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.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you enjoyed the piece don't miss out on future posts enter your email address top right corner ^ and keep in touch on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Stars-Jeddah Writing Club

I still remember that mid-summer night, we were camping in the desert. Everyone had fallen asleep and all that remained of the fire was the glowing embers fanned by the surprising chilly breeze that playfully pushed tendrils of my hair across my face. I snuggled under the crudely woven blanket as scratched my skin. The faint smell of burnt wood mingled with the dew scented air.

I lay gazing at the sky, hypnotised by the sheer brilliance of the stars, scattered like diamonds against the luxuriously dark velvet of the sky. I felt cheated that I had never seen the beauty of the heavens, blinded by the city lights and smog, only seeing the lone star (or was it a satellite) once in a blue moon.

I felt like the only person alive on earth, in the middle of the silent desert witnessing the natural spectacle of beauty which was there free for all to enjoy, but it seemed to be wasted on humanity too occupied with diamonds on the ground to bother looking up.

I caught a movement from the corner of my eye, but it was gone before I could see what it was.

And then another movement, just on the periphery of my vision.

I shifted my gaze, and then one, two , three shooting stars, burnt across the skies. I held my breath, at nature’s firework display, and then again it repeated again and again from different parts of the sky. I felt like a guest an exclusive event, as if this display was solely for my pleasure as rest of the world slept on. 

Then a particularly bright star burnt its way across the sky determined and true to its path. A thought struck me, in the chaotic disorder of stars there is an order that we cannot see, but just because we cannot see something it does n’t mean it is n’t there. 

Or that it is n’t wonderfully beautiful.  Just as suddenly as the shower of shooting stars and meteorites had started it came to an end.

A calm serenity in the belief that my fate is in the hand of One who controls all with such beauty overtook me. Sleep demanded an end to the visual feast and slipped its dark cover over my eyes however, the light still burned within my heart.

Taylor Swift Trouble With a Twist

Dear Readers,

As you know I'm a huge Taylor Swift fan, but when I watched this new 'remix' I laughed till tears came out of my eyes. Check it out, and let me know what you think. :D

Jeddaah Writing Club -Project Masks

Dear Readers,

As I'm not in my lovely J-town these days, and have gotten into the crazy pace of London life my posts have been few and far between- I aplogise. I'ma bit confused if I should post about London on this blog or start a new one?!

While  I try and figure that out, go ahead and read my latest humble offering for Jeddah Writing Club's 4th meeting..

Leave your comments below- please!

Masks
Every morning she dons her work mask and sighs,
Clothes that hide her curves,
And a fake smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.
Compensating for her beauty with an aggressive attitude
And that dead unseeing stare through the commute.


Night brings  a more enchanting disguise,
Of turned on charm and twinkling eyes,
Fake laughter and tighter clothes,
Lonely hearts and drowning souls.


In the twilight he saw through her deception,
As he talked the strings became undone.
Her masks slipped and fell to the floor,
She wouldn't be hiding any more.

Jeddah Writing Club- A poem on Distance

Jeddah Writing Club met today for its third meeting, at the cute Layla's Gourmet cafe, very girly and perfect spot for the club to meet- except I for some reason got lost and had trouble finding it.

Its lovely hearing everyone's take on a topic. This time it was 'distance' and when I'd first heard of it-I was thrilled- oh what a wonderful topic. But when I sat down to write on it I was overwhelmed. Although I have a lot of experience of having family and friends move away, I didn't want to  actually write about something so personal to me- isn't it strange? They say you should what you know- but it is very difficult for me to open up like that- I write as an outlet of my daydreams and imagination- to exercise my mind, to let out stuff good or bad that lives in the corners of mind -to stay sane!

We have a few extremely talented poets, and they inspired me to try to write a poem for the first time since leaving school... hope you like it.

Long distance

This is not farewell but goodbye,

Promises made amid forlorn sighs.

