The Comfort of Reading a Series by Lynne Benton

I wasn’t at all sure whether I would manage to come up with anything for this month’s blog, but I’ll do my best.  The reason for this is that my husband and I are still recovering from the dreaded Covid, which has gone on far longer than either of us had anticipated.  We’d both been double-jabbed, and were always careful re face masks etc., but still we managed to catch it – and I don’t recommend it!  In my case it started with a horrendous cough that went on all day and all night for about a week, combined with total exhaustion, and although it’s now four weeks since I caught it and the cough has more or less gone, the exhaustion remains.  I appreciate that we have both been really lucky not to have been hospitalised, like so many others, but it’s still been a difficult time.

However, and this is writing-related, you’ll be glad to know, what kept me going was reading, in particular series reads.  Normally when I’ve read one book I like to read something quite different next, but for some reason, while I was feeling so rubbish, all I wanted to do was to read a whole series, one after the other, in the right order.  (Which I could do, thanks to my wonderful Kindle!)  Maybe it was the comfort of feeling I knew the main characters, so didn’t have to start each book working out who was who and whether they could be trusted or not.  Reading more and more stories about my favourite characters was remarkably relaxing.  The series I started with and enjoyed most was the “Doctor Ruth Galloway” series by Elly Griffiths (recommended to me by fellow-blogger Sue Purkiss). 

                                                                           

I was delighted to see that there were thirteen books in the series, and read them all avidly, obsessively, even – until I got to the end of the 13^th and discovered to my dismay that the next one won’t be published until February!

After that I began on a series by Ann Granger (The Mitchell and Markby series) which I also enjoyed.

Yes, we did watch some television, but that proved to be quite tiring – except for watching the David Suchet “Poirot” films, (yes, another series when we knew the characters!) which really helped to take our minds off how we were feeling.

So yet again, more stories, more series…

And I remembered that, when I was a child, how much I'd enjoyed reading series books – most especially L. M. Montgomery’s “Anne of Green Gables” series and Malcolm Saville’s “Lone Pine” series.  Though of course in those days there was little chance of reading them in the right order – it depended which books the library happened to have in at the time!  I still loved them, though, and eventually read both complete series.

So maybe when we’re ill we automatically revert to the comfort of remembered childhood pleasures.  Whatever it was, stories, in particular series stories, gave me a lot of pleasure at the time when I could do little else.

Now I must get back to writing stories too - maybe I should write a series…

Website: www.lynnebenton.com

The Blue Remembered Hills - Savita Kalhan

I have found another perfect place for writing - overlooking the River Teme in Ludlow - a balcony, a river, a beautiful, tranquil setting, but within walking distance to a buzzing town full of fine food and access to the most amazing walks amongst the Blue Remembered Hills of A E Houseman's A Shropshire Lad.

I have been very lucky to visit Shropshire many times over the years, but I can honestly say that there is still so much to see and walks to be walked. Over the years Shropshire has been the home to many authors, and many other writers have spent time there writing and writing about it.

Charles Dickens' character Miss Haversham in Great Expectations was based on Elizabeth Parker who lived in Chetwynd Hall in Shropshire.

Mary Webb's novels are all set in Shropshire - there are several walks that take in many of the places where her books are set.

PG Wodehouse once said that Shropshire "is the nearest earthly place to Paradise". His Blandings Castle is set in Weston Park in Shropshire.

Stokesay Court - where Atonement by Ian McEwan was set

The Pond at Stokesay Court

 A mile away from Stokesay Court lies Stokesay Castle, a fortified medieval manor, which was home to Lawrence of Ludlow, one of the richest men in England. The castle has changed very little since the 13 Century and remains one of the best examples of a complete medieval manor house. It still has character and atmosphere - and it's freezing cold!

The Gatehouse at Stokesay Castle

Stokesay Castle

Woodcarvings on the way up to Bury Ditches

On one of the Mounds of Bury Ditches

Panoramic Viewpoint guide from the top of Bury Ditches

 Walking along the Ridgeway - with one foot in England and the other in Wales!

The ruins of Clun Castle. The village of Clun was EM Forster's Oniton in Howards End.

In the hills

 John Osbourne retired to Clun.
The Hurst - John Osbourne's home - is now part of the Arvon Foundation, a writers' retreat

Clun Church where John Osbourne is buried

Below are the Stiperstones in Shropshire. They are described by D H Lawrence in St Maur as a wild and frightening place. One of the stones in particular - the Devil's Chair is full of evil and foreboding. It's not so easy to imagine in full sunlight with blue skies, but I have been there when the skies have been dark, the clouds grey and heavy before opening to pelt us with the rain and wind. Then, it became a very different place.

Children's writers Pauline Fisk, Catherine Cooper were Shropshire based, and Malcolm Saville's Lone Pine series is set in and around Clun (I read them all when I was a kid). Ellis Peters, also known as Edith Pargeter, set her Brother Cadfael Series of medieval mysteries in and around Shrewsbury.

So, I'm leaving Shropshire with batteries recharged, summer coming to an end and nights drawing in. It's time to start the next piece of work...

Savita Kalhan 

Savita's website