Monday, March 17, 2014

Joyce Magnin ~ Maybelle In Stitches


I'm welcoming Joyce Magnin to Ink Dots, this week. Joyce is the author of nine books. Seven books for adults including the award-winning Bright’s Pond series, the Harriet Beamer novels, Maybelle in Stitches (Quilts of Love Series) and two middle grade novels, Carrying Mason and Cake-Love, Chickens and Taste of Peculiar. Her debut novel, The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow (Bright’s Pond) was named one of the top five titles of 2009 by Library Journal. Her work has received much critical acclaim. Joyce is also a frequent conference speaker and teacher.


Maybelle in Stitches ~ Maybelle Kazinzki can’t sew. She was after all, the only girl in the seventh grade Home Economics class to sew the zipper in the neck hole of the A-Line dress they were supposed to make. But when she finds an unfinished quilt in the attic of her mother’s house she gets the crazy idea to finish it—somehow, come heck or high water. She thinks it will help fill the lonely nights while her husband, Holden, is serving overseas during World War II.

Her recently departed mother’s quilt is made from scraps of material Maybelle traces back to her mother’s childhood, her grandmother’s childhood and her own childhood. She tries to add one of Holden’s stripes to it but the sewing is not going well and neither is her life. After receiving some harsh news, Maybelle's faith falters and she puts the quilt away and stops trusting God. But God is faithful- no matter what. And it'll take a group of neighborhood women armed with quilting needles to help Maybelle believe that.

Joyce Says... 

If I could explore anywhere in the world tomorrow, it would be... Scotland. It’s my heritage and I would love to wander the streets and castles in search of ancestors dead or alive. Scotland must be on many wish lists. It comes up a lot in answer to this question. I hope you get to visit there soon, Joyce. 

The best thing I did today is...
watched my son eat chocolate cake at Ikea before buying him a new desk. 

A secret pleasure of mine is...
I love role-playing games because they’re all about story, characterization and growth, overcoming evil, saving the world.

I wish I could relive the day when I... learned I was pregnant with my first child.

When I was a child I dreamed I would... write novels and live on Mars. 

I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but...I can’t sew even though I wrote a book about quilting. I’ve never quilted and I have a birthmark in the shape of a bunny rabbit. Thanks for visiting with us Joyce. I'm glad your childhood dream of becoming a writer came true. Sorry the Mars quest hasn't eventuated. Hang in there...You never know... :)

*****
Ink Dots readers...who's the best crafter you know? 

Around here, it's my darling Mum. She'll persist until she's mastered any stitch work or knitting project that takes her fancy. She's knitting fingerless gloves for Ink Dots readers right now. (Stay tuned for your chance to win). 



How about you? Who's the expert with the needles and threads in your life? Tell us in the comment thread below (even if that master crafter is you) and you'll be in the draw to win Joyce Magning's Maybelle in Stitches

Good luck and happy reading,