Defining a Christian/Inspirational Book

Recently I did a book signing.  I took a break at one point leaving my husband to manage things.  When I came back he asked me, "Do you call your books Christian?"

"No!  You've read my books, you know they're not."

"Why can't they be called Christian?  You don't have any devil worship in them."

"No, but I have sex in them. Swearing."


 "Christians don't swear?  None of them?  How do they propagate?"


 "Well, I suppose you have a point there.  And I do have my main character telling her boyfriend 'no' all through high school."  I thought about this for a moment because since I've started this publishing odyssey I've been asked this question numerous times plus, "Do you have swear words in your books?"  (Oddly enough people are more upset by swear words than sex.  I know because I've asked).


I said to my husband, "What brought this question up?"

"I had a woman ask me if your books were Christian and I didn't know the answer."

"So, what did you say to her?"

"I asked her her definition of a Christian book."

"What'd she say?"

He shrugged.  "She said she didn't know."

Hmmm. So I have 3 award-winning romance/mystery books that may or may not be Christian books.

Click here
to go to my website and make your own decision.

1998 - 1999 Blocks

About 18 years ago six of us quilters got the bright idea to make blocks once a month for each of us in the group, meaning we would make five blocks each month or six if we wanted one for our self.  Let me just say that 18 years ago I did not feel like making myself one after repeating the same block five times.  Today, I wish I had.  I have no idea what I made and gave away. 

I'm sure we had some general rules.  I have to think that the main one would have been: all blocks have to be the same size.  But apparently the artistic rule of 'anything goes' prevailed.  Of the 33 blocks that were given to me I had eighteen different sizes. 

The largest one was 13".  So to make them all the same I used the Twist and Turn method which was a lot of fun. Not every one of them could be done this way because of their size and some had to be trimmed down.

Here's the one that every block was based on:

Of course being the chocoholic that I am I had 2 blocks given to me with a chocolate motif and I 'wrapped' them in chocolate fabric as well.

Now if you have a block that's already on the diagonal twisting it makes it straight.  Wizened up and did not do that for the second one that was similar.

The longest one I treated as two blocks:

Next up, what shape did I want my quilt?  I basically had 34 blocks which does not a quilt make.  Did I want a 5 x 7 block quilt (35) or square 6 x 6 (36).  I really did not want a square quilt so I only added one of my own.  Lindbergh's Night Flight has become my signature block so:

I then made cornerstones using the fabric I had twisted with:

This project was a lot of fun and certainly brought back the memories.  Now to make the backing and a quilt label.  I pray I remember everybody's name to list. 

A few tips if you decide to do this:

Have them all the same size
Make everyone put their name and date (at least month and year) inside each block so that it doesn't get sewn into the seam.  This way you also have the names of those who participated.
Make one for yourself
Don't let 18 years pass by before you do something with them.  As far as I know everybody else has their blocks still in a box.

Odd Pieces of Fabric

I am working on a quilt right now using different size blocks and am trying to get them all to 13 inches.  I am also trying to use fabric that I haven't used before.  I hate to admit it but the majority of my fabric has been forgotten.  So, while I am sorting through trying to find matches to my already made blocks I have come across some interestingly cut out fabric.

This looks like I was thinking of making an apron (possibly while drinking).  Note the pattern is upside down. I think I'll blame it on one of the kids.

Really don't know what I was thinking here.  The one looks like maybe I cut out leaves?  And the thing is: I can't even find a quilt with these fabrics in it let alone these shapes. 

I really need to use my stash up.

Some Old Blocks to Remember

I have pretty much finished up most of my quilt projects and decided to start a new one.  Years ago a group of us decided to make blocks, once a month, for each one.  There were seven or eight of us so you had to make that many each month.  As far as I know, nobody has done anything with these.

I decided I have to.  Enter the box:

Now my friend was impressed that I remembered where these blocks were but they're in a chocolate chip cookie box.  Couldn't forget that!  I was impressed that I found the book I had bought to go with it.  It was in an entirely different spot in my studio.