Long hugs and held back tears,

Reassurances to allay unsaid fears,

Wet pillows and long cold nights,

Photograph held on tight,

What’s app and video Skype,

Do you feel what I cannot type?

New names and incidents,

Funny stories- repeated often.

One too many forgotten Skype dates,

You’re either busy or it’s too late.

Draining phone calls- fights or silence,

Minor things coloured by distance.

Weak connection- no sight just hollow sound,

Jealous doubts- are they unfound?

Unanswered questions fuelling frustration,

Pleading forgiveness  in clingy desperation.

Single text received after repeated calls

Sorry, can’t do this...farewell.

Jeddah Writing Club- Second Project- Words

The Jeddah Writing Club met again this Thursday,and due to urgent personal reason I was unable to make it at the last moment :-(. Everyone shared some amazing pieces which I got to read later, some of the girls write enchanting poetry, which I haven't written in a very long time- now I don't think I could write poetry without it sounding juvenile, or like a pop song or both! 

Anyhow, here is the piece I wrote- I usually despise writing in first person, in my opinion the words don't flow and I usually end up erasing what I've written. But this time I decided I need to write outside my comfort zone so here it is- honestly it is probably my most emotional piece to date. So you see any writing assignment, blog posts, I seem to find the time and words for them. Unlike the mammoth NaNoWriMo challenge of writing a 50,000 word novel in November-I am way behind.
So without further ado, please read the latest piece- the topic was quite wonderful: words
Please read and leave comments below: I'm doing this to improve so contructive criticism is welcome. :-) 

 
Unspoken Words

You joke away with such ease, while I struggle just to keep my breathing normal. My mind goes blank as foggy numbness engulfs my brain; I begin to forget who I am. It’s an arduous task to connect basic words to form a single coherent sentence-especially with you looking at me with those enquiring eyes. I can barely remember what you’ve just asked me. Just when I need to be at my wittiest, humorous, and bewitching version of myself all I can hear is the pounding of my heart as the blood leaves my brain.  How have I turned into a stuttering, reticent, socially-awkward teenager? I despair to share with you my essence, my light. But how could I hold up a match to a bonfire?

When you are gone, ideas flow effortlessly: witty comebacks, flirty remarks, and profound conversation that would last hours. The words are never heard by you, but they are real to me, knitted into the very fabric of my being. But you don’t know that, how could you?

My whole face lights up when you come into the room.  I hope that in my eyes, that meet yours with difficulty, you will hear silent pleading for you to sit next to me. With my shy smiles and ready acceptances of your suggestions, I wish to show my whole-hearted submission to your wants and whims...My incessant fidgeting and restlessness is my way of expressing the torture that it is for me to see you. But I know that you don’t see me, no, not really.

How could you? When she’s in the room the rest of our existence loses focus and blends into the background.  Her charm is hypnotic, it has always been. When you’ve been burnt by the brilliant sun, maybe then you will turn to the moon in all its pale imperfection. Only then will you feel the quiet beauty in the cool shade of the night. Or maybe you will be enchanted by another brilliant star, another idol to bow down to. But not me, no we both yearn to efface ourselves in worship-not be the object of adulation.

NaNoWriMo 2012

Dear Readers,

Its official. I've finally lost my mind. For many years its been touch and go. But finally its happened.I have decided to undertake what is the ultimate challenge for me, and write a 50,000 word novel, in 30 days of November, a rough draft only mind you, totake part in National Novel Writing Month.

All I can say is that I have a vague concept a few scenes only 2300 words, am way behind target, and there is a gaping whole where the plot should be.

So what am I doing blogging. Well it turns out I can write a blog postsuddenly with sero efort, yet typing words in my novel is like trying to perform a tooth extraction on myself sans the anaesthesia!

I procrastinate every which way possible, even cleaning my room seems like a better option than writng my novel, and I'm ashamed to admit I get ideas in the middle of prayer-really need to work on my concentration.

