Late Night Free Kindle Book!

I’ve sewn as far as I can tonight --- I’m out of my pre-cut cheddar squares for my leader/ender bow-ties and it’s a good time to slow it down, pack it up, and get things ready for heading home tomorrow!

I wanted to pass this freebie on to you since so many quilters who are in love with civil war era quilts, also love reading civil war based books……and I’m one of those quilters too! I love history ---and this one is right up my alley.

They Met at Shiloh by Phillip Bryant has received an average user rating of 4 out of 5 stars based on 10 customer reviews. I received an email from the author saying this book would be free through May 24^th.

Category: Historical Fiction

Book Description:

Pittsburg Landing was a place at peace—one that never expected to be the site for one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Peace is shattered as Confederate and Federal troops meet on the fields and farms surrounding a tiny Methodist church. In the midst of death and destruction, friendships form as four soldiers struggle to survive the battle.

Forced to leave his position as minister, Phillip Pearson knows his life is in danger, but not just from the Confederates. The Harper family, incensed at Pearson’s refusal to bury a philandering son, has a vendetta against him that is played out on the battlefield.

Demoted from his command by a West Point graduate, Capt.Michael Greirson is forced to choose between ambition and duty.

When a bumbling youth becomes his shadow, Private Robert Mitchell gains an unlikely friend—something that has been missing from his life. Afraid to trust, he is forced to confront those fears and depend on others in the heat of battle.

War is an adventure to Private Stephen Murdoch and his best friend, William Banks. For months they dream of the glory of war before volunteering together. On the eve of battle, they sense something momentous is about to happen. Their idealistic views fade in the blood of their fallen comrades.

As we celebrate the 150th anniversary in April 2012, Phillip Bryant provides a fresh look at the battle from the personal perspective of four men among the armies of panicked soldiers who marched and faced off against one another, ill-suited for infantry combat at close range but forced by fate and necessity at the Battle of Shiloh.

I just downloaded my copy and it was still free ---but double check before purchasing to be sure it still is for you – who knows how long these will be available for free before they start to charge.

Night, Everyone!

Sew To Speak!

All through this trip I’ve been posting about huge gigantic quilt shops with 7000 bolts or more, huge floor spaces, carrying everything under the sun --

Oh, and I love them --- it’s fabric and inspiration overload ---

Yesterday I had a sweet experience at a different kind of quilt shop ---it was like going from “Big Box Store” to “Adorable Boutique” ----and it made me want to linger!

There is a cute little shop in a little old strip mall called “Sew to Speak.” I knew upon entering that this was a different kind of place. Their by-line is “A do it yourself style shoppe for creating aparel and home décor”

Of course, that includes quilts too ---

And if I didn’t know better --- that Vespa out front could have been an extension of the style inside --- it was trendy yet vintage, and it made me want to touch EVERYTHING!

From the red floor, to the red top of the display table ---it felt artsy and quaint, yet inviting. It reminded me of the smaller sizes of shops I’d encountered when visiting Germany, France or the Netherlands --

The fabrics were special, and things I don’t see every day ---simply displayed on wood shelves. Lots of patterns for apparel and bags --- and it was fun to see the different colorful rolls of oil cloth and all that can be done with that – it reminds me of my grandmother’s kitchen with the oil cloth table cloth ----great memories!

Modern style quilts hung from racks and draped over a sofa. You just want to touch every stitch! I loved how some of them, while machine quilted, were accented with big stitch quilting by hand in colorful pearle cotton – almost as an afterthought. FUN!

LOVED this modern uptake of an old traditional favorite – 1000 pyramids!

Here some “chalk board” oil cloth was being cut for a customer with a very busy toddler – it’s going to become an art wall for her kids. VERY COOL. We didn’t have this stuf when I was raising my boys ---

Visiting this little shop just made me so happy --- you know bigger is not always better – it’s just MORE.

I couldn’t resist two bundles of polka dots…polka dots always make me happy too!

If you get a chance while driving through Columbus, stop and see Sew to Speak – it’s a treat!

iPhone-o-Gram! Sisters Choice with Common Threads!

