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Why what’s the matter,
That you have such a February
face
So full of frost, of storm
and cloudiness?
-
William Shakespeare
Love it or hate it, there’s no escaping it.
This being February, there’ll be a lot
of talk and fuss about St. Valentine’s Day.
But
amidst all the hype and marketing, I discovered, just over a year
ago, something I didn’t know - and you might not know either -
that St. Valentine’s relics are preserved right here in Dublin
(true).
They rest
in a small casket, along with a vessel tinged with his blood, at
his shrine in the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, at
Whitefriar Street, in the heart of the city.
On his feast day of February 14th, a special
Blessing of Rings is performed in the church for those about to be
married.
But throughout the year, I learned, the
shrine is visited daily by the hopeful, all coming to write their
petitions to the saint in the book laid out for this very purpose.
They come from all walks of life: old
and young; married and single; some celebrating anniversaries;
some abandoned and heartbroken; some thankful; some despairing -
but all searching, all praying for love...
And so, the
idea for my latest novel THE LOVE BOOK, took shape.
I paid St.
Valentine a visit, and sure enough, there was the book, laid out
beside his statue, open at the page where the last petition had
been written.
This year will prove no exception.
All over the world millions of people
will pray to St. Valentine to find love.
But what of those who have already
found it?
What next?
This was
the question that rolled around my head as I began to think about
the people who have flocked here over the years - whether their
wishes for love came true. And if they did, was the love they
found all they hoped it to be?
And so, THE LOVE BOOK began.
It’s about three women, their loves, choices,
and lifelong friendship.
And of course a significant visit they
make to St. Valentine’s shrine as teenagers.
You can read an extract here.
I really hope you enjoy it.
If you do, please let me know - or
better still, write a review on Amazon. In the meantime, I wish you all a happy February - and all the love your heart desires.
Fiona
x
© 2012 Fiona O'Brien
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