Catherine Cavendish - February Featured Author - The Stones of Landane - February 1 - February 28, 2025 > Likes and Comments
Welcome back Cat! Cannot wait to read this book next month! :)
Marie wrote: "Welcome back Cat! Cannot wait to read this book next month! :)"Thank you, Marie. Hope you enjoy it! It's a story I am really looking forward to sharing with you all as it has had something of a checkered history - involving a mouse and other mishaps - and is also centred on a subject close to my heart: the standing stone circles of the Neolithic and all the mystery, myth and legend surrounding them.
Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "Welcome back Cat! Cannot wait to read this book next month! :)"Thank you, Marie. Hope you enjoy it! It's a story I am really looking forward to sharing with you all as it has had som..."
Sounds mysterious and cannot wait to find out more about the stones. I love reading books that are based on myths and legends. :)
Marie wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "Welcome back Cat! Cannot wait to read this book next month! :)"Thank you, Marie. Hope you enjoy it! It's a story I am really looking forward to sharing with you all..."
Let me take you on a journey there then...
I love the cover too, you just know this story will take you places! Catherine, thank you so much for being here with us again, always such a pleasure!
I started the book today. :) So far it has sucked me into the story and my curiosity is piqued! :) I will throw out the first question. How did this story come about Catherine?
I stared it too, super curious about these stones as I was into druids in the past!
Kasia wrote: "I stared it too, super curious about these stones as I was into druids in the past!"Cool! I love mysterious myths and legends stories. :)
I am about 15% into the story and the mystery deepens! (view spoiler)
So my second question would be: Do these stones exist and are you actually able to visit them in real life?
Marie wrote: "I started the book today. :) So far it has sucked me into the story and my curiosity is piqued! :) I will throw out the first question. How did this story come about Catherine?"
Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "Welcome back Cat! Cannot wait to read this book next month! :)"
Thank you, Marie. Hope you enjoy it! It's a story I am really looking forward to sharin..."
Hi Marie and hello everyone. First off, I'm so sorry for my late arrival. In Liverpool, not far from where I live Chinese New Year is quite a big event as we have Europe's oldest Chinese community here and our Chinatown is very special. Every year some friends of ours meet up and we have a great meal, watch the dragon parade and have a thoroughly lovely time. For some reason though, I couldn't get onto Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ at the hotel where my husband and I were staying. Back home now though and ready to take a trip to Landane...
Now, your question. Where did The Stones of Landane originate? Landane is based on a real place Avebury in Wiltshire, where the stone circles date from the Neolithic - 2850 to 2200 BCE or thereabouts. It is a fascinating place and there is a lot of folklore and myth about the origins of stone circles in general and Avebury in particular. I first became intrigued many, many years ago. The sheer fact that our ancient ancestors could even erect these stones is a marvel in itself, but then we have the question that no one really knows the answer to - why are they there? Pondering that is where the germ of an idea started in my head and The Stones of Landane is the result
Kasia wrote: "I stared it too, super curious about these stones as I was into druids in the past!"Hi Kasia. It was long thought that druids built the stone circles in the UK, but archeologists now know that the stone circles predate the advent of the druids by a couple of thousand years, give or take a hundred here or there. The druids appropriated them but they may well have kept the original purposes alive - at least in some way so I, for one, am grateful to them.
Marie wrote: "I am about 15% into the story and the mystery deepens! Jonathan getting zapped with energy from the stone made me curious. I am thinking the Stones do not want anyone to touch Nadia while she is ..."
You can certainly visit their inspiration: Avebury in Wiltshire, which is in the south of England. There is a great film on You Tube about them and also about Stonehenge which is not far from there and no doubt linked in many ways Here's the link to the You Tube video
It features my favourite archeologist - Dr Phil Harding who I reference at the end of the book. Phil is well known for his appearances on a long-running series called Time Team. His accent is local to the area and his battered old field hat is the stuff of legend in itself. I have also never known anyone able to get so worked up about a piece of flint!
Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "I started the book today. :) So far it has sucked me into the story and my curiosity is piqued! :) I will throw out the first question. How did this story come about Catherine?"
Ca..."
