This is Shannon. She is my best friend. She is an avid reader, writer and artist...and she is also pretty amazing. But see the problem is she lives all the way over in Canada (could you not tell from all the weather references in the above photos). We talk often about new music we have discovered, work and other seemingly obvious things to chat about (usually over Skype with a cup of tea in one hand and in our pyjamas) but a conversation never goes past without the discussion of books, whether it be the ones we are reading currently or something we saw that reminded us of a scene in a story we once read. I would like to insert here that shamefully Shannon and I were both Twilight lovers in our early teens and would spend many a day spotting different coffee shops or woodland areas that reminded us of the town in the books (don't judge us, we were young and impressionable). Due to our shared love of books and comfy blankets I asked Shannon to be my first 'Reader in Residence' for this month *see the sidebar for more info on this*. It is here she will share with you her very own "reading nook" and books that shaped her as a young reader (with the exception of Twilight). As a bonus, Shannon has also shared some of her amazing artwork for this blog post so keep 'a scrolling if you want to see that! I shall stop blabbering now and let you enjoy... I have this list I have accumulated of “must read” books, and I have found that I am adding titles to this list more than I am scratching them off. It dawned on me the other day that there is chance I will die before reading every book on this epic list. Excuse the morbidity. Having said that, there is a silver lining - the list of books I have read is almost as long, not quite, but almost, and most of them I would consider favourites. So choosing a single book or a single character as my most beloved was a daunting task. But after a gruelling elimination process two characters I could narrow it down to was Atticus Finch of ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ and Daniel Sempere of ‘The Shadow of the Wind.’ As a child I was not much of a reader. My Alice-falling-down-the-rabbit-hole moment, or finding-Narnia-in-the-back-of-the-wardrobe if you’d prefer, when I toppled into the world of reading, came much later in my mid-teens. But whenever I think back on my childhood the picture book that I always recollect first is Mrs. Millie’s Painting (1997) by Matt Ottley, who both authors and illustrates the book. Mrs Millie’s Painting is filled with sweet and whimsical art which, though the story itself is equally brilliant, could tell the story independently. For myself, who struggled to learn to read early on, illustrations were what mattered most to me and I believe it has forged a lasting appreciation. With its sweeping, colourful scenes that encompass the entire page, like a window into the book, Mrs. Millie’s Painting did not disappoint. It absorbed me and carried the story so perfectly. The book centres on Mrs. Millie, a sweet old lady who lives in her flat with her cat, Socrates. Mrs. Millie is an avid gardener but has only the space on her windowsill, where she grows Geraniums, so she paints the garden she longs for. One morning they awake to find great vines, and all kinds of plants infiltrating their apartment. As they venture out of the window and into the city, which is now entirely lost to strange exotic flowers and hidden floral caverns, they soon realise that the twists and turns of this adventure are the very depths of Mrs. Millie’s paintings. This kind of story, of journeys of the imagination and creativity, has always appealed to me. Both as a child – who used to paint over the walls of her dolls house with vibrant primary colours and make perfume in jars out of petals, shampoo and water – and as a young woman – whose mind is always buzzing with too many ideas and images to express. (See some of Shannon's artworks below!) My Reading Nook Sprawled, curled up, or nestled into a corner, my reading spot of choice is on a spacious suede armchair in our living room. It is the perfect chair for reading because it enables all types of reading acrobatics, if like me, you unconsciously move around a lot while lost in a good book. When it comes to spots I like to read, I can usually find a perfect nook anywhere so long as there is an adequately squishy chair and a window nearby. Nestled between a bookshelf and a wall in our living room is where my nook currently lives. Here I like to light some incense or candles - a particular favourite of mine of late is a soy candle in the scent “Mango Sorbet” – and settle into my very wide and cushiony armchair.
- Shannon
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Readers In ResidenceEach month a new 'Reader in Residence' will take over the nook and introduce you to their favourite stories, beloved characters and the places and spaces that they love and inspire them to read and write. Archives
September 2015
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