Wish me luck any tips from fellow NaNoWriMo particpants welcome.

Geekfest Gamma Jeddah Review

Dear Readers,

I usually suppress my inner Geek in Jeddah, but last Thursday, I got Geek-out in public, and not receive any weird looks! 

My fave bit of the event was the first and last Geek Speaks and chatting with other geeks:

GeekTalks- the Cliff notes verison ;-)

Yasser Bahjatt and Ibraheem Abbas : sci-fi writers in the Arabic language. 

They started off the talk rather humorously asking us  an important question: 

What a Geek resident of Jeddah was called? 

A ‘Jeddi’! Of course, the crowd loved it.

Other nuggets:

There seemed to be a correlation between number of sci-book published and number of international patents produced by an area. Although they didn’t argue causality, it could possibly be education levels or an interest in science- or a larger geek community maybe?

They also mentioned a couple of sci-books which seemed to predict future technological advances- which could only be thought of as pure fiction when they were written.

Some notable examples were:

H.G Wells- predicting the invention of the atomic bomb in his book The World Set Free written in the year 1914. The atomic bomb was used in 1945 by the peace loving US of A.

Paris in the 21^st century by Jules Verne foretold skyscrapers- glass ones at that in 1863

So reading sci-fi might actually open up the mind and imagination, and instead of saying that’s impossible and people might instead say why not and then try and create and innovate.

Claire Sale

 She spoke about collaboration within the geek community and tried to interact with the audience to gauge what topics people would like to cover in the future, and where they want to see Geekfest in the future.

Tasneem

The woman behind Gcon-A female-only gamers convention in Riyadh, gave the next talk. Yes that was not a typo, you read correctly female-only. The brains behind this initiative Tasneem, showed what a steep hill it was for girl gamers, to get support and sponsors and how the established giants (or as she called them dinosaurs) were incredulous at the existence of female gamers in KSA despite looking at the numbers showed to them by Tas and her team. Thankfully they were able to get sponsorship by new forward thinking entrepreneurs.

Graphytes (Geek speakers as well as sponsors of the event)

Ammar  Sabban made some interesting points on design thinking and how it made much more sense to develop a human based approach to design rather than a functional one. 

The second speaker Hashim T Zain really worked the crowd, and woke me up for sure. If he wants to he could easily become a stand-up comedian/African American pastor as portrayed on TV, he was highly entertaining. He mentioned that these days we are surrounded by distractions, such as our email, twitter, facebook, blogs, etc that we don’t have time to create.

So he didn’t suggest to abandon all our social media accounts but rather to minimise the time we spend on them to ensure we have time to create.

I think this is very good advice- a bit obvious but true. Whenever I’m creating stuff- or living life, I spend less time on social media, just check in- and do the essential updates, I use it as a tool.

But when I spend my life engrossed with social media and online activities, I only have a virtual life, and nothing gets created, nothing productive.

They recommended 2 great design books to check out:

• Thinker toys by Michael Michaelko
• Change By Design – by Tim Brown

This was followed by a comic-making activity, the 5 –frame challenge- for those who wished to participate, and they would look at the comics and give their advice on what potential you had: writer, illustrator, both.

I decided that I had exhausted my creativity at the JeddahWriting Club earlier that day and decided to have chat with fellow geeks.

Geeks discuss

This included but was not limited to:

• Which sci-fi apocalyptical scenario was most likely?
• Sci-fi vs fantasy- (FYI- I’m a fantasy fan)
• Similarities between LORT and HP, ( Noooo, I refuse to believe Gollum and Dobby have any similarities)
• The real message behind various fairy tales- which was interesting, I need to interview iHuzzo, and do a detailed post, you don’t have to agree with her but I’m fascinated by her analysis
• And last flying cars... yes they do exist

A shout out to Khayra B, Tasneem, and Huda for enjoyable geek-worthy conversation.

