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Jennifer Chiaverini

Goodreads Author

Website

http://jenniferchiaverini.com

Genre

Literature & Fiction, Historical Fiction

Member Since

January 2015

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Jennifer Chiaverini is the New York Times bestselling author of several acclaimed historical novels and the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series, as well as six collections of quilt patterns inspired by her books. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago, she lives with her husband and two sons in Madison, Wisconsin. About her historical fiction, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes, "In addition to simply being fascinating stories, these novels go a long way in capturing the texture of life for women, rich and poor, black and white, in those perilous years."

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You are a prolific writer. I've enjoyed every book of yours I've read (I, too, love needlework and history). How do you motivate yourself to write? I have a library's worth of book ideas in my head, but I find the prospect of sitting down and organizing those ideas into characters and prose to be daunting. Do you belong to a writers' group? How do you "prime the pump?" Thanks for your thoughts on this.

Jennifer Chiaverini Hi, Kathie! Thanks for your question. I love to write, so I've never really had a problem motivating myself to do it. If you're feeling daunted by the…moreHi, Kathie! Thanks for your question. I love to write, so I've never really had a problem motivating myself to do it. If you're feeling daunted by the prospect of getting started, I'd suggest that you stop thinking about writing an ENTIRE BOOK. That's a lot of work. I get tired just thinking about it. I got tired just writing "ENTIRE BOOK!" I find it easier to focus on one small assignment at a time. Instead of telling yourself, "I need to sit down and organize my ideas into characters and prose," tell yourself something like, "Today I'm going to write a paragraph describing my main character." The next day, give yourself another small assignment that builds upon the previous one. The important thing is to tackle one small assignment every day. As you make daily writing a habit, it will become easier to do more writing at each setting. (Instead of one paragraph, for example, you'll write a page or a scene.) Good luck with your writing!(less)

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How did you come up with the idea/story behind Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule?

Jennifer Chiaverini Great question, Laura! I first became intrigued by Julia Dent Grant when I was researching the wartime experiences of Mary Todd Lincoln for my novel…moreGreat question, Laura! I first became intrigued by Julia Dent Grant when I was researching the wartime experiences of Mary Todd Lincoln for my novel MRS. LINCOLN'S DRESSMAKER. In March 1865, Mary had accompanied her husband to General Grant’s headquarters at City Point, Virginia, and according to the searing descriptions many witnesses provided in their memoirs, the visit was an absolute disaster. Mary Lincoln apparently had a very public meltdown, probably sparked by a toxic combination of illness, stress, and jealousy of any woman that spoke to her husband alone. Julia Grant and her youngest son were living with the general at headquarters at the time, and Julia had taken on the thankless role of the First Lady’s hostess. She tried to soothe Mary out of her terrible tempers, but she only succeeded in making herself the target of Mary’s abuse. When I read that Mary accused Julia of wanting the White House for herself, I was struck by the irony of the charge, as Julia had no desire to be First Lady and had no idea that she nevertheless would be someday.

I also was surprised to discover that throughout the war, Julia often lived with her husband at military headquarters, traveling by steamer or railroad to join him whenever he considered his location safe enough. Then I happened to read an article in which, almost as an aside, the author noted that Julia often brought “her favorite slave” along on these excursions. I was absolutely astonished by the utter incongruity—from my modern perspective, at least—of a Union general’s wife owning a slave. Who was the enslaved woman, I wondered, and what had it been like for her to live in the camp of the Union army in the war that was supposed to end slavery forever? From that moment, Jule had a firm hold on my imagination, and I wrote MRS. GRANT AND MADAME JULE in part to satisfy my curiosity.(less)

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Jennifer Chiaverini’s books

Average rating: 3.84 · 121,426 ratings · 13,928 reviews · 45 distinct works • Similar authors

	Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker 3.43 avg rating — 20,197 ratings — published 2013 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Quilter's Apprentice (Elm Creek Quilts, #1) 3.92 avg rating — 11,249 ratings — published 1999 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Runaway Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #4) 4.10 avg rating — 5,947 ratings — published 2002 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Round Robin (Elm Creek Quilts, #2) 3.96 avg rating — 5,802 ratings — published 2000 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Quilter's Legacy (Elm Creek Quilts, #5) 4.10 avg rating — 5,526 ratings — published 2003 — 14 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Cross-Country Quilters (Elm Creek Quilts, #3) 4.01 avg rating — 5,345 ratings — published 2001 — 14 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Sugar Camp Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #7) 4.07 avg rating — 4,921 ratings — published 2005 — 16 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Master Quilter (Elm Creek Quilts, #6) 4.05 avg rating — 4,472 ratings — published 2004 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Circle of Quilters (Elm Creek Quilts, #9) 4.06 avg rating — 4,218 ratings — published 2006 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Lost Quilter (Elm Creek Quilts, #14) 4.16 avg rating — 4,101 ratings — published 2009 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Jennifer Chiaverini's Blog

Announcing the Backstory Book Club

Calling all book clubs!

Join Jennifer Chiaverini's #BackstoryBookClub and win free books by New York Times Bestselling Author Jennifer Chiaverini and other prizes—including an autographed Advance Reader’s Edition of her forthcoming novel, Fates and Traitors: A Novel of John Wilkes Booth and an opportunity to Skype with the author!

1. Register your book club by writing to mail@backstorybookclub.c...

Series by Jennifer Chiaverini

Elm Creek Quilts (20 books)
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Jennifer Chiaverini (Goodreads Author)

3.97 avg rating — 85,495 ratings

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Jennifer Chiaverini is now friends with Char Jones
Jun 02, 2018 05:56AM · like
Jennifer Chiaverini made a comment on NOW AVAILABLE! The Quilter’s Ghost: An Elm Creek Quilts Story " Lisa wrote: "Can you make this available for Nook, please?" I've submitted a version for the Nook and I'm just waiting for them to make it available fo ...more "
Oct 02, 2015 04:25PM · see blog post

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Quotes by Jennifer Chiaverini

“One can never had too many librarian friends.”
― Jennifer Chiaverini, The Wedding Quilt

tags: friendship, librarians

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“Anna, falling in love with you was like coming home to a place I didn't realize I'd been missing all my life. You're the only person I've ever known who accepts me for who I am, right in this moment, faults and all, and isn't waiting for me to become someone else.”
― Jennifer Chiaverini, The Wedding Quilt

tags: love, marriage

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“Sometimes the most ordinary things are the ones we learn to miss the most.”
― Jennifer Chiaverini, The Quilter's Apprentice

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See all Jennifer Chiaverini's quotes »

Polls

What is your choice for May-2013, Post-2012 Book of the Month?

Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini

6 votes, 30.0%

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

5 votes, 25.0%

The Dinner by Herman Koch

3 votes, 15.0%

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

2 votes, 10.0%

Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline

2 votes, 10.0%

Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler

2 votes, 10.0%

The Unfinished Child by Theresa Shea

0 votes, 0.0%

The Boy from Reactor 4 by Orest Stelmach

0 votes, 0.0%

Motherland by William Nicholson

0 votes, 0.0%

20 total votes

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