26 quilters in a big wide open space!!

We are sewing up a storm and having a ball!

A special shout out to Junie from Sue and me!!

Jeni’s --- Ice Creams of a Different Flavor!

Three quilters in an SUV, set loose to hop from quilt shop to quilt shop --- it’s serious business, you know?!

One can build up a powerful hunger while fondling fabric and figuring yardage amounts and subtracting 30% from a full price sticker because things are ON SALE!

Little did I know what kind of treat I’d be in for when Catie pulled in and parked behind a little trendy strip mall area, telling me I need to try Jeni's ---the shop is pretty unasuming on the outside ---and the inside isn’t much more descriptive. They do ONE THING --- and that one thing is the focal point of the whole shop…

ICE CREAM. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.

As we hustled down the side walk heading for the front door, I got a glimpse of what “Grown Up” ice cream is all about! Lemon and Blueberries. Lime Cardamom ((CARDAMOM in ice cream!?? OH BOY!)) Backyard Mint. Goat Cheese with Red Cherries. ((Goat cheese in ICE CREAM!?))

This is definitely not your “31 flavors” type of place. And you should have seen the counter guy waiting on us – the way he described how each taste would hit our palettes ---the delightful freshness of “this” with a subtle undertone of “that” followed by a burst of “this..” He was like a wine connoisseur describing the most delicate of vintages in ultimate detail.

OH, and taste tests are free! Wanna give it a go?

Start here with the “Signature Flavors”

Salty Caramel! YUM!! Can you read the description?

WIldberry Lavender.

Dark Chocolate and White House Cherry. Just reading the descriptions has my mouth watering. “intense chocolate flavor with a fudge-like texture and a pleasingly dry finish.” I don’t think I’ve ever met a “regular” chocolate ice cream that had a pleasingly dry finish. Have I been missing out all my life?

Bangkok Peanut & Queen City Cayenne!

Hot Cayenne pepper in ice cream? Why not? I love the Lindt chocolate chili bars…..

VERY GROWN UP SORBETS! Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet ----and Grapefruit Frozen Yogurt. OH. MY. WORD! How do you choose?

Plum Sake Sorbet! Lemon & Blue Berries!

So what did I go for?

Bangkok Peanut on the bottom, and Black Currant Yogurt on the top…it was like a frozen peanut butter & jelly sandwich, only better! DELISH!

And if you wanted something else, you could find all sorts of nummies on the board:

If you are traveling through Ohio or Tennessee, you can find a Jeni’s HERE and try your own taste of grown up ice cream!

I think I need to go back and try some of the ones I missed ---it was fantastic!

It's Sister's Choice day with the Common Threads quilt guild! My last Ohio workshop this trip -- but don't worry, Ohio Quilters, I'll be back in June!

Late Night Kindle Freebie!

I just got back to my hotel room after a super meeting with the Common Threads quilt guild in Columbus, OH!

I’m so wound up from everything we got up to today ----I spent the day on a quilt shop tour! And in order to unwind a bit, I’m watching a bit of “Cold Case” while tackling some emails that need replying to.

I found an email from Valerie J who writes:

Oooh, I read the first few pages of this one in the "look inside" feature and it starts out great. Might want to give it a gander. It was free when I sent this e-mail.

Of which book is she referring to? I had to click the link and find out!

Jaden Baker by Courtney Kirchoff is currently free in the Amazon Kindle Store.

Product Description

Jaden Baker is unique, talented, special.
And for a while there, things were looking up. Adopted by an upper-middle class couple of suburbia, Jaden believed he'd finally gotten that second chance everyone raves about. It came with potato salad.

But something happened. Something always happens. The life he'd been living took a dark twist, taking him on a journey that exposed him to evil, and the power it wields.
For those receiving it, patience is a deadly virtue.

I wasn’t totally sold by the description, but that just leads me to reading reviews --- and the reviews raved about how good this is – so it’s worth the price of free to me ;c)

This novel was great! Harry Potter meets Jason Bourne in a witty and honest look at what life can mean to different people. This book has a little bit of everything in it - mystery, suspense, romance, good vs. evil, science fiction, adventure, and humor.