TechnoCases

• A Samsung sponsored Angry birds tournament- Yes, you could have put your raging poultry game addiction to good use here.(The prize was a Galaxy II tablet)
• Another Samsung sponsored event was app development challenge for their new Smart TV which they had on display- proper candy for geeks.

Geek Grub

Delicious finger sandwiches, cupcakes, brownies, and pink lemonade provided courtesy of The Store.

A follow-up event was organised on Friday 12^th October at Virgin Stores Cafe who were also sponsors of the GeekFest Gamma.

Feedback-

Hopefully, Geekfest Delta will be open to the public, and everyone can enjoy some fun that doesnt involve shopping and eating!

Although I love The Store, I felt it wasn’t spacious enough for the number of attendees, and although all geeks were very accommodating and didn’t complain and we all managed good-naturedly enough something that needs to kept in mind for future events.

*This ended up being a much longer post than intended- oh well hope you enjoyed it*

Curse You Dan Humphrey- Gossip Girl

Why am I cursing poor Dan Humphrey you may ask? Well, ever since I started watching Season 5 of Gossip Girl, I've been bitten by the writing bug. Well, to be honest, I've been infected by the malady for a while now; this blog itself is an amateur attempt to practise writing something-anything, which someone might find it worthwhile reading.

Now, I find that a close friend and I have been privy to lifestyles of certain individuals which some people would find captivating and maybe even entertaining, embellished by a touch of artistic license, of course. However, only if we go ahead and breach the confidence and trust which is a tacit part of most relationships. After watching Dan Humphrey’s 'Inside' become such a success on a similar premise, although with much more salacious content, I’ve literally got the writing itch.

Another factor which both compels me and hinders me from writing a book about my life in Saudi is the sort of literature currently available on Saudi Arabia. These books usually depict the 'magic kingdom’ in a draconian light, full of cruel sheikhs inhumanly abusing and locking up women; burdened by a vicious compound of culture and religion that deserves to be reviled. The characters are almost cartoonish caricatures of a few bad individuals that exist in every society. The writers seem hell-bent on twisting the facts to appeal to the tastes of an already brainwashed anti-Middle Eastern audience. 

There is a blog based on the book, Desperate in Dubai, and although you can immediately tell its been written with the commercial aspect in mind, I don't think I could write a whole book in that strain. Correction: I could, but I wouldn't. Firstly, thank God, this is Saudi, and secondly I don't want to propagate that false gold plated Swarosky studded vodka drinking on a drug-high, sleeping around image. I'm sure there are few of those types here as well, but then I know a few of those characters exist in every country regardless of culture and religion, be it Hong Kong, Mumbai, Brunei, Singapore, Milan, Riyadh, Dubai, or Gossip Girl's New York City- Upper East Side to be exact..

When I joined the Amazon Associates program I chose the option that adverts should be shown according to the content of my blog, I was expecting some Middle Eastern themes, but as I tend to write reviews of Western literature, I thought those books would most likely be advertised on my blog. Instead, I had to deal with titles like Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil, by Jean Sassoon (Argh!).  I would have never thought possible a book could spread so much misinformation and bad PR.  

I want people to know what Saudis are really like. A very small percentage lives as Bedouins living in tents and riding camels! They are not all evil or all saints, but like most of us, somewhere in between. The stupendous rise in wealth and modern conveniences in a very short time from the seventies to eighties has no doubt created a society with curious eccentricities, which can be understood, if not always justified. I wish to lift the veil of mystery, and mistrust that shrouds Saudi Arabia and shed light on a generally hospitable people. The urban culture of the larger cities has gone through immense changes since the eighties, so the stories of old seem even more irrelevant.

That’s not to say that everybody or everything here is the same as NYC, London, or Paris, or even Dubai, although the people I socialise consider at least one of these cities their second home. Saudi Arabia has its unique flavour, and but keep your mind open and expect the unexpected.

If I feel brave enough to accept the challenge, I may share anecdotes from the lives of local residents with a bit artistic license, of course ;-)

xoxo