New Yarn Store Discovered and Booksigning

Last week, I visited my daughter in Charlottesville, VA and discovered a wonderful yarn shop, It's A Stitch. The staff was friendly and helpful and the yarn was beautiful - but is there really an ugly yarn to a sock knitter?

I went into the store only planning to buy enough yarn to do one new pair of socks and came out with some gorgeous cream Panda silk to knit a lacy scarf and enough sock yarn to keep me busy for months.
After a sumptious dinner with my daughter and a visit to her apartment, I bopped back over to Barracks Road Barnes & Noble to catch the Romance Panel during Virginia Festival of the Book.

The panel was moderated by New York Times best-selling author, Cathy Maxwell. Cathy and I have served together for the last five years working as program co-ordinators for Virginia Romance Writers. A couple of years ago, Cathy dedicated her book "In the Bed of a Duke" to me. At the booksigning that followed the panel discussion, Cathy signed a copy of that book for my daughter. Talk about smiles all around.

The panel was composed of Mary Burton, Joanna Bourne and Patrice Michelle - all accomplished writers who had a lot of valuable information to share with the audience.

After the event was over, I was so happy to have a chance to talk with one of the most awesome and knowledgeable booksellers in the business, Sandi Cararo. During our chat, Sandi found out about my story in the up-coming Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers anthology and asked me to do a signing at the store. Of course, I said YES. The book comes out in July, so I have a lot to do before then. This will be my first foray into signings and promotion.

Yarn and books. Knitters and writers. It just doesn't get much better.
My mind was popping on the way home! And hasn't stopped yet.

Super Socks

These are my first attempt at knitting socks. I call them my super socks because they were very easy to do and they make me feel super when I wear them. Made out of Paton's Kroy self-striping yarn, the pattern was a simple knit every row. Lots of fun to do and even more fun to hear people's comments.

The Writing and Knitting Life

Today I met with two of my writer friends. I'm collaborating with one of them on a mystery series, and we're working on editing book one in the series. This isn't the cover for the mystery series. Read on to find out what this cover represents.

Editing is my least favorite part of the creative process. You use a different set of muscles to edit than those that you use to write. I much prefer the initial writing, but I have to admit that it is the editing that shapes the project and makes it shine.

While I'm in edit mode, I'll use my spare time to create some beauty in my life by knitting some more socks or buying some wonderful yarn. I dream about future sock projects just like I dream about new stories to write.

Both writing and knitting have been passions of mine most of my life. I started spinning stories as soon as I learned to talk and began writing them down when I was about 4. I learned to knit from the ladies in my neighborhood when I was about 7 and loved to listen to the stories of their lives and to watch as they created beautiful woolen projects.

Some exciting news - this July the non-fiction story I wrote about our unloveable cat's reaction to my husband's cancer diagnosis and many surgeries will be published in CUP OF COMFORT FOR CAT LOVERS. The title of my story is "Man's Best Friend." A copy of the cover is shown above. I'm very proud of this accomplishment.

Not only does the story involve my darling husband, our cranky cat (who we love in spite of his attitude), but it also has yarn in it. When I first saw the cover and noticed the ball of yarn, I thought it could not have been more perfect.

Until next time when I share some photos of my hand-knit socks and my yarn stash.