I felt I needed this book because of the fact that my squares range anywhere from 3 1/2 inches all the way to 15 inches.

And one that is rectangular:

Sometimes we were trying out something new to see if we liked the process:

I have 35 blocks or possibly 34.  For some reason I have two of the same.  Was there an extra one I was given for some reason? Or, what really bothers me, was it given to me to hand to someone else and I forgot?

Perhaps one of my quilt sisters could tell me if they are missing a block that looks like this.

Fortunately two people wrote their names (meaning just on two blocks) and one gave a date -- 1998.   For the most part I don't remember who did what block however there are those that I recognize immediately.  One loves batiks, one enjoys paper piecing.  If you ever decide to do this make it a rule that everyone has to put their name and date on their block.  And make sure it's in the design, not along the edge where it will be sewn under.

Looking back, I wish I had also made a block for myself.  I gave all of mine away and now have no remembrance of what I did.

Hand Quilted Top

Am putting the final touches in my writing room.  My bay window is finished off complete with cordless shades, and the walls have been painted.  Today I hung pictures.  Still need to finish the curtain for the closet and then I will be done!

My mother's aunt hand pieced this quilt top.  It even has some of her basting stitches still in it.  It is exquisitely done and my mother always wanted a way to show off both sides.  She thought putting it in between two pieces of glass would work and that's as far as she went with the idea.  I got it away from her one day and took it to a framer who did just that.  My brother and I paid for it and gave it to her as a birthday present.

It hung on her wall for years until it finally came to me.  Unfortunately, until now I had no place to properly hang it.

Today it is proudly back up on the wall where it should be. 

Survival of the Fittest will not be Me

I can still see my husband's face as he slapped down his book in his lap, looked at me and said, "Why do YOU want to go to Cabela's?" (sporting goods store)

"I'm working on my next book -- you know -- the feel good book for the end of the world?  I need to know how to make a fire from flint, or sticks and stones or whatever people use out in the woods."

Cabela's had a collection of fire making tools, in two places.  I asked several questions.  The teeny, tiny picture on the packaging left something to be desired.  "You just scrape some of this stuff off, strike this part really hard, you get a spark, you're good to go."  Okay, I can do that.

No.  I can't.  I scraped.  I got a spark.  Several sparks in fact.  Even some really big sparks.  No fire. "We're dead when we run out of matches," I said to my husband.

He comes over and strikes the stick several times.  He feels the paper I've got sitting there.  "What?" I asked.

"I wondered if it was wet."

"Right, because water would be an accelerant!"  I yelled.

"Try dried leaves," he offered walking away.

"Don't you know people in the military you could talk to?" my niece asked.

"Yes!  Your uncle, my husband the former Marine!"  We looked at each other, looked at him and then back at each other.

"That's not gonna work," she said.

"Yeah, I already found that out," I mumbled.

Yes, I know others in the military, boy scouts, eagle scouts, Scout Masters but I'm still going to be dead once the matches run out.

I'm hoping the chocolate holds out 'til then.

Missent Letter, story line prompt

Recently I received a letter in the mail with a purple stamp on it saying: Missent to Mauritius.  I have to admit, I had to look this up.  It's an island in the Indian Ocean.  The letter originated in Missouri and was being sent to Michigan, roughly 700 miles apart.  It took the scenic route, being sent across the ocean and Africa (a flight takes a day and 4 hours).

This happens so often the island  post office needs a stamp?

But it did get me to wondering: for people who are stuck in their writing and need a writing prompt I give you this: write a story from the letter's point of view.


A few examples of my own:  'I didn't like the devilish grin of the mail carrier as he looked at me and then stuffed me back in his bag instead of the mailbox.  What did he have in mind?'

'S.O.S.!  See Our Stamp!  Somebody, please!  I can't go overseas!  I'm scared of flying!'

'I landed on the island of my dreams and was sent right back!  I didn't even get opened.'

Have fun writing.