Stitches Thru Time: authors

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

The Art of Beatrix Potter

By Shirley Raye Redmond

The beloved children’s author and illustrator of such time honored classics as The Tale of Peter Rabbit, has often been portrayed as shy and withdrawn. They say she was sweet natured, but lonely, with no close friends. So she turned to animals for companionship, all the while hating her London home, which was ruled by her overbearing parents.

But the truth of the matter is that her parents were no more overbearing than any other Victorian parents of their day. Although Beatrix was not outgoing, she was quite close with her younger brother and her grandparents. It’s true she preferred the country to the city. Each summer her father rented a home in the country so the family could spend time outdoors, taking long walks and puttering in the garden.

Yes, she loved animals, but did you know that occasionally when her pets died, she boiled their carcasses in a pot to strip away the meat and gristle so she could study their bones and sketch them? By the time she was eighteen, she’d made up her mind to be a painter. Her parents were not pleased. However, when her brother Bertram, eventually began earning his living as an artist, Mr. and Mrs. Potter were proud and thrilled. Bertram tried to introduce his talented sister to important art critics, but they were not interested in her paintings.

Beatrix was in her mid-thirties when she started writing “picture letters” to children of her acquaintance. No one would publish those either. Few people know that Miss Potter self-published The Tale of Peter Rabbit, draining her savings account to pay for 250 copies. At 47, she married William Heelis, a shy country solicitor and got what she wanted at last—she had her character Pigling Bland say it: “I wish I could have a little garden and grow potatoes.”

And those art critics? They’d be surprised, no doubt, to see Beatrix’s collection of exquisite mushroom and other fungi paintings on display today in the British Museum.

Beatrix’s favorite story of the ones she’d written was The Tailor of Gloucester, inspired by entries she’d discovered in her grandmother’s journal about clothing and customs of the day. My favorite is Squirrel Nutkin.

Do you have a favorite Potter tale?

*****

An award-winning writer and frequent conference speaker, Shirley Raye Redmond is the author of three inspirational novels, PRUDENCE PURSUED, VIPER’S NEST, and AMANDA’S BEAU, as well as two dozen children’s books, including LEWIS & CLARK: A PRAIRIE DOG FOR THE PRESIDENT (Random House), which was a Children’s Book of the Month Club selection. Touch bases at shirleyrayeredmond.com or Facebook

Saturday, December 16, 2017

Stay Warm; Read A Book

Why Should You Read?

It improves your vocabulary.
You get to visit worlds you'd never see in real life.
You'll be able to understand/read about other cultures that otherwise might remain a mystery or unknown to you.
Increases your imagination skills.
Super cheap(er) expense (?) than other methods of entertainment that might not be so constructive
You learn new things you might never take time to research.
Gives you life lessons you've heard from your parents but isn't quite so "preachy." :)
Reading gives you time alone and teaches you that you can be satisfied and happy being yourself and by yourself.
Reading exercises your brain by expanding your powers of concentration and activating neurons as your mind processes information.

And last, but certainly not least (drum roll):

10. Your mommy said so!

So:

Stay Warm this winter

and Read a book.

Toni DeLuca, the Italian owner of DeLuca Construction, finds herself confronted with doubts about her father and his possible deceptions—all because of the mysterious pink notes she's been receiving.

Relations with Perrin Douglas who has a troubling history—but the first man in years who's interested her—is building to a peak. Yet Perrin's own personal problems and his doubts about women and God, keep getting in the way.

Gossip, a Spanish proposal, an inheritance, and a sabotaged construction business may ruin Christmas for Toni's employees as well as her own happiness.

Will a mysterious person succeed in pulling off the biggest scam Appleton, West Virginia has ever seen? And will this culprit destroy Toni's last chance at happiness with the man of her dreams?

BUY THE BOOK here:

Amazon

Happy Winter Reading!

About Carole:

Besides being an active participant of many writing groups, Carole is an award winning author and enjoys mentoring beginning writers. She loves to weave suspense, tough topics, romance and whimsy into her books, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?