Fresh Fiction Blog | Bonnie Calhoun

I originally created this work as back story concerning my Sloane Templeton character in my first novel with Abingdon titled COOKING THE BOOKS. Sloane is the third generation 0f women in her family to have to learn to overcome her circumstances. This story, PIECES OF THE HEART is the story of Sloane's grandmother, Cordelia Grace, the first generation woman in that family.

But Cordelia's story is not the typical story you would think of for a woman that has to fight her circumstances. She spends her whole life in love with one man, and the man that comes home from the war is just a shell of the man that she loved. Her love and the quilt that her grandmother created for her are the anchors that carry them through the stormy times and into the light at the end of the tunnel that leads back to God.

The centerpiece of this story is a traditional African American quilting pattern called the Pinecone Quilt, or in some circles it is also called a Pine Burr Quilt. It was designated the official quilt of the State of Alabama by their Legislature on March 11, 1997. There was a Pinecone Quilt in my family but it was lost in the flooding of Wilkes Barre, Pa during Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

Since there were no images available to use for this book cover I recreated a copy of that quilt. Using scraps of reds, whites, and blues (to go with the war theme and the traditional scrap materials used for a quilt) I worked diligently. In the meantime Abingdon's art department came up with the perfect color scheme and an exact replica of the kitchen that I had in mind for the story. The only problem was that my quilt color scheme and Abingdon's color scheme were polar opposites. Thanks to the creative magic of electronic photoshopping techniques, my sample quilt now has the correct colors on this cover!

As time has gone by, like the changing of the quilt colors to meet a higher expectation, the theme of this book has grown a larger meaning.

Although WWII was a sad time for our nation, it was also an awakening of sorts. Up until that time our military had a long-standing policy of segregation. Eleanor Roosevelt's airplane ride with Charles "Chief" Anderson of the first all-black air squadron called Tuskegee Airmen and later in the war, the fame of the Red Ball Express both helped to erase the inequality in our military. You can read many of these encounters in U.S. Department of Defense or National Archive websites.

Many of the incidents portrayed here in New Caledonia during the war were experiences of my late father. It took him many years to get over them and even to the end there were many things that were still to painful to discuss. WWII soldiers came home with battle fatigue, which we today call PTSD, and they were expected to "buck up and get over it." There was no medical or social help to the extent that we have available today.

But yet today, as we end wars on several fronts, we are welcoming home thousands of brave men and women who are also going to suffer from PTSD. I pray to God that we, as a nation, do everything in our power to help these mentally and physically wounded warriors of this generation and their families.

One commenter will win a quilting magazine, a Starbucks card and a lavender bath fizzie.

Comments

Whenever I see an Author write a book that keeps past History alive, it makes me happy. Our children need to read books about what happened in prior wars. I love to read about that time period, but it's vitally important that this time period lives on. Thank you for recreating the quilt pattern as well. Your book has all the elements that I'm looking forward to in a book, and I have it on my TBR list for my Summer reading.
(Peggy Roberson 9:05am July 10, 2013)

Your post was interesting and important since history
influences us greatly. thanks for your wonderful work and your
writing. best wishes.
(Sharon Berger 9:11am July 10, 2013)

I loved your post - and the book sounds wonderful. I also think the cover is beautiful. Thanks for a chance to win. Best of luck with the book - and all other books you write.
(Nancy Reynolds 9:58am July 10, 2013)

I love how you recreated the quilt that had been a part of your family ... my father fought in the Korean War and came back changed as well. Even then, there were still a lot of problems when it came to black soldiers and, of course, no help for the psychological trauma that he withstood. Thanks so much for sharing your story.
(Julie Smith 10:21am July 10, 2013)

What a lovely post. I think of my own father--and his service in WWII--and it makes me all the more grateful and humbled by what these brave servants faced for the greater good Take care.
(G S Moch 10:30am July 10, 2013)

You quilt. I scrapbook. We both keep memories alive for the future generations. I like that. A lot.
Thank you.
(Elaine Seymour 4:07pm July 10, 2013)