It's a must read for anyone tired of a stereotypical hero written in a stereotypical way. Not all mysteries are spelled out for the reader, allowing you to think, plot, and imagine throughout the story. There's just enough hidden information that the suspense successfully carries the reader through the whole book without ever spoon-feeding you answers.

Kirchoff's style is truly fresh; she doesn't shy away from sarcastic and non-traditional characters, just as she isn't afraid to write about a truly dark side of man. I loved reading this book - the honesty, quirky characters, and intense plot balanced each other so well. I'll be raving about this book for a long time to come!

Double check to make sure it’s still free before you click to purchase! Thanks for the heads up, Valerie ;c)

Tomorrow we have a full Sister’s Choice workshop --- I’m winding down my time in Ohio and will be heading home on Thursday. It’s about time – this girl is ready to go home, no matter how much fun this midwest tour has been!

iPhone-o-Gram! Out Shoppin'!!

First stop--Quilt Trends, Columbus Ohio!

Several bolts, 30% off---let the drooling begin!!

When in Dublin, Ohio ----

If you ever find yourself near Columbus, Ohio ----

You MUST stop to wander through the “Field of Corn”!!

This is one of those “Things that make you go “Huh?!”

or --

One of those things that makes you think “REALLY!?”

Or ----

Make you wonder if you somehow missed a turn and found yourself in Iowa by mistake ;c)

We passed these sculptures yesterday after 4 of us left Bonefish with dinner filling our bellies to way-too-full! I did a double take!

I just think oddities like this are so fun ---I know, kinda CORNY, huh?!

((Yeah, and you just knew I was going to say that!))

Photos are not mine ---I had to search google!

There are 109 giant ears of concrete corn in in Sam and Eulalia Frantz Park. Awesome!

I just finshed going over the final pdf copies of the pages for my next book. Oh – it’s BEAUTIFUL! Just wait till you see it! I don’t want the summer to go too quickly, but I also can not wait for July and the book release to get here.

I’ve got just 30 minutes before Catie picks me up to do some more sight seeing, and then off to a dinner with the guild ladies, and finally a lecture/trunk show tonight for the Common Threads quilt guild in Columbus!

Smith Mountain Morning at Quilt Beginnings!

We cooked up a lot of heat in Columbus!

It also felt like summer OUTSIDE – the poor AC was getting a work out trying to keep up with 33 women “of a certain age” and all of our community power surges---

It always tickles me to learn that people have traveled far and wide to gather together and sew, baby sew!

The award for the farthest distance traveled went to some sisters who drove up from Southern Alabama --- only a 12 hour drive! The whole family got into the act and were working on one project together ----nothing like team sewing to make the work go faster!

We had quilters drive a couple hours ---from all over the state, and some drive from near Pittsburgh, PA ---any excuse for a road trip!

There were quilters I knew from other visits elsewhere from other Ohio guilds, or Caribbean cruises --- who now know each other! It was fun to see.

I really wish I could remember names. 32 quilters –and one knitter who was there with the sisters from Alabama –left me SO inspired.

Our beautiful knitter is sight impaired ----yet you should SEE how beautiful her knitting is! And is she ever fast! I had no idea how impaired she was visually, until one of the ladies brought her up to the quilt…..and was helping her trace her fingers around the patch outlines of every piece in the block so she could “see” with her fingers what it was that we were doing.

It was the most beautiful act of love --- and it made my day. Thank you ladies for coming all the way from Alabama to spend the time with us!

The slide show is large – and my fingers are crossed that it loads --

		Smith Mountain Morning, Columbus OH 2012 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We have a lecture this evening with the Common Threads Quilters of Columbus ---but this afternoon we’ll be doing some running around and getting ourselves into some trouble just for fun!

Until then – I’ve planned a morning power walk, that is if the rain stays at bay --- and perhaps some piecing in my room.

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!