Comfort in books

Reading to make you feel better.

Comfort in books – Readers of this blog will realise that I’ve been off line for several weeks now. 2020 is proving to be a tough year for everyone but I can honestly say I have had the toughest time of my life recently. I don’t want to go into details as it’s just too painful but even books can’t provide the comfort they normally do. Concentrating long enough to finish a novel is hard at the moment. I haven’t been outside for the longest time and the lure of a bookstore isn’t even enough to get me out just yet.  I do love books and reading though and they will be there for me when I’m ready.

Spending time with book friends

Sorting out books has been something I’ve been doing to keep my mind occupied in other ways. When your world comes crashing down, there is some solace to be found in sitting surrounded by physical books and rereading certain passages.

The ornate gates in the garden leading to the Distant Hours (c) TheBookTrail

No one is going to be surprised to learn that I’ve been looking at Kate Morton’s books. The Distant Hours reminds me of a lovely visit to Sissinghurst Castle in Kent. This castle inspired Middlehurst Castle in the book and led me to visit the real location one lazy summer afternoon.

Can you hear the Distant hours sing from above? (c) TheBookTrail

Elijah’s Mermaid by Essie Fox reminds me of a lovely family holiday to Margate’s Shell Grotto. I had no idea this place existed and remember all the lovely memories, the smell of the cave, the feel of the shells on the wall and the feeling of walking back into the sunshine afterwards.

There’s this line from Hazel Gaynor’s The Cottingley Secret that made me smile:

“Often it was her dreams that transported her back to happier times, flickering sepia visions played out like a silent movie reel.”

“Sometimes it was a  remembered fragment of a favourite bedtime story……”

Mum and Dad both used to read to me. Well Dad often finished the story as mum would send herself to sleep before she got to the end of the story. I’m not sure that I really know the end to Billy Goats Gruff even now. Do they all get across the bridge safely? 😉

Audiobooks and TV adaptations of novels have been my saviour. Matt Haig’s books have also been comforting and I dip in and out of these. Knowing others feel  pain, despair, dark thoughts and feel they are unable to cope does help when the evening comes and those nighttime hours highlight every problem, thought, fear and more.

Back to the Bookworld..

The BookTrail will be back. It’s going to come back gradually. It’s what allowed me to find my space in the book world, meet great friends, go to events around the world and know how lucky I am to be able to meet so many lovely authors and bookish friends. When everything else in life has imploded, books are the one sure thing.

Thank you for all your lovely messages and support.

Susan x