Hi, there! Congratulations to Dianna Salciccioli, winner of Gayle’s FreshFiction “cozy, romantic February prize pack.” Dianna won an autographed copy of Dead Pan and a sterling silver locket.

As you can see, Gayle made good on her promise to do more redwork. She started this pillowcase on Super Bowl Sunday. Hey, you have to do something between commercials, right? (Kidding!) Now if she can just find time to do the other one….

Artist Spotlight: Peter Fasolino 

I’m introducing you to Peter because he did some wonderful drawings which Gayle turned into cross-stitch patterns for The Quick and The Thread. Peter is a talented artist and also something of a noir detective film buff, so he and Gayle got along great. Peter was gracious enough to prepare these drawings this past weekend when he was snowed in.

Thank you, Peter!

Just look at my precious Angus! Isn’t this a terrific rendering?

Look for the cross-stitch patterns for these coming soon in The Quick and The Thread!

I’d like to thank all of you for making Dead Pan so successful! My publisher sent me a “sneak peak” of December and January numbers from Amazon, and they were incredible. Thank you so very much!

Also, please keep in mind, you can enter Gayle’s FreshFiction contest until February 8. The prize is a copy of Dead Pan and a lovely, sterling silver locket.

Site Spotlight: Cakeaters

Since the Winter Olympics are taking place in Canada, I wanted to highlight a bakery in Vancouver. Cakeaters is owned by Wendy Casey.

Says Wendy, ”

With your ideas, we will create a masterpiece for your wedding, anniversary, birthday, graduation and any other celebration. In addition to astounding and unique wedding cakes, we love to create a wonderful and magical world of enchanted cakes for children.”

Wendy’s clients have plenty to say, too: “…We just want to thank you again for the most beautiful cake ever – not to mention best tasting! The first thing I said as we entered the reception was “Oh my gosh, the cake looks phenomenal!” People will not stop raving about it. We are the first of our friends to tie the knot, so we will recommend you to everyone. Thank you for making our wedding day perfect.”
Christy & David L.

“We want to let you know that the cake was fabulous!!!!!!!!!! It was so beautiful and incredibly delicious. I nearly cried when I saw it. Everyone loved it and we even have the top layer saved and frozen for a special occasion.
Thanks again, Amanda & Doug.”

So, if you’re in Vancouver and in need of a special occasion cake, send Wendy an e-mail at wendy@cakeaters.com or visit Cakeaters online for additional information.

Welcome!

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In This Issue

QUESTION OF THE MONTH: WHY HAVE I BEEN DUBBED “KINDLERELLA”?

LINK OF THE MONTH

MARKET SPOTLIGHT

S H A M E L E S S SELF-PROMOTION

Mayra’s latest book is Humberto the Bookworm Hamster.  

Humberto is an antisocial little hamster… he’s totally addicted to books! His neighbors, the squirrel, the rabbit, the skunk, the hedgehog and the beaver want to become his friends, but Humberto doesn’t have time for them. He’s too busy reading! Then one day, disaster strikes and he must choose between saving his books and helping his soon-to-be friends.

Humberto the Bookworm Hamster explores the joys of reading and friendship. Humberto’s gift of imagination will delight children as much as his kindness towards others will inspire them.  –The Kids Book Connection

You can purchase Humberto the Bookworm Hamster at Guardian Angel Publishing.  Also, visit Mayra’s site containing informative information about children’s writing, publishing and book promotion.

I’d like to start things off by introducing the book trailer for Dead Pan. I hope you like it!

I’d also like to remind you of Gayle’s FreshFiction contest going on through the month of February. Enter at FreshFiction for a chance to win an autographed copy of Dead Pan and a beautiful sterling silver locket.

Roger Elmore graciously offered to share an article from his Hospitality Management Schools blog with us titled “Cake Decorating Tips to Remember.”  Check it out. It’s full of great information.

Site Spotlight: Kathy’s Kakes

Kathy’s Kakes of Independence, Iowa, is owned by Kathy Finholt. The company won KCRG-TV9  A-List: 2008 Best Cakes in Eastern Iowa .  Kathy does have gluten-free cakes available; and while she does not ship cakes, cakes can be delivered within a 100-mile radius of Independence, Iowa.

