I meant to let you know before I went away for the weekend. But what a weekend it was. It had nothing to do with writing or romance. I’ll bet you can guess what I was up to, especially if you read my blog often. Yes, I spent the weekend knitting at the Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat. My fingers can’t type this morning to save my life. But I will tell you one funny story. In Cat Bordhi’s class, she was going around the room signing her books, (yes, I waited patiently and excitedly to get my book signed) we began discussing writing and publishing and she was thrilled to discover I wrote. And then she urged me to put knitting in my books. The conversation went something
like this:
Cat: You have to have knitting! You must!
Me: But I do!
Cat: What sort of knitting?
This was asked suspiciously. I think she thought I was going to say doilies. So I told her the heroines wear hand knit red socks. And since her expertise is socks, Cat was thrilled. But then she stopped and looked at me.
Cat: But you need a man who knits.
Me, very proudly: I have a man who knits in my books.
Cat: Who is he, a sailor?
Yes, Cat knows the history of knitting. Sailors all knit. And so I told her:
Me: No, he’s a pirate of sorts.
The room went crazy. It was so much fun.
Yes, everyone, Captain Thomas Dashwell knits. And there you have it first. Well, second, since I told all the knitters first.
But if you prefer a non-knitting hero, check out the excerpt from Confessions of a Little Black Dress. There is nary a knitting pirate in sight. I promise. And if you like the excerpt, please consider sharing it on your favorite social site with the links at the end of the excerpt. Books, like knitting, are best when shared with friends!
Sounds like a great weekend! While I don’ knit myself, I do own a herd of cashmere goats (gift from my husband) that live on his mother’s farm in Oregon. We love to go and visit when the babies are young and playful. One day I’ll learn how to use the fibers.
I have my copy of Confessions of a Little Black Dress on order and can’t wait! I think it is one of the best historical romance titles, so intriguing.
One day I will learn to knit socks; I just need to learn how to sew in my ends and finish seaming my sweaters first. Granted, I also need to stop getting bored in the middle of a large project and finish it. This is the year I will bust my stash, nothing new (maybe a book or more interchangeable needle kits) until all is out. Learning that Cap’n Dash knits is exciting…do we find out that he is the one that really knitted the socks and mittens?
A man who knits? My eyes have rolled out of my head. Off to go search for them…
…OK, back. I’m dying to read this one even more now.
I can’t wait for this book, when I lived in England I went to a craft show and I sat talking to a couple her husband knitted doilies he did a beautiful job on them, she told me how he got started so many years ago and kept with it.
Penney
Knitting used to be the domain of men–for centuries–sailors knit out of necessity–no one else to do it for them. Knitting guilds were made up of men. So a man who knits wouldn’t be that amazing to our predecessors 300 years ago. Still it makes for good conversation, don’t you think?
I had no idea!!! WOW! All those he-men pirates who knitted. WOW! Wonder what our beer-swigging football-loving American men think of that?!
BTW, I’m posting this tidbit to Candice Hern’s board. It’s too delicious not to share.