WILLA Literary Award in San Antonio

Yes, we went to Texas! We already had tickets to attend the Women Writing the West conference when we learned that A Tendering in the Storm had won the WILLA Literary Award for Original Softcover Fiction. You can see me holding the trophy (and it covers up my cleavage so nicely, don't you think?) The pin is the symbol for the association and once you've been a board member you get to wear the stylized one as I have on. The earrings were carved for me from mammoth ivory by my friend Elfi Gross. Jerry rarely smiles in photographs...he was acutally having a great time. We visited the Alamo, attended great workshops and he and Bob Foard, husband of the new President of WWW, Sheila Foard, talked guy stuff. My agent and her husband made the trip as well. It was a great evening and a honor to have a book of mine earn the award.

We walked a lot in San Antonio, the weather was perfect for touring both the Alamo and the Menger Hotel. A great city with a fascinating history. The riverwalk is a relaxing place whether walking or taking the boat ride through that portion of the city. We flew hom on Monday (via Atlanta, Salt Lake and Portland!).

Three days later I was back in Texas for the Houston Quilt Show. I spent an evening with my godson Erick Fredstrom and his wife. It was great to see them and have a personalized tour of Houston. If you ever wish to treat yourself to a quilt show where people from around the world teach and display their wares and where you can see quilts hung like paintings in a gallery, well, you should plan to attend the Houston show (that next year will be October 14-18 and you'll need to plan ahead to get a place to stay).

Right now I'm waiting on pins and needles to see the hardcover copy of Aurora: An American Experience in Quilt, Community and Craft. Should be receiving it before long as it'll be in the stores by December 16th. You can scroll down and see Emma's quilt that started it all. I hope you're all writing...and finding things to be grateful for.

I've also posted my "monthly words of encouragement" on my website www.jkbooks.com so please stop by. Have a great day. Warmly, Jane

stepping into wilderness places

It's been quite awhile and I apologize. I did meet my September 1 deadline for the Quilt and Craft book and then headed out for events in Wisconsin then back to Seattle and California. The first week in the month of October was deer season (if you're squeamish stop reading now!) and while helping cut up our deer (we do our own butchering and wrapping, too) I cut myself with a sharp knife. It didn't go to the bone but it did cut the knuckle of my pinkie so it needed stitches. They're supposed to come out this week. But I can still type...so here I am.
I also head for Colorado Springs this week for the Women Writing the West conference. This group of women have really added to my literary life. I'm going to get to meet Susan Tweit who is offering a course. She has a great blog I've mentioned before. There'll be women I've met only on line who will have faces and voices and laughter I'll come to recognize and be grateful I have a writing life that includes such fascinating writers.
I'll be receiving a Finalist award for the book A Clearing in the Wild for the WILLA Literary Competition. Jerry isn't going with me and my editor has left the house for a new publishing house (boo-hoo). So I invited the president of WaterBrook Press, Steve Cobb and he said yes! He's going to come to lunch so I'll have someone there to applaud on my behalf..
There have been lots of changes this month. Our granddaughter moved into an apartment as she started her second year of art school. We sold all the cows (well, we have three steers and some calves that will go to market later this next month); bought a different hay bailer and in my writing life, I now have two new editors: one for the quilt and craft book and one for the novels.
I also began research on the next novel that will be a bit of a stretch for me, out of my comfort zone. The series will likely be called "A Fully Developed Woman" I'm calling the first book Where the Heart Hesitates from the line of a Derek Walcott poem that says where the heart hesitates "there lies your next frontier." For me that's certainly been so. I always hold my breath and wonder if I should take that next step into the wilderness...but I eventually do. I'll keep you posted on why it's a stretch but for now, I'm also working on final edits of A Mending at the Edge that will be out in April so I'm not thinking TOO far ahead.
Meanwhile, you are free to join the discussion at the Women Writing the West website where we host a book group. You don't need to be a WWW member to participate and we're reading my book this month, the one that is receiving the WILLA finalist award. So come join us at www.womenwritingthewest.org. Click onto the reading group.
Janet Rhiel of www.rhielife.org also reviewed the book.
Meanwhile, I hope your own writing is going well. I've heard from some of my Canadian friends and am pleased to know that they've found some ways to silence the harpies of fear. I hope you're silencing them as well. Jane