Sunday, January 06, 2013

Story telling Sunday

I am a big fan of Sian's blog in general - and of her monthly Story Telling Sunday but have usually thought of a story just a leetle too late. (Brain is always fried on a Sunday afternoon. Its part of the job you know)
So today - as I am feeling a bit discombobulated as my sons have headed back to Uni - I have decided to console myself with some fun activities. I am going to watch some Creative Jumpstart 2013 videos and try some techniques. (I don't think it is too late to sign up and it is awesome). And I am going to tell a story. A story about something small/insignificant but precious. I've had to borrow a photo of my thing as the camera is also on its way to the Uni so that some lovely photos can be taken tomorrow by the Chauffeur on his way home.

Are you sitting comfortably? then we'll begin.
The tale of Cross Stitch.
My copy looks like this. Well this version does. It is my second copy as the pages started to fall out of my first. But when I was introduced to the book - it was a hardback from the library.
Sometime around February 1994 I was signed off work with low blood pressure for two weeks. I was  6 months pregnant with my second child. It was decided that it would be easier to ship me and little H. (Then a very lively 18 months) to my parents for a bit of R and R. I visited the library before hand and spotted this book. A friend had told me about a book called "Cross Stitch" that was really intriguing, all about a family and how their lives were interwoven. So I checked this out without reading any more about it.

It took a few pages to realise it was obviously not the same book.
It only took a few more to hook me in completely.
Rather than resting I was burning the midnight oil - I couldn't wait to turn the page (and there were a lot of them - 864). When I finished I sighed a deep sigh.

If you like history, romance and time travel, then this might be the book for you too!

The rest of the pregnancy was fine and my Milky bar Kid was born mid May (yup, as a toddler he used to look just like the kid in the advert and being a caring mother I used to force him to say "the milky bars are on me").
As our 2 kids were under 2 we thought now was the time to visit Phil's sister in Canada as the boys would go free on the plane. We spent some time in West Edmonton Mall where I discovered there was a sequel to Cross Stitch. In fact there was already a third book. Be still my beating heart!
I carried my three treasures back from Canada waiting for the right time to read them. Starting with Cross Stitch again. Or more truthfully Outlander as it has a different name in the US/Canada.

There are seven books in the series now. When a new one comes out I often go back to the beginning to fall in time and space into this magical yet also historically real world, all over again. Which is why the paperbacks needed replacing. I'm back with Cross Stitch as a title again.

For Christmas I was given a companion book with 4 novellas in it. And it drew me back again. So I am currently about 240 pages in to book 1. Probably about the 8th time of reading. Fortunately because the books are so long, although I remember the arc of the story many of the details are forgotten. My husband thinks I am daft to keep rereading the same book and maybe I am. But the world of Cross Stitch - and its escapism - is very precious to me!


18 comments:

Scrappi Sandi said...

Oh my word...I HAVE to get my hands on this series of books...they sound right up my street!!! Off to Amazon right now to see if they're available for my Kindle!! The last series of books to grab me was 'Game of Thrones'...still eagerly awaiting the next installment...before that it was R F Delderfields 'God is an Englishman' trilogy...which I must have read half a dozen times or more!! Gotta love a good historical family saga...even more with a bit of fantasy/time travel thrown in!!! TFS :D

Fiona@staring at the sea said...

I've not heard of the book/series before, but I do like a bit of historical fiction. Have you read Labyrinth by Kate Moss?

Kate said...

Jane Dean told me about this series and I am now hooked too. I have read all the books and recently started on the Lord John ones to keep me going until the next is due out. It's 87 days until A Trail of Fire is out in paperback, so please don't say what happens!!

** Kate **

Sabrina DS said...

Hi,
Thanks for your comment on my blog. I loved that you went on reading though it was not the book that was recommended to you. Happy 2013. Cheers from Bordeaux, France

Scrappi Sandi said...

Just had to pop back & say that all seven books are now installed on my Kindle! It turns out that I have actually read 'The Fiery Cross'...funnily enough while I was pregnant with son #2!!...& was completely ignorant of it being one of a series!! I will enjoy starting from the beginning again!! Have you read any Barbara Erskine? 'Lady of Hay' is amazing...back & forth in Time & lots of real history!! I recommend her books...I read 'Edge of Darkness' while hubby was overseas & slept with the light on for two nights!! Check them out! :D

Miriam said...

What a great story and of course it continues...

Jen said...

Oh - do so love a good book - and love that you kept reading even when it wasn't the recommended novel. I am another who"re reads" favourite books -- because the characters have become my friends. Off to investigate further - Thank you for sharing your story. I love Storytelling Sundays! J xx

Sian said...

Of course you know I'll be another one racing off to check these out - how could I resist?

It's an absolute pleasure to have you with us Lythan: a warm welcome to you! and what a lovely "precious" you have for the start of the year. Exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of. Thank you!

..same time next month, maybe? :)

Jo said...

I love hearing about books that are so special to us that we will read them over and over, I have a couple of books myself that I'm always happy to disappear into :)

Missus Wookie said...

Oh I have read that series - and have friends who have read it again and again and again just like you :) Thank you for joining in and always delighted to meet another bibliophile :)

Irene said...

You should be on commission at Amazon Lythan, so many of us will be checking out these books today! I was thrown when I saw the words Cross Stitch thinking you had wrongly taken out a book about stitching... Your books sound fascinating. It is wonderful when you find an author to whom you return time and time again.

Elizabeth said...

Books are wonderful mementos to have. They can be read and re-read hundreds of times, and if the books mean anything to you, it's just not enough times.

Cheri said...

Great story - and I'm always game for a good recommendation.

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Hi Lythan ~ Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a lovely comment. I enjoyed reading your story. My daughter is a big reader and she has a couple of books she's read more than once. ;o)

Anonymous said...
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Unknown said...

I have probably read my fav series about 8 times too so I fully understand how you have had to replace the paperback! I haven't heard of this series and I shall have to keep an eye out for it if I get a few spare minutes :-)

Sheena said...

I have read a number of books more than once :)
I'll have to look these up for my kindle as they sound like a great read.
Many thanks for sharing.

Mitralee said...

was just off to Amazon myself....on the hunt for this book locally in paperback...sadly not on a kindle! wonder how many people you have convinced to read this!