A Few of My Favourite Things

I love writing and it's my favourite thing to do but sometimes I like to have a break and do something different. I have several hobbies and I like collecting old books, and doing artwork. I make paper and fabric sculptures and paint pictures of woodland creatures. And I must confess sometimes I do that when I should be writing but I really do love browsing through second hand book stores to see what I can add to my growing collection. This week I added three books. Since I love art, especially illustrative art, I like to collect children's books. I know it might seem strange collecting children's books but I love the artwork in them and one day I'll give them to my grandchildren. This week I was lucky to find a hard cover illustrated version of the Wind in the Willows. See below and some lovely illustrations from it.

 And I found one book for me in pretty good condition from 1969. It's just over fifty years old and called, The Scarlet Pimpernel which is about an English spy during the French Revolution for those of you who aren't familiar with it. I love the pretty gold scroll work on the cover. I have a version of Lorna Doone like that as well published around the same time. Below is a copy of the title page. Some times people write messages in them which is lovely. I have a copy of Tom Brown's School Days from 1920's and there is a lovely hand written message on the title page. It says, To Richard, first prize for knowledge of catechism. I love when people put messages in books, especially when you find one from an older time. It's priceless. 

So as far as my own writing is concerned I'm polishing up a book I rescued from the closet and a couple of others as well which is progressing. And I always seem to have too many ideas for a book and sometimes I just let the ideas mull at the back of my mind for awhile before I decide what I'm going to do and I scribble ideas and draw characters in my notebook until it all comes together. I think I'm at that point at the moment of starting a completely new project and I just may be working on two at the same time as one of them will take a while to write. Anyway best get back to the writing page. Happy reading and writing until next time.