If you’re interested in having Kathy’s Kakes make a cake for your wedding, graduation, birthday or other special occasion, you can contact her by phone, e-mail or snail mail: 319-334-6256; kathyskakesllc@gmail.com; or 1805 218th St Independence IA 50644.

Hi, there! It seems the groundhog didn’t do us any favors with its prognostication yesterday (at least, not for those of us who are ready for warmer weather).  But, at least, we have a few more weeks of not needing an excuse to simply veg out in front of the T.V. on Sunday afternoons and stitch.

Be sure and click over to Gayle’s FreshFiction contest to enter to win a signed copy of Dead Pan and a beautiful sterling silver locket.

Store Spotlight: Grandma’s Attic

While The Seven-Year Stitch may be the only shop of its kind in Tallulah Falls, it isn’t the only embroidery specialty shop in Oregon. Grandma’s Attic in Dallas, Oregon is a charming shop I think you’d enjoy visiting. The shop even won the Dallas Chamber of Commerce Small Business Award in 2001 (something for The Seven-Year Stitch to aspire to).

Grandma’s Attic was founded by Rachel Greco; and in addition to having a physical location, the store has an online shop to meet the needs of stitchers who live outside of Oregon. (Does anyone else want to sit in that chair, cuddle up in the quilt and chat with Grandma?)

According to their site, Grandma’s Attic has one of the largest collections of reproduction fabrics on the web. The store has large redwork and embroidery selections. The online site also features an “Ask Grandma” section and a recipes section that boasts Mamie’s Million Dollar Fudge.

Stop by for a visit!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful January. It’s almost over, you know; and a couple exciting things are happening on February 2. First off, it’s Groundhog Day. So if you’d like to celebrate the little guy seeing his shadow, you might want to make a bundt cake, sprinkle crushed chocolate cookies on the top and use a devil’s food cake or Twinkie(TM) decorated to look like a groundhog popping out of the hole.

February 2 also marks the long-awaited return of Lost. Since this is the final season (gasp!), you might be having a Lost premiere party. You could make a cake of the island, of course, or of the plane, or you could simply make a white sheet cake and pipe the Dharma logo on it in black.

Site Spotlight: Cake Central

Cake Central Magazine

As many of you may already be aware, Cake Central is a place for cake decorators to share photographs, techniques, recipes and encouragements.  The site also features contests, links and articles.

Now, however, Cake Central has launched a magazine. And who should be featured on the cover but none other than Kerry Vincent, host of the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show, frequent judge on Food Network’s Challenges, member of ICES Sugarcraft Hall of Fame and gracious guest star of Dead Pan. The cover promises Mrs. Vincent will dish on reality cake-tv as well as share her personal story.

Check out the magazine and see what you think. And please share your comments with Killer Cakes!

Hi, there! Have you settled into a post-holiday routine yet? I’m trying to, but it’s really hard. It’s easy, though, to lose touch with those you connected with or reconnected with from the end of November through the first week of January. Let those people know you’re still thinking of them by doing some easy stitching, placing your work in a card frame and sending it off with a note. You’ll make someone’s day!

Stitch Spotlight: Candlewicking

Since candlewicking is all about easy stitching, I’m spotlighting this needlework technique today. I’ll give you some pointers on how to do it (it’s basically just Colonial or French knots along with some straight or back stitches) and links to some free patterns. Plus, the white-on-white designs mean you don’t have to spend a lot on or waste time changing threads. See Gayle’s article on candlewicking in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine (p. 180).

This post on About.com has a lot of information on candlewicking techniques, and there are pages and pages of free patterns. I love the L O V E hearts and the kittens! For a history of candlewicking, see this article on BellaOnline written by Megan McConnell. Connie’s Cross-Stitch Blog has some beautiful square candlewicking patterns that would be beautiful on a pillow. If you’re really industrious, you could even make a quilt!

If you do get into candlewicking and stitch up some wonderful things, please share them with us.

by Helena Harper

Last year, I participated in an online Children’s Author Academy course, run by New York Times bestselling author, Laura Duksta, who originally self-published her bestselling children’s picture book I Love You More and was then taken up by a traditional publisher.

