. 
It will be real.

Take your time. If there is someone else or...if you don't want to  I will understand.

Otherwise meet me in the classics aisle on 18^thOctober 5 pm.

I looked around I could spot no guy watching me. I ran all the way home feeling flustered. I felt shocked, annoyed, betrayed. But once I calmed down I realised,that he, whoever he was, had done me no harm, in fact he had only wished me well, helped me grow, molded me into the person that I was today.

Dear readers,

I met him , after all how could I not  and later I  married him.

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Lady Susan by Jane Austen: Book Review

You may already know that I am a die-hard Jane AUsten fan, so you cam imagine my surprise whe I discovered a book by her that I hadn't read. I recommend you read the book because its very entertaining with a sharper wit than Austen's other novels except from Northanger Abbey.


Lady Susan is a relatively less well known novel written by Jane Austen,possibly written in 1794 but not published until 1871. The author did submit the completed work for publication in her lifetime. The novel comprises almost entirely of letters between various characters. (Sense and Sensibility was orignally written in epistolary form as well).

The protagonist Lady Susan is like no heroine in 19th century English Literature, in fact, she is unlike any Austen heroine. Lady Susan is beautiful, intelligent, charming and witty as all heroines must be, but she lacks a moral compass, is 'old' has a sixteen year old daughter to boot, and is new widow. 

Lady Susan's attempts to find a suitor for her daughter against her wishes and her own flirtations, affairs  with  a younger man and attempts to snare a suitable partner for herself are rather scandalous for the time. No wonder Jane Austen did not submit the novel for publication, I don't believe 19th century England was ready for cougars in fiction even if they did exist in reality.

The book has happy ending, although I wished the end would have been a bit more drawn out, Lady Susan is given a sort of happy ending not a moral one, unlike Mansfield Park where Jane Austen punished those morally unsound.

All in all, its a good read, I liked the fact you could almost 'hear' each character as  you read their letters. The insights into the behaviour of men and women in their various roles as sister, mother, daughter and friend are so easy to relate to despite the passage of time. The physical decriptions and personality traits of different characters were cleverly included in the correspondence so that you could form a picture in your head, without it being an obvious description as written in a normal novel. You got the delicious feeling of overhearing gossip during a train ride when two friends (usually women) discuss mutual friends, none of whom you know, but by the end you feel as if you know them all quite well.

I will end as usual with some of my favourite quotes, hope they convince you to read the book:


"I cannot easily resolve on anything so serious as marriage, especially as I am not at present in want of money."
Lady Susan to Mrs. Johnson
 
"I have never yet found that the advice of a sister could prevent a young man's being in love if he chose it."
Lady Susan to Mrs. Johnson (as she tries to draw in Mrs. Vernon's brother -- it's all very complicated!)

"Where there is a disposition to dislike, a motive will never be wanting."
Lady Susan, letter 5, Lady Susan to Mrs. Johnson

North and South BBC mini series

When I first read Elizabeth Gaskell's novel North and South I was terribly moved by the book, and loved the passionate character of Margaret Hale, the fiery John Thornton, and even majestic Mrs Thornton commanded awe and respect. I always thought that a movie would not be able to do justice to this well-written work; and I usually find myself unsatisfied with film adaptations as some elements of the plot are left out or the emotions of the characters are not accurately portrayed.

So, when my best friend started raving about the BBC (2004) adaptation, I was at first reluctant to watch it. However, as I read the book a good 8 years ago the plot was hazy in my mind and I decided that if they had butchered I would not feel it as much as if it had been a recent read.

Women all over the internet were swooning over Richard Armitage’s portrayal just like my best friend, which piqued my curiosity. How did a period drama excite so much passion when it had Vampire Diaries and other shows' shirtless and steamy scenes to compete with?

Dear readers, I watched it. It was one of the most well made books to TV adaptations I have ever seen. I like thousands of other women fell in love with the smouldering John Thornton. The character is a perfect mix of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Rochester! Daniella Denby-Ashe's portrayal of the protagonist Margaret Hale was equally enthralling to watch. The chemistry between the characters was so real and engrossing that the time literally flew by when I was watching the 4 episode mini-series. In case you haven't read the book, it is about Margaret Hale and her family's sudden move from the prosperous agricultural society of the South of England to the 'dirty and smoky' industrial town of Milton in Northern England. Issues of class, cultural differences, and love are major themes. Initially Margaret takes offense to the town of Milton, its people, and its ways, and especially to Mr John Thornton, who does not seem to be a gentleman in her eyes. As time goes on and she gets to know the people and ways better, and begins to realise after rejecting him he is not as bad as she thought. The scenes between these two characters are charged with tension, as they clash on their views on how the mills’ workers are treated.

 For the first time I loved the changes made in the TV adaption, especially the last scene, the casting was perfect, the cinematography of cotton mills was beautiful, and was supported by a sweetly melodious musical score.

The last scene is in no doubt the best; both characters convey so much emotion through their eyes, that one feels immersed in their love. The audience is rooting them on with bated breath, fluttering heart, and an all over tingle. Contemporary shows could take a page from this show and realise explicit scenes are not necessary to convey depth of passion. A well written and well acted script does the job very well indeed.

Trust me if you watch the series, it will take you a while to snap out of it.
You can watch it on YouTube or on the BBC website here: