MAYBELLE IN STITCHES - Joyce Magnin - One Free Book on this blog, Plus More

Bio: Joyce Magnin is the author of the Bright's Pond novels, including the award-winning The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow. A member of the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Fellowship, Joyce is a frequent workshop leader and the organizer of the StoryCrafters fiction group. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Welcome back, Joyce. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I love the idea of community and people working together to solve problems and support one another. So all my books have that in common. And I also believe that part of getting through life is keeping a sense of humor about things.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

Well, I guess I’ve had several happiest days if you count the days my kids were born, the day I got my first book contract, the day I learned to ride a bike, the day my brother came home from Viet Nam, the day my daughter got married, the days she gave birth to The Adorables (my three grandsons). Yikes! Lots of happiest days. It is really hard to narrow down to just one—sorry.

The longer we live, the longer those lists become. I now how two great grandsons as well. How has being published changed your life?

Oh, boy, I’m certainly busier than I ever was. Getting a publishing contract is very validating for writers even though there are many days when I think I’m the worst writer in the world.

Don’t we all? What are you reading right now?

Books by Elizabeth Berg. I love her simplicity. Books on needlework and embroidery because I’m working on a book that uses embroidery as a symbol.

What is your current work in progress?

Working on a book called Counting Threads about a woman who runs a small stitchery shop.

What would be your dream vacation?

I want to go to Scotland and wander the moors and castles. Or a day to myself would be nice.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

They choose me. I love small towns so that’s where I set my books. The small towns I write about are pretty much an amalgam of all the small towns I’ve explored in upstate Pennsylvania.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

My sister Elaine. I haven’t seen her in a long time.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Cross Stitch, video games, grandsons.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Self doubt. I never think I’m good enough. I overcome it by looking at past successes and listening to the amazing cheerleaders in my life.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Read. Read. Read. Write. Write. Write. Attend conferences. Persevere.

Tell us about the featured book.

A patchwork quilt holds together two hearts separated by miles of ocean and the Second World War. Maybelle can’t sew. But when she finds an unfinished quilt in the attic of her mother’s house, she gets the crazy idea to complete it. At first, it’s just a way to fill the lonely nights while her husband, staff sergeant Holden Kanzinzki, is away fighting in World War II.

Yet when Maybelle discovers that the quilt is made from scraps of material that can be traced back through her family heritage, the project is suddenly much more important. Then word comes that Holden is missing in action, and with little else to do, Maybelle clings to the quilt as much as to the hope that her husband is still alive. As neighborhood friends gather around Maybelle to help her through the unknown days and nights ahead, it is the quilt that becomes a symbol of her unflagging belief that Holden will return—to her, to their home, and to their quilt-covered bed.

My newest great grandson is named Holden. Please give us the first page of the book.

October 1943
Chester, Pennsylvania

My dearest Maybelle,

Another long day has finally come to an end. We just finished dinner. Paxton is already snoring. He can sleep anywhere. I don’t have to tell you how sleep eludes me here. But, supper was good, lamb stew with potatoes and carrots. I had three helpings. I can’t tell you how or where, but we actually ate supper at a real house, not a foxhole. But now, I am in our tent, shivering because it is so cold and it makes me wish even more you were in my arms. I love you, darling, and miss you more than anything. I know you are worried, but don’t be. I’ll be home soon, I promise. I can hear artillery off in the distance, but if I listen real hard, I can hear your voice, singing the silly song you always sang. Oh, sorry, sweetheart, I have to go now. My sergeant is waiting for me. Some sort of (censored) duty. Good night, darling.

Your Ever-Loving Husband,
Holden

Maybelle slipped the V-Mail letter into her pocket and headed off down Ninth Street toward the Sun shipyard. The main reason she had taken the job was because she thought it would help take her mind off of missing Holden. And because most of the men had been sent off to war, they needed her. As it turned out, learning to be a welder repairing huge war ships did accomplish some of her goal, but it also accomplished something else. Maybelle had become a part of a small group of army wives whose husbands were fighting in Europe. A group that worked together, laughed together, ate together, and far too often cried together. Try as they might, the wives had a difficult time refraining from long talks of their husbands and the war. There was no use trying to hide their true feelings, although each and every woman was proud as punch her husband was doing his part. It seemed to be the motto on the home front. Do Your Part. Well, Maybelle certainly believed she was doing hers.

She lived only five blocks from the massive shipyard on the Delaware River in Chester—a small but bustling suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After Holden enlisted, Maybelle moved in with her mother. Maybelle and Holden had plans to move into one of the blossoming communities a little farther west. But for now, home with Mom and Bingo, her black mutt of a dog, was the best of all places for Maybelle. Still, she missed Holden more than anything. They had gotten married only two weeks before he shipped out for Europe. His orders came early. Six whole months early and so Maybelle and her mother scrambled to get the wedding organized in time. Pastor Mendenhall was more than accommodating. As a matter of fact, Maybelle was delighted the way the entire congregation, what was left of it, pitched in.

Maybelle could hear the shipyard whistle blow all day long from the house. The yard operated twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The whistle announced the numerous shift changes, lunch, starting and stopping times. She felt fortunate for having the day shift

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I can be found at http://joycemagnin.blogspot.com or Facebook.

Thanks for visiting with me!

Joyce, it's always a pleasure to host you, and I love the Quilts of Love books.

Don’t miss the newest Quilts of Love book, Maybelle in Stitches, by Joyce Magnin. Maybelle can’t sew. But when she finds an unfinished quilt in the attic of her mother’s house, she gets the crazy idea to complete it.

Joyce is celebrating the release with a $200 Modcloth giveaway. Enter today for a chance to spruce up your spring wardrobe!

  One winner will receive:

• A $200 ModCloth.com gift card
• Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron
• A Sky Without Stars by Linda S. Clare
• Maybelle in Stitches by Joyce Magnin

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 19th. Winner will be announced on April 21st on the Quilts of Love blog!

Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER.

Joyce, I recently discovered the ModCloth web site. I'd love to win a shopping spree there. I'm sure my winners would, too.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Maybelle in Stitches - Christianbook.com

Maybelle in Stitches: Quilts of Love Series - Amazon

Maybelle in Stitches: Quilts of Love Series - Kindle

Christian Book Store

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

THE PRAYERS OF AGNES SPARROW - Joyce Magnin - Free Book

We're introducing another of the Abingdon authors. Welcome, Joyce. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Um, interesting. Not much, I think. I'm sure people who read my novels will say they see a lot of me in certain characters but I don't see it. Unless you consider Agnes's love of M&Ms.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Okay, so the definition of quirky is peculiar or idiosyncratic so I suppose my quirkiest stuff is that I never eat everything on a plate. I always leave something. My mother says I've done that since I was a little kid. Oh and I will drive for miles out of way to avoid traffic jams, I holler at the TV while watching football, I hate mayonnaise and have been known to leave the table if someone is glopping particularly large dollops on the their sandwich, I've never seen an episode of Dancing With The Stars, and I will someday inherit an 85 year old onion plant from my extra-quirky mother and the thought scares me because I am not a plant person and it will probably die ten minutes after I take possession.

I guess I didn't know onion plants lived that long. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

In the third grade. Everything else, math, geography became superfluous after that. You can read about it on my site.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Oh boy, well pretty much anything from Crime Noir to Literary. But I suppose I enjoy novels with some humor and quirkiness like Fannie Flagg, Joshilyn Jackson, Lisa Samson, Nancy Rue. Not a fan of vampire novels.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I wrote a coming-of-age novel I'd like to see published some day. And I have two or three middle grade fantasies floating around that I think would be great fun to publish. Maybe someday.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

That assumes I have sanity to maintain. But I cross stitch, play video games, watch movies, sit in my son's tree house by myself and pretend I'm a nut.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Now that's a good question. But the simple truth is that they come to me already named. I never spend time thinking or researching names. And once named it is nearly impossible for me to change them. Is that weird?

No, I've given a character a name, and within three chapters that character changed it. Thank goodness for Find and Replace. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

My children. Oh, and I recently flew in an airplane for first time in many, many years and I suppose you could count seeing my debut novel published.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

Um, I've never considered this. But I suppose a strange, twisted hybrid of a bird and dog. Kind of a birddog because birds have a unique perspective on the world and tend to fly into things like clean windows and a dog because I like dogs, they're loyal and can play fetch.

What is your favorite food?

Ice cream.

I just had some Chocolate Covered Cherries Blue Bell at the movie theater, and now I can't find it in a store. It was awesome. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Worrying about every single word and whether it would ever be successful and I still haven't overcome that.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Be very certain you are a writer. Try NOT to write and see what happens and then keep going. Don't give up.

Tell us about the featured book?

The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow is the story of an unusual woman, Agnes Sparrow. No longer able or willing to leave her home, where she is cared for by her long-suffering sister Griselda, Agnes has committed her life to the one thing she can do—besides eat. Agnes Sparrow prays and when Agnes prays things happen, including major miracles of the cancer, ulcer-healing variety along with various minor miracles not the least of which is the recovery of lost objects and a prize-winning pumpkin.


The rural residents of Bright’s Pond are so enamored with Agnes they plan to have a sign erected on the interstate that reads, “Welcome to Bright’s Pond, Home of Agnes Sparrow.” This is something Agnes doesn’t want and sends Griselda to fight city hall. Griselda’s petitions are shot down and the sign plans press forward until a stranger comes to town looking for his miracle and Agnes's feet of clay are exposed.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter 1

If you get off the Pennsylvania Turnpike at the Jack Frost Ski Resort exit, turn left and travel twenty-two and one quarter miles, you’ll see a sign that says: Bright’s Pond, Home of the World’s Largest Blueberry Pie.

While it is true that in 1961 Mabel Sewicky and the Society of Angelic Philanthropy, which did secret charitable acts, baked the biggest blueberry pie ever in Pennsylvania, most folks will tell you that the sign should read: Bright’s Pond, Home of Agnes Sparrow.

October 12, 1965. That was the day my sister, Agnes Sparrow, made an incredible decision that changed history in our otherwise sleepy little mountain town and made her sign-worthy.

“I just can’t do it anymore, Griselda. I just can’t.”

That’s what Agnes said to me right before she flopped down on our red, velvet sofa. “It ain’t worth it to go outside anymore. It’s just too much trouble for you—” She took a deep breath and sighed it out. “—and heartache for me.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

joycemagnin.blogspot.com
Abingdonpress.com
Facebook
Twitter

Thank you, Joyce, for spending this time with us.

Readers, here's a link where you can order the book. If you're planning to order the book, using this link helps support this blog.


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.


Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/