Although as an author, I have participated in “duets” and
“threesomes” in an anthology, I never have been part of a large novella
collection before. Being one among the eleven authors in Grandma’s Wedding Quilts has been an exciting journey for me.
The feedback from readers has been
wonderful and I am truly thrilled to have been part of the endeavor. One reader
did mention that she wished I had put more about quilting in my story. I had a
few lines—but definitely not enough to satisfy an avid quilter!
In researching the quilting pattern used in Gloria’s Song, I
learned that the motif of the basket is found throughout history in various
places. I wrote in the introduction to the book: “The basket is a symbol of
hearth and home and it was an item that pioneer women used constantly in their
daily lives. The motif found its way onto all sorts of things – stoves,
ceramics, china, and, of course, quilts.”
One very old German (Bavarian) tradition with the basket, is
for a young man to give an empty basket to the woman he is interested in (or to
leave it just outside her door.) If she fills the basket with goodies and
returns it to him, he then knows that she is interested in him. If she returns
the basket empty—well—then he knows she does not want to be pursued.
I looked for a picture of a basket quilt to use with very little luck. I only found modern basket quilts, or ones that were beyond my budget due to copyright. I voiced my despair to a friend who is heavy into quilting and she tried to help me. What a surprise to learn that she actually had a basket quilt in her own family, that dated back to the early 1900s! It was such a case of serendipity that I was astounded. Here is my friend's wall hanging! It is the center and best part of an old quilt that she salvaged from her grandmother's things.
I know very little of quilting, other than to admire them and the creativity and precision of the women that make them. I would love to make one…someday…but for now, writing stories seems to take up all my waking hours. (I probably need to find a better balance in my life!)
What about you? If you could do ANYTHING as a creative outlet (other than what you might be doing now) what would you like to do?
*****
Kathryn Albright's newest book is part of the Grandma's Wedding Quilt Series.
It is now available in print!
It is now available in print!
Gloria always does the proper thing, the expected thing,
as the daughter of a shipping tycoon.
as the daughter of a shipping tycoon.
To have Colin, a tavern pianist,
tutor her for her audition sounds crazy.
tutor her for her audition sounds crazy.
But if music can cross class lines…
can it also harmonize two hearts?
can it also harmonize two hearts?
*****
What readers are saying ~
"Lovely story, written with so much feeling. Touched something deeply inside of me. Completely got lost in this beautifully written book. Thanks for the joy I found reading this 11th book of Grandma’s Wedding Quilts." M. Gauvin
"I enjoyed this book very much! It touched my heart in many ways! Highly rcommend." Linda/Amazon Reviews
*****
It's such a pretty quilt pattern - and I loved Gloria's Song! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Shanna,
ReplyDeleteYes--I really liked the particular one that you chose for the cover of the book. I have gained a new appreciation for the variety and precision it takes to have a quilt come together. Just the huge number of variations on a theme is impressive...kind of like music :-)
Since my great grandmother quilted, I have a wonderful appreciation for the work it entails. They are works of art. Doris
ReplyDelete