Patricia Stoltey

Author

Wyoming Author, Barbara Graham

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A Wyoming writer friend, Barbara Graham, will be visiting Northern Colorado’s Barnes & Noble Centerra near Loveland on Sunday, June 20th, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM to sign her latest book. Barbara and I became acquainted because we are both published by Five Star.

The first book in the series, Murder by Serpents: The Mystery Quilt, was published in 2007. The recent release is Murder by Artifact: The Murder Quilt.

You’ve probably guessed by now that Barbara’s series has something to do with quilting.

Here’s the quick synopsis of Murder by Artifact:

In the middle of a scorching heat wave, Tennessee sheriff Tony Abernathy is plunged into a series of cold murder cases. His antacid consumption skyrockets with each anonymous envelope containing a different newspaper clipping. Someone is determined to drag him into the past. A more immediate, if less tragic problem, is the disappearance of lawn ornaments all over town and their owners clamoring for their return.

Even though his wife, Theo, is buried in her own work, right up to her golden dandelion curls, she manages to help at the new museum site. A “murder quilt” is offered for display. Days later the quilt is the only witness to the murder of its owner, the mayor’s unpopular wife, Queen Doreen.

Following the tangled threads of his cases, Tony learns the power of history. Just when it looks like he has things all sewn up and under control, they come unstitched.

Quilting is one of those skills I’ve always wanted to learn but have never gotten around to trying. I think it must take a lot of time and a lot of artistic talent. I’d better stick to the hobbies I already know how to do (and never have time to work on).

Are you a quilter? Who taught you? Do you have any good quilting stories? They don’t have to include a murder.

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Comments

  1. Quilts — I have many memories of quilts.

    Several years ago my sister Kathleen and I took a few quilting lessons, but she kept losing her needle so we stopped. I’ve made a few quilt squares but never an entire quilt.

    Here’s my most treasured quilt story.

    At parish picnics, craft fairs, and bingos in these parts quilts are big prizes. Over the years I’ve won a few for myself and a couple for my late daughter Julie. One of Julie’s favorite quilts, a green and white one which she called her Irish quilt, somehow got lost after her death and the selling of her home.

    My granddaughter Cari is now 15 and has begun to love the many quilts in our home (my husband and I are raising Cari and her brother Michael after their parents’ deaths five years ago).

    Last year Cari told me she wanted a quilt of her own. I told her she could have any of mine or the ones from her mom, but she insisted she wanted her own–and not a store-bought one.

    It’s not easy winning a hand-made quilt–no skill, but a lot of luck, and money for chances. Last summer I tried to win Cari a quilt at parish picnics and bought raffle chances for sausage suppers and anywhere else I could find that had a quilt as a prize. No luck.

    For our parish craft fair last November, I took $5 in chances. There were about 20 raffle prizes; the top prize was a quilt. Late afternoon of the craft fair I got a call that I was a winner in the raffle. I asked what I won and was told that I won the top prize–a hand-made patchwork quilt.

    When I went to the parish hall to pick up the quilt and I saw about 40,000 other bright orange raffle tickets in the huge barrel, I was amazed that my ticket was picked from so many. I said a prayer of thanks to my daughter Julie because I won the quilt on what would’ve been Julie’s 40th birthday. So, now Cari has her very own quilt, which she got on her mom’s birthday. Oh, and the woman who made the quilt used to be Julie’s Brownie leader when she was a young girl.
    Donna

  3. Um, lets see….ah, nope. No quilting stories. Although I could see rolling up a corpse in their favorite quilt then disposing of the body. And I’m working on your questions. Just been a bust month with the re-edit, although I’m happy to say its finished.

    have a great holiday weekend.

    Stephen Tremp

  4. What a cool story! Quilting and murder – a very interesting mix.

    I don’t know how to quilt. I’d love to have the patience – actually, quilting might help me!

  6. Cool idea! I’m totally useless when it comes to needles and thread and scary things like that – so I’m fascinated by people who can do it! 🙂

  7. I don’t have a murder quilting story… sorry. And I’ve never quilted before but I think it would be neat to quilt a historical one to pass on down in my family.

    CD