Susan Wiggs's Blog, page 11

the perfect mother’s day gift = the perfect summer weekend

In this issue: Mother’s Day and writer Susan Wiggs, MMA crocheter and the price of sheep to shawl, Vogue Knitting LIVE San Francisco, Destinations and more, Stitch Away Stress, Free patterns from Churchmouse Yarns & Teas






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HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

We are heading to Bainbridge Island and Seattle, July 19-22, for an amazing weekend of knitting fun with author Susan Wiggs(see Q&A below!) Our Mother’s Day gift to you? Register before May 15th to save on pricing and get an autographed copy of Susan’s Map of the Heart!

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KNITTING NATTER

The cost of that knit, from sheep to shawl. (Washingtonian)

Fashion is sitting up and taking craft more seriously. (Dezeen)

Nothing gets knitters talking like Daniel Day-Lewis in a hand-knit gansey. (Fringe Association)

This Minnesota MMA fighter has a soft side. (Fox 9)






























SUSAN WIGGS TALKS KNITTING

Editor Trisha Malcolm chatted with best-selling author Susan Wiggs ahead of this summer’s knitting trip to Wiggs’ hometown of Bainbridge Island.

TM: When did you learn to knit?

SW: I have no memory of learning to knit, the same way I have no memory of learning to make up stories. I had that grandmother who just had the knitting magic. We all remember “that basket” from our childhoods, and I just remember delving into it, trying to emulate her gestures. And I can’t even recall when I really started knitting, but I remember looking down at a little stockinette square and saying, “Look what I did!”

TM: Is there knitting in your novels?

SW: You know, it’s so much a part of everyday life for me I barely even think about it, but yes, people knit in my novels. If the characters are sitting somewhere having a conversation in a certain setting, of course somebody’s going to be knitting! I can’t think of a book where it actually takes center stage, but it’s something that people do just to relax and create. My novels are about drama and deep conflict, and for me knitting is the opposite of that. It would be hard for me to write a dramatic, struggling scene where somebody’s knitting. Now I’m thinking that I should challenge myself to do a knitting scene in the aftermath of a big drama…or after a big love scene! Maybe instead of lighting up a cigarette, they should get out their knitting.

TM: Tell us a little bit about Churchmouse on Bainbridge Island.

SW: What a lovely shop, isn’t it? You know, when it started about fifteen years ago, I thought, really? Just a knitting shop? In a town as small as Bainbridge? But they’ve really turned it into a destination and I love it. I’m so proud of that shop, I love taking people there, seeing their faces when they walk through the door. It’s going to be so much fun this summer when we take people there and they get to take it all in.

TM: Any knitting wisdom?

SW: You know….no. I have the opposite. Knitting imparts the wisdom to you. It makes you be patient. It makes you trust, when you’re casting on stitches and thinking this is never going to be right. If you’re looking for more patience and trust in your life, try knitting.

I am so excited about this trip. It’s my favorite place, my favorite time of year. It will be perfect weather, in the 70s during the day, low 50s at night, water everywhere and blue skies as far as you can see. July is always a good bet in the northwest, and the itineraries for both Bainbridge and Seattle are perfect. Everything you need for a weekend is there. It’s pretty much everything I would say to do.

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signed book scavenger hunt

How do those special “signed edition” books happen? It starts with the bindery shipping thousands of pages to the author for her signature. Then she binge-watches The Last Post (which I heartily recommend) while signing her name, over and over again.

You can pre-order a signed copy of Between You & Me from my local indie bookseller, Eagle Harbor Books, or from Barnes & Noble.

To add some fun to the project, I marked some of the pages with my feather logo stamp. If you order a signed book and you get one with the feather, you are in for a huge treat! It means you’ve won a gift basket of all my favorite things (think chocolate, coffee, candles, lotion, books, writing and art supplies…).

a few of my favorite things

Just send a pic of the autographed page to susanmwiggs (at) gmail.com and we will shower you with goodies!

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still toasty warm

The new book club edition of Fireside is out today. I love this book for a lot of reasons, but it’s sad that one of the major subplots–immigration in America–is still an unresolved issue, ten years after I wrote the book.

Something to talk about with your book club, maybe? I’d love to hear your feedback on this or anything else that sparks a discussion. Like maybe Bo, the main character, getting a dream makeover.

 

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hellooo, Utah! :: celebrating books and readers

Quick reminder–Join me and a group of your favorite authors for a very special luncheon event in Layton, Utah, next October 13. Fiction, food, fun–including a keynote by yours truly, lively conversation, mind-blowing swag bags…and more! Why am I talking about it now? Because registration for the event opens one week from today. We’d love to see you there!