Fascinating! That would be interesting to be able to tap back into time and watch the Stones being erected into the ground. I take it that you have visited the place as well? Do you feel any type of energy or vibes coming from the Stones like you have described in the story?
Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "I am about 15% into the story and the mystery deepens! Jonathan getting zapped with energy from the stone made me curious. I am thinking the Stones do not want anyone to touch Nadia..."
Thank you for the youtube video link - I will watch it tonight. :)
Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "I started the book today. :) So far it has sucked me into the story and my curiosity is piqued! :) I will throw out the first question. How did this story come about Catherine?"
In Liverpool, not far from where I live Chinese New Year is quite a big event as we have Europe's oldest Chinese community here and our Chinatown is very special. Every year some friends of ours meet up and we have a great meal, watch the dragon parade and have a thoroughly lovely time..."
That sounds fun! It looks like you had a wonderful weekend. :)
Marie wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "I started the book today. :) So far it has sucked me into the story and my curiosity is piqued! :) I will throw out the first question. How did this story come abo..."
I have been to Avebury more times than I can remember - dating back to my first visit there in 1980. I am always drawn to one particular stone - it's the famous one known as the Barber Stone as a result of archeologists finding a skeleton of a 14th century barber-surgeon buried underneath it when they came to re-erect the fallen stone (long story). It seems to draw me to it and I always feel I have to touch it. I have no idea why but it seems to bring a sense of peace. All in my head? Probably. But who cares, if it makes me feel good?
Late, as usual! But, I couldn't miss a buddy read with Catherine! So happy you've joined us, again! I'm starting today. This premise is so intriguing to me, I really wish I could see these stones (any of them, really) in person someday. Have read the first few pages, and the thought of staying above an old pub sounds like heaven to me!
Sally wrote: "Late, as usual! But, I couldn't miss a buddy read with Catherine! So happy you've joined us, again! I'm starting today. This premise is so intriguing to me, I really wish I could see these stones (..."Hi Sally. Glad you could join us. I've been hooked on the real-life setting for The Stones of Landane for decades, so I hope that one day you can make it to Avebury and see them for yourself. Meanwhile, earlier in this thread, I recommended the next best thing - a film called Beyond the Stones, which is on YouTube. It takes you through quite a number of the most important landmarks in the Neolithic landscape of Wiltshire, and I have shamelessly imported a number of those wonderful locations (and renamed them). Hope you enjoy the story. It has quite a history itself, as I wrote an early version back in the 1980s but I may tell you about that later.
I am enjoying the different timelines with this book. I am about 62% complete with it. I am curious though as to why so many of these stones are located in Britain and England. They seem to be dotting the landscapes over there.
My next question is: What made you decide to do different timelines within this story, Catherine?
Marie wrote: "I am enjoying the different timelines with this book. I am about 62% complete with it. I am curious though as to why so many of these stones are located in Britain and England. They seem to be d..."
Ireland has a fair few as well including the incredible Newgrange. France has Carnac in Brittany and Scandinavia also has some. The ten-year archeological project at the Ness of Brodgar in Orkney (which was recently completed) seems to show that the megalith builders came from the north and then traveled down through Ireland and mainland Britain. At some stage, it seems their culture and traditions gradually changed as they blended into different groups of people with other traditions and beliefs.
Marie wrote: "My next question is: What made you decide to do different timelines within this story, Catherine?"
In the long-lost original of this book, there were even more timelines! :) I wanted to bring different characters into the story- each with their own strange experiences of Landane. Doing this in a few different timelines seemed the most effective way to do it. Olivia (from 1900) developed early in my mind and fitted well with the archeology I wanted to introduce. I really wanted a Professor Scott and he would only work in an earlier age. The early part of the twentieth century was an age when a lot of ancient historical discoveries were being made in Egypt, elsewhere and in the UK. The late 1960s was a time when standing stones were becoming the focus of a lot of mystical attention from the young generation of that time in particular
I love that Nadia was born on Friday the 13th of November, so was my son :P Back to the group read, apologies for tardy delays!
Catherine wrote: "Sally wrote: "Late, as usual! But, I couldn't miss a buddy read with Catherine! So happy you've joined us, again! I'm starting today. This premise is so intriguing to me, I really wish I could see ..."I'll have to check that out on YouTube, it will be neat to see video of the places and compare that with what I am picturing in my head with your lovely descriptions. I feel like they will match up well.
Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "I am enjoying the different timelines with this book. I am about 62% complete with it. I am curious though as to why so many of these stones are located in Britain and England. The..."
That's fascinating. I am enjoying the occult and pagan feel so much. All wrapped up with the folklore of the area as told by Davy.
I am on page 215 of 294. I have really enjoyed the story being in the same area at different time periods. There have been multiple times I've wanted to jump in the book, lol! When Jonathan and Nadia went to the bookstore in Charnford, I needed to be with them. I would give anything to attend that music festival! And I would have loved to experience the excitement of raising the stone in 1900!
Sally wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Sally wrote: "Late, as usual! But, I couldn't miss a buddy read with Catherine! So happy you've joined us, again! I'm starting today. This premise is so intriguing to me, I really..."Thank you, Sally. I think you will recognize a few of them from Landane! :)
Sally wrote: "I am on page 215 of 294. I have really enjoyed the story being in the same area at different time periods. There have been multiple times I've wanted to jump in the book, lol! When Jonathan and Nad..."Sally wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "I am enjoying the different timelines with this book. I am about 62% complete with it.
That bookstore is based on an amalgam of a few of the wonderful shops in a small town called Hay on Wye which straddles the border between England and Wales and is known as 'Book Town' owing to the number of bookshops there. It also hosts the internationally renowned annual Hay on Wye Book Festival. I love getting lost in those shops. Time dissolves and when you snap back into reality, a whole morning has gone while you've been absorbed in a journey into the past, surrounded by shelves and shelves of books of all kinds
I am curious though as to why so many of these stones are located in Britai..."
Thank you so much for joining us and taking the time to interact with us, Catherine. We appreciate you very much.
I finished the book late last night. I loved how all the timelines weaved with each other and the backstories for the characters within each timeline became so real on the pages of the book. I haven't put up my review yet as I am gathering my thoughts on it still and it is a four star read from me. :)
Marie wrote: "I gathered my thoughts and here is my review: /review/show..."
Thank you so much for this lovely review, Marie - which I have shared. Really appreciate it :)
Marie wrote: "I finished the book late last night. I loved how all the timelines weaved with each other and the backstories for the characters within each timeline became so real on the pages of the book. I have..."Thank you, Marie. The characters became very real for me and wrote themselves in so many ways!
Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "I gathered my thoughts and here is my review: /review/show..."
Thank you so much for this lovely review, Marie - which I have shared. Really apprec..."
You are welcome, Cat! :)
Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "I finished the book late last night. I loved how all the timelines weaved with each other and the backstories for the characters within each timeline became so real on the pages of thThank you, Marie. The characters became very real for me and wrote themselves in so many ways..."
You are welcome, Cat. I have heard from authors that sometimes the characters take on a life of their own once the author gets going on the story.
Were these characters totally made up or do they have traces of people that you have met or know?
Marie wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Marie wrote: "I finished the book late last night. I loved how all the timelines weaved with each other and the backstories for the characters within each timeline became so real ..."They all formed in my head. I don't want to be sued for defamation of character! Seriously though, I can say the character of Professor Scott was in part inspired by a weird amalgam of Alexander Keiller who did so much of the excavation and restoration of Avebury and Dr Phil Harding who is my favourite archaeologist (and is featured on the video I recommended earlier - Beyond the Stones). The rest of the cast are entirely fictional, Mr Keiller is long deceased and I hope Phil Harding will forgive me!
I know I'm late to the party, but I started last night. Good stuff. Hit me with a haunting tone straight off but not like a punch in the face. I am guessing that was the intent? Correct Catherine? Assuming that is the case, well done. And if I'm wrong, I'll pay more attention. HA!Glad to be here.
Jeffrey wrote: "I know I'm late to the party, but I started last night. Good stuff. Hit me with a haunting tone straight off but not like a punch in the face. I am guessing that was the intent? Correct Catherine? ..."Hi Jeffrey. Great to see you and - yes, you got it!
This book is so beautifully written, it's magnetic one could say :PCatherine, I love how nature plays such a large part in your books, your scenes are always so incredible evocative.
