I don't often write romance, but this short story is perhaps the exception to prove the rule. A Silent Romance Amongst Words was written for the Books and Borrowing project, and did rather well 😊 It was inspired by the loan sheet from Innerpeffray Library - a venue which held one of my book launches way back in 2017! If you would rather, you can read it in-situ here ! A Silent Romance Amongst Words It had been a long winter. Kitty Duff’s hand rested on the books in her lap, willing herself to believe in them. It had been almost four months since Mister Grenville had recommended them to her. She could still remember his expression. He had smiled, a squint smile which had allowed it to remain hidden from Kitty’s chaperons. That week, they had been her guardian’s gardeners, who had as little interest in books as any men could. She had picked out volumes for them, recommending books with enough pretence of interest to satisfy them. But her books had been chosen very carefully. She
A couple of years ago, I wrote a blog post about Writing from Artefacts about a box of historical objects I received as a gift. Each month of 2024, I hope to build on this and introduce you to some of the artefacts I've gathered over the years. These are all things which have been - at least in part - inspirations for me, and I hope they will give you a few extra ideas along the way for your own writings...
The old organ in Thomaskirche
It's probably unsurprising that I'm starting with musical instruments, since music is my day job! There tends to be music in all my stories, and there is something very special about connecting to the music of the past. When I went on my German adventure in 2013, it was very special to visit Thomaskirche in Leipzig, where Bach was the Director of Music for more than quarter of a century.
Here are three of my own little musical treasures...
Music is something which is here to stay - its forward-facing legacy at least as long as its past. Whatever you are writing, whatever time or whatever place, music would always be a part of life. It is wonderful to be able to hold and study instuments made in traditional ways and with traditional crafts.
I have no idea what the age of these drums are, but they are made in a traditional style, using hollowed wood and animal skins. I would love to know more about where they came from and who made them, but there is no clue that I can find about either thing.
I got this bugle from a local auction. It is a military instrument, probably from WWI. Not being a wind musician at all, I can't get a note out of it, but Judith (our resident trumpeter) managed to play The Last Post on it. It was a very strange thing to hear that music on an instrument which - in all likelihood - had not played it for a century. Every dent on here has its own story, and I love imagining what that story might be.
Delving a little further back in time, this drum dates from the turn of the 20th Century. Again, it came from a local auction but from a different house clearance. This is a marching drum, still carrying its original (as far as I can tell!) skin on one side, although this is now torn, while the other side has been fitted with a synthetic skin.
Caithness held many Mafeking Night celebrations and - judging by the age and style of this drum - this could easily be a part of those celebrations.
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