Measuring ...

Dear Everyone,

I enjoy the website known as Goodreads. Through it, I've discovered many books I wouldn't have encountered otherwise. The site also allows me to tell others what I'm reading.

At the moment, I'm re-reading "Measure for Measure" by William Shakespeare. You can download this for your Kindle for $0.99 or you can read it online through MIT. The title of the play seems to be a reference to a passage in Scripture, the Gospel according to St. Matthew 7:2,

"For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you."

This passage raises all sorts of interesting questions, as does the play. But what I'm interested in is in the way Shakespeare presents the contrast between a person's reputation (good or bad) and the person's character. Who are the villains and who are the heroes and heroines of the play? What sort of message does Shakespeare communicate about how we judge our neighbours and ourselves?

I don't promise to have answers to these questions but if you'd like to join the conversation you can do so on Twitter. I've recently finished Act II of the play and I welcome comments and discussion.

When I was writing "Gabriel's Inferno" I was thinking about the contrast between the way a person is perceived and that person's interior life. (Think about the Professor as he appears in Chapter 1 versus how he is presented in Chapter 2) Did his reaction to the telephone call change your perception of him?

I was also interested in the reactions readers would have to his behaviour in those two chapters, in contrast with the reactions of the other characters. Did Julia's response surprise you?

If you're interested in human behaviour, watch people and read literature. Both activities are tremendous well springs of information and insights into humanity.

I should mention that if you haven't had a chance to read "Gabriel's Inferno" and would like to, or would like a friend to read it, you can enter multiple giveaways during my book blog web tour.

Skyla11377 is offering a copy here.

Hanging with Bells! is offering a copy here.

Reading with Bakin_ Goddess is offering a copy here.

Books 'n Kisses is offering a copy here.

There will be giveaways each day of the tour. I'll be announcing them on Twitter and Facebook.

Many thanks to each of the blogs for reviewing my book and to KLB events for organizing the blog tour.

All the best and thanks for reading,

SR.

www.sylvainreynard.com

St. Francis, Paperbacks and Road Trips

Dear Everyone,

Recently, I had the pleasure of writing a guest post for Miss Tamie of The Book Hookup, on the subject of Muses. You can read the post and see the artwork I included here.

Last week, I mentioned a Book Club that put together a list of refreshments to accompany each chapter of "Gabriel's Inferno."

These week, I want to mention a reader who took her copy of my novel to Assisi. You can see the photographs she shared with me above.

Assisi is a special city to me and to many other people. It was the home of St. Francis and today, it houses the great Basilica, in which he is buried. You can view a short video of the crypt here.

St. Francis was not only a generous and holy man, he was very wise. He had compassion for the sick, generosity for the poor, a respect for nature and an affection for animals. You can read more about his life and what Dante thought about him here. Perhaps one of his best known writings is his prayer of peace:

"Lord make me
an instrument of your peace

Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, Joy.

O Divine Master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled
As to console;
To be understood,
As to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are
Born to eternal life."

You can listen to a musical version of St. Francis' prayer performed by Sarah McLachlan, here.

If you have a photograph of your copy of "Gabriel's Inferno" (either paperback or e-reader) that you'd like to send to me, you can do so by emailing me through this site, or sending it to me via Twitter or Facebook.

Where would you like to take the Professor? Where do you think he should go? I look forward to your pictures.

All the best and thanks for reading,

SR

www.sylvainreynard.com

PS. The lovely ladies of KLB Virtual Events are hosting a book blog tour for me from September 19 - October 3. There will be interviews, book reviews and giveaways. I'll be posting more details soon.