Happy Friday, everyone! Today I'm hosting my writer buddy (and fellow member of the Nice Girls Writing Naughty group) A. Catherine Noon. She's here to chat about her upcoming release Emerald Keep. It's a gay science fantasy romance that sounds fascinating. She's also chatting about one of her hobbies, knitting. I've been a knitter, but have never been able to size anything correctly. Even when I stick to something simple, I end up with something that's too big to wear as a scarf and too small to use as a blanket. :-)
So thanks for being here, Noony, and please tell us more about your hobby.
Why I Knit
So thanks for being here, Noony, and please tell us more about your hobby.
****
Why I Knit
Thank you to Nona for hosting me today as part of the Keepsake Tour, to celebrate the release of Emerald Keep. Nona asked me to talk a little about knitting and crocheting, which is one of my favorite subjects.
This is the
Emerald Keep Scarf. I’m knitting it from
a pattern that Barbara Walker included in her book, A Second Treasury of
Knitting Patterns. It’s called
“Two-Color Star Stitch.” While it’s not
a difficult stitch, it’s not how I started out.
I started by making simple patterns in 2000 when I took a class with a
Chicago artist and teacher, Sharon Shoji.
I had tried
to learn to knit before, but couldn’t translate from the 2-D instructions in my
books to the 3-D reality of needles and yarn.
When I took Sharon’s basic knitting class, I went from not being able to
make a knot with the yarn to making cables and lace. What’s amazing about it is that I gained
something besides the skill to make stuff.
I discovered that two sticks and yarn can turn into meditation.
It’s no surprise
that meditation is good for us. But in
our modern lives, getting still and sitting quietly for an extended period of
time, even twenty minutes, is difficult – at least for me. My thoughts refuse to quiet down. But by concentrating on the yarn, I am able
to occupy that noisy part of my mind that won’t quiet down during
meditation.
Then I
discovered something else. I can talk
and knit at the same time. This allows
me to hang out with friends and not get antsy.
I can focus during meetings, assuming it’s not a disruption to be
knitting while it’s going on. And long
drives? Piece of cake – especially when
I found out about light-up knitting needles (the light is in the tip) and lapel
book lights.
Do you have
a particular hobby that you enjoy? Tell
me in the comments and be entered to win one of several prizes, including the
Emerald Keep Scarf.
And as a
teaser, here’s the cover and a blurb for Emerald Keep. It’s out on April 8th at your
favorite bookseller.
Trapped by the blazing suns of Daymonth
inside a cliff city, will Keeper Teeka be able to save Hunter Quill from the
censure of the Emerald Council, as well as a new unseen foe, both whom are
determined to part the new lovers?
When Emerald Keeper Teeka returns to the city of Reghdad and
leaves the harsh desert behind, he finds that not all dangers come from the
Great Valley. The dangerous Daymonth is nearly upon them and no one can survive
on the surface of the planet -- but Senior Hunter Quill Mayer is trying to get
to Reghdad, and Teeka, before the start of it. Even if he makes it, Emerald
Keep denies Teeka's Contract with Senior Hunter Quill, and Teeka discovers his
enemy is more powerful than any of them suspected and he will stop at nothing
to separate Teeka and Quill -- even by striking in the very heart of the city.
Emerald Keep is Book 2 in The Persis Chronicles:Book 1 EMERALD FIREOther Fun Stuff From A. Catherine Noon:Check out COOK LIKE A WRITER
***Friends, make sure to leave a comment about your hobby to be entered into this awesome giveaway! The comments will be open for the remainder of the book tour, until April 18***
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Your scarf is beautiful. I love to knit too. When I visit my mother you will find us both knitting & chatting.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Hi, Mary! I love the image of the two of you, clicking away, and gabbing. It's so peaceful!
DeleteThanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment!
cross-stitch is my go to hobby
ReplyDeleteleetee2007(at)hotmail(dot)com
Hi, Lee! I like cross-stitch too. It's so symmetrical. :)
DeleteThank you for visiting!