Meet Susan WIggs at this Readers’ Luncheon
Fiction. Food. Fun.

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joy+sorrow

Joy and sorrow are like sunshine and shadow. The very first book in the Lakeshore Chronicles series is Summer at Willow Lake, which became an instant bestseller when it was first published. Today only, you can grab an e-copy for just $1.99. It’s one of those “gateway drug” books that set off ten more, which is so gratifying because of the couple that inspired it:

My parents. Here they are in 1954. The hope and joy in this picture lasted for decades–nearly seven of them. They inspired the inciting incident in the book, and the dedication belongs to them forever.

Sadly, my beloved dad passed away in 2015. But he lived and loved with his whole heart, and we are all the richer for having known him.

He was so proud of my books. Making dad proud is one of the most gratifying feelings in life.

Here’s to Willow Lake then:

and now:

Happy reading!

 

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goals

Listen to your heart and the rest will follow.If you love to travel, join us on our Tampa-to-Barcelona Retreat, May 6-20.

Or come see us in Seattle next summer! July 19-22.

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COVER REVEEEEEALLLL!

Yes, I’m screaming. There’s something uniquely thrilling about seeing the cover of your book for the first time. It’s the first concrete image a writer gets based on the novel she’s spent months and months creating.

As a writer, I tend to think in words and paragraphs rather than images. So when I finally get a glimpse of the visuals, I get goosebumps. Now, without further ado, here is Between You & Me, coming from William Morrow Books on June 26.

Available for pre-order now!

The publishing team at William Morrow is adding to the fun by offering a one-day-only pre-order ebook price promotion. TODAY ONLY (March 14), you can order the book for your e-reader for just $4.99.

And we also have something for fans of print books–a signed first edition from my hometown bookstore, Eagle Harbor Books. Locally owned and community spirited, this Bainbridge Island landmark would love to send you a copy the moment it’s published.

There is a special place in heaven for readers who pre-order books, either from bookstores, online, or from the public library. It lets the writer and publisher know you’re out there, you’re craving a terrific read, and you’re ready to be entertained!

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watch this space :: Wednesday cover reveal

How will my next book look? We’ll find out this Wednesday, March 14, when my publisher pulls back the curtain to reveal Between You & Me. The official publication date is June 26, but it’s available for preorder now.

Just for fun–here’s an image collage I made for inspiration as I was writing this novel. Based on these clippings, what do you suppose the cover should look like?

Some images I collected for inspiration

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new look for a fan favorite

Sisters and secrets make for great stories. Home Before Dark is dedicated to my real-life sister, and I’m thrilled to see this new edition available for pre-order. The official pub date is March 12. Enjoy!

HOME BEFORE DARK will keep you up all night.

#books #reading #MiraBooks #Harlequin #WomensFiction

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going naked

Not me, silly. My book. That’s because I’m being a merciless tease about the cover art for the upcoming Between You & Me.

judging a book by its lack-of-cover

But my oh-so-generous publisher and the good folks at Goodreads are giving away 50 (FIFTY!) copies of the reviewer’s edition. You can enter to win one here.

Want to have a peek behind the scenes? You can check out my Pinterest collection of odds and ends I collected while researching and writing the novel.

I’ve written a lot of books, and each novel is its own journey. This one in particular was what I call a heart-grabber. When inspiration struck, it consumed me for days, weeks, and months on end. I couldn’t wait to get to the page to find out what would happen next. I even created an image collage to look at:

Some images I collected for inspiration

Anyway. The cover design is meant to reflect the most startling aspect of the book–a clash of two worlds that will leave you breathless. There will be a splashy “cover-reveal” event soon to launch Between You & Me into the world.

To be the first to know, you can sign up for my e-newsletter (it’s infrequent and not annoying, I promise) or follow me on social media. I cannot wait to tell the world!

Smart Shopper Tip: For a GUARANTEED free copy–and you don’t have to enter anything!–you can request the book from your local library. All you need to do is give this info to your librarian, and she’ll do the rest:

BETWEEEN YOU & mE BY SUSAN WIGGS

ISBN: 9780062425577
ISBN 10: 0062425579
Imprint: William Morrow
On Sale: 06/26/2018
Pages: 368
List Price: tbd USD
BISAC1: FICTION / Contemporary Women
BISAC2: FICTION / Romance / Contemporary
BISAC3: FICTION / Amish & Mennonite

 

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