Jeffrey wrote: "I know I'm late to the party, but I started last night. Good stuff. Hit me with a haunting tone straight off but not like a punch in the face. I am guessing that was the intent? Correct Catherine? ..."Yay Jeffrey!!! You made it!! :)
Marie wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "I know I'm late to the party, but I started last night. Good stuff. Hit me with a haunting tone straight off but not like a punch in the face. I am guessing that was the intent? Cor..."Thank you!
Catherine wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "I know I'm late to the party, but I started last night. Good stuff. Hit me with a haunting tone straight off but not like a punch in the face. I am guessing that was the intent? Cor..."Great.
Now I'm into Chapter 4. Dude's getting run through he ringer and seeing a very different side of Nadia. Is (view spoiler).
And I have two questions, both of which might seem a bit detailed or off the wall, but that's kind of what I tend to do...1. These stones are set in Landane. I see it compared to Stonehenge. Is a Landane real place with stones like this or is it fiction? And if real, what was the motivation for picking here?
2. At Loc. 221 (pg. 18) there is the line (view spoiler) I like this. To me (and maybe JUST me, this struck me as an interesting technique I don't recall seeing before. To me it sort of served as (a) a snappy POV shift without the storytelling error of "head-hopping." And (b) it also seemed to convey a sort of partial vacancy in Nadia's thinking or gaps in her awareness/perception. (ignore me if I'm totally off base on this.) But was that a conscious choice as to (a)? Also, did I perceive that right as to (b)? If not, no worries. It's just the way it popped into my head as I was reading it. This was a cool line.
Kasia wrote: "This book is so beautifully written, it's magnetic one could say :PCatherine, I love how nature plays such a large part in your books, your scenes are always so incredible evocative."
Thank you so much, Kasia. In this case it helps that the whole landscape around Avebury is loaded with atmosphere. It makes my job much easier!
Jeffrey wrote: "And I have two questions, both of which might seem a bit detailed or off the wall, but that's kind of what I tend to do...1. These stones are set in Landane. I see it compared to Stonehenge. Is a..."
Hi Jeffrey. Interesting questions - thank you.
In answer to (a) - Landane is based on the real village of Avebury in Wiltshire which has a whole landscape of Neolithic and Bronze Age architecture including stone circles (the largest in Europe), Silbury Hill, West Kennet Long Barrow and much more. It is situated north of Stonehenge but shares its heritage. Mich earlier in this thread I posted a link to a video which puts everything into context -
To answer (b), Nadia is keeping things from Jonathan and this results in him not being able to 'read' her as well as he used to. We're in his POV, so we can't either. I hope that helps :)
Catherine wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "And I have two questions, both of which might seem a bit detailed or off the wall, but that's kind of what I tend to do...1. These stones are set in Landane. I see it compared to ..."
Great information, Catherine. Thank you so much. I know I'm a bit odd in that certain lines will just "speak to me" so strongly. That one did. I found it a very elegant way of conveying the idea you mentioned. Awesome. I'll be delving back into it in a little bit.
Catherine wrote: "Kasia wrote: "I stared it too, super curious about these stones as I was into druids in the past!"Hi Kasia. It was long thought that druids built the stone circles in the UK, but archeologists no..."
That is amazing.
Marie wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "I know I'm late to the party, but I started last night. Good stuff. Hit me with a haunting tone straight off but not like a punch in the face. I am guessing that was the intent? Cor..."Thank you!
Synopsis of story:
‘Fear her now, fear the queen,
As in her stone she reigns supreme…�
When Jonathan agrees to accompany his girlfriend, Nadia, on a trip to Landane, he imagines a short relaxing break in the countryside. But he quickly discovers that Nadia isn’t just drawn to the ancient Neolithic stone circle, she is obsessed by the megaliths. One in particular holds a fascination for her. Within hours, her personality begins to change, and it isn’t long before Jonathan starts to fear for her sanity.
Reaching far back into the past and up to the present day, those same stones have demonstrated powers beyond reason and, as Jonathan’s girlfriend becomes increasingly distant from reality, some of the ghosts of the past begin to reappear.
Now it isn’t only Nadia who is in danger.
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Author Profile of Catherine Cavendish:
Catherine Cavendish
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Please welcome author, Catherine Cavendish!