One of the first decisions I made regarding the first book in my quilting cozy series was to design a quilt for the cover and have my characters create the same quilt in the story.
Sarah, a widow and the main character of my book, having recently moved to a retirement village, decided she wanted to learn to quilt in order to preserve her husband’s ties. No problem for the story quilt, but what about the cover? I didn’t own any ties.
Okay, so I started with the family, and they agreed to share what they could. Then I hit the consignment shops and Goodwill. (I was surprised at the prices for used ties. New ties must have increased dramatically in price since I last bought new ones some twenty-five years ago!)
While shopping at Goodwill, I was noticing the many food stains on the ties and muttered to myself, “Are men using these things as bibs?” A male shopper nearby frowned and walked away. I guess he felt personally insulted. My mistake.
I ultimately collected enough ties to make my first cover quilt.
When one of my relatives, a retired policeman, saw the quilt he exclaimed, “My Department Ties! How did they get in your quilt?” I guess he wasn’t consulted. To make up for it, he is now the proud owner of that quilt. (He got his ties back!)
I had no idea that TIE DIED would be the beginning of a series, but within a few months of finishing it and getting it up on Amazon (I was self-publishing at that point), I found Sarah and Sophie nudging me to write one more – and then another. We now have ten books and ten cover quilts.
Will they keep nudging?
NOTE: The series is now being published by C&T Publishing and are due for re-release (Second Edition) on September 5, 2018 beginning with Tie Died. The new edition will include the pattern for the cover quilt in each book.
A Quilting Cozy Series - Carol Dean Jones 
The “back stories” are interesting – to know how an author got from point A to point B, and how a particular quilt or adventure came to be. I love quilting, love reading about Sarah & Sophie, and I look forward to more of their adventures.
There just might be one more adventure in the works!! Stay tuned…
I’m interested in hearing about your cover quilt stories too, Carol! I also like the idea that the patterns will be included in the new releases. I have a number of my Dad’s ties and I can see a quilt in the making. If he still lived he would be 113 so these are OLD ties! I think it will be fun.
I think you’ll enjoy having a quilt made from your father’s ties. I got a peek at the instructions C&T publishing wrote for inclusion in Tie Died and they looked excellent. I’m eager to see the new books — all new covers but still using my quilts. Have a great summer, Wanda, and please keep in touch. Carol
Oh I think you should continue with these “back stories” about your book covers which show your featured quilts for each book. Your quilt art is as fascinating to hear about as your mysteries are to read! I happen to know that relative of ours loves all your quilts but that one has special fun sewn in since some of his ties are there!!
Pam
Well Pam, I can certainly do that since every cover quilt has a story — some funny, some rewarding, and a couple downright disastrous! (Not the least of which was when the publisher decided to re-photograph all the quilts and I had given most of them away to family and friends and had to ask for them back!)
Yep I know! I think it would be fabulous though to tell the back story for all the quilts. They are all works of fabulous art……and people would love to hear about them! I know I do……….LOL ❤
I like hearing the background inspiration behind a story. The consignment store experience and the police officer who “lost, then found” his ties are great, chuckle worthy snippets. You’re a natural when it comes to storytelling. 😊
Thank you, Robin. I tried to stop writing in order to spend less time on the computer, but I couldn’t do it. Sarah and Sophie just keep niggling at me to tell their stories. Thank you for reading them, for following my blog, and for keeping in touch!