Laura talked about the pros and cons of both self-publishing and traditional publishing and said that whichever way you go – and that has to be your own personal decision based on what you want to do with your book – make sure you do your research regarding editors, printing houses and publishers. At the time I was interested in two publishers in the UK who offered combined publishing/marketing packages for authors who financed the publication of their own book. I had asked both to send me information regarding their publishing packages. One sent me a very informative booklet which gave me a good idea of the kind of books they had helped authors to publish, their approach to marketing, and the successes they had had. I still had a few questions and when I sent them an email, they were more than happy to answer them.

The other publisher sent me a glossy catalogue of their current books and lots of newspaper cuttings with articles about mainly non-fiction books they had published. Having participated in Laura’s course, I proceeded to contact this publisher to ask them what percentage of their books were children’s books, particularly picture books? What kind of results had they achieved with children’s books written by new authors, particularly picture books? And what was the average number of books sold? Laura had said that every author is entitled to know these things, particularly if the author is paying out a large sum of money (and this publisher wanted a very large sum of money!). After several enquiries, I finally got a response. They told me that they did not think these questions relevant when authors were financing the publication of their book themselves and some books did well and some didn’t. What they advised was that the author should think of the whole thing as an exciting adventure, like a special holiday, and they should not be concerned about the return on their investment – they should just enjoy the process!!!!  Needless to say, I crossed that publisher off my list. Thank you, Laura!

So, don’t forget that research – it most definitely is the key!

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Helena Harper is a native of England, but she grew up in a household that did things somewhat differently to other English households, because her mother was German (her mother had met her father in Hamburg at the end of WWII, when as a British soldier he had been stationed there). This mixed background has had a profound influence on Helena and her understanding of so-called national divisions and whom we call an ‘enemy’ and whom we call a ‘friend’.

From an early age she loved to read and write, particularly fantasy stories, and later she enjoyed studying foreign languages. At Surrey University she studied German, Russian and International Relations and spent considerable periods of time in Germany, Austria and Russia as part of the course. After university she went into banking, but soon realised that was a big mistake. “I felt like I was being suffocated,” she says of the experience. 

She then spent a year teaching languages at a private school in London, and enjoyed it so much she decided she would get properly trained. She did a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at Exeter University and then started her career as a modern languages teacher, a career which has lasted twenty years. During that time she has continued to write, concentrating primarily on fantasy stories for young children. However, in the past few years she has also discovered the joys of writing poetry for adults, and her first two books are poetry collections: It’s a Teacher’s Life…! and Family and More – Enemies or Friends?, which have been inspired by her professional and personal life.

Helena is now a private tutor and translator. She is continuing to write children’s stories, and illustrations for her first children’s picture book are now being done. Her aim is to see the book in print before the year is out. Many people ask Helena why she likes to write. She feels she can best express it like this:

The blank page calls,

the heart responds,

imagination spreads wide its wings

and launches into infinity…

Fingers dance,

words flow,

the page fills,

the soul takes flight

and the spirit sings.

Copyright © Helena Harper

Happy New Year, everbody. I hope it has started well for you. For those of us in Southwest Virginia, we’ve been off to a snowy start. The children were supposed to go back to school on January 4, but they haven’t been back yet. And we’re supposed to get more snow this week!

Gayle got a mention in GalleyCat! You can read the piece by clicking the link. Gayle is really thrilled about it. I, of course, am happy about the good reviews both Murder Takes the Cake and Dead Pan have been getting.

Reader Spotlight: Denise Turocy

This is a Killer Cakes first…but I hope it will be the first of many. After enjoying Murder Takes the Cake, Denise wrote Gayle and sent links to some of her own work. Gayle asked her to participate in this newsletter.

Denise’s adventures in cake decorating began in the early ’80’s when she took her first class through her local parks and recreation department in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. She went on to decorate cakes for family and friends.

Later, her interest waned and she gave up her hobby until Christmas of 2008.  She sold a few Valentine’s cakes and then worked at a famous Pittsburgh bake shop during the 2009 holiday season. In her spare time, she taught cake decorating, knitting and crocheting classes.

Denise has taken three or four Wilton cake decorating classes and attended an “Enthusiast” class at the Pittsburgh Culinary Institute in Sept. ‘09  where the topic was Sheet Cake Decorating. “Says Denise, “We got to torte, fill, frost and decorate our very own sheet cake and take it home.  It was a fantastic learning opportunity and fun experience to say the least.”

E-mail Denise at adairdet@gmail.com.