Your Pieces Of The Heart book sounds like the type of story I would very much like to read. I will be on the lookout for it. Love the cover. My dad served in the U.S. Navy during WWII before I was born, as did some of my uncles.
(Esther Somorai 4:37pm July 10, 2013)

sounds like a beautiful read...sure i would enjoy it!
(Mal Kaplan 4:53pm July 10, 2013)

Love the cover! I used to love quilting with my grandma! Can't wait to read
the book :)
Lisa
[email protected]
(Lisa Medeiros 9:03pm July 10, 2013)

What a beautiful quilt in pine and earth colors. One of my
friends told me about quilts from the underground railroad
which were used as signals as to safe houses. I went to a
huge quilt show with another friend and we saw all kinds and
sizes of quilts hand or machine quilted. Such care is taken
making quilts from scraps or new material in different
shades.
(Alyson Widen 11:03pm July 10, 2013)

I love the cover and sure would love to read. This is the perfect give a way.
(Cathy Thomas 12:10pm July 11, 2013)

What a cool looking quilt. I have never saw that quilt before. I'll have to
look up that pattern. Thanks!
(Laura Gullickson 12:12pm July 11, 2013)

Gorgeous front cover! Your book sounds like a good read!
(Betty Hamilton 2:34am July 11, 2013)

Thanks for offering such a great giveaway. You're a talented
writer.
(Lynn Anderson 7:22am July 11, 2013)

This sounds like an incredible book that addresses a very real problem. I can't wait to read this book.
(Janet Shook 7:27am July 11, 2013)

And I hope that we become more reluctant to wound warriors,
ours and those of other nations and peoples.
(Mary Ann Dimand 8:10am July 11, 2013)

This sounds like a lovely read. I was a History Major and WWII was my main focus.
(Kelli Jo Calvert 12:40pm July 11, 2013)

That is a really awesome quilt, I've never seen a pattern like that before. I would love to see it in the original colors. Thanks for writing this post and offering the giveaway.
(Jamie Fortney 3:19pm July 11, 2013)

My parents talked so much about the WWII time period that I feel like I lived it myself. I enjoy reading about this time period very much.
(Sue Farrell 6:06pm July 11, 2013)

I love Quilting,sewing and going to see others Quilts.
(Deb Pelletier 6:57pm July 11, 2013)

I am new to your writing but I have a very big wish to begin quilting again and would love love love to win this giveaway. I always am drawn to the church fairs to see all of the quilts being sold. One exciting bit of news is that our family will go to Lancaster County/Penn. Dutch County in November and I will get to choose the quilt of my choice as my 50th anniversary gift from my husband (besides the trip :)) Continue success with your writing. Thank you for the chance to possibly win this giveaway.
(Cynthia Blain 7:40pm July 11, 2013)

Very nice post. Sounds like a wonderful story. Is the book out yet? I
would love to read.
(Sarah Bauman 8:04pm July 11, 2013)

I don't live too far from Wilkes Barre so this book will definitely be of interest to me
(Shirley Younger 10:13pm July 11, 2013)

I've never tried my hand at quilting. I'm looking forward to a
great read thank you.
(Mary Preston 10:28pm July 11, 2013)

Wow. I find it so incredible how you've pulled so much about this story from your own life, experiences and ancestry. I'm very impressed. =)
(Samantha King 10:44pm July 11, 2013)

PTSD is a very serious condition and these brave men and women who suffer from it should get all the help they need.
(Rita Wray 11:14pm July 11, 2013)

Wow, your book: PIECES OF THE HEART has a great cover and I
would love to win and read it this summer. Thank You very
much. Cecilia CECE
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 11:33pm July 11, 2013)

I am becoming more aware of the ailments thanks to the news, google and general interest, we really need to start opening our eyes and our hearts to those that give so much.
(Darci Paice 11:49pm July 11, 2013)

Back then when our veterans come home, no one know the inner demons that they are trying to cope with. The worst thing is that they were not support by us or even received a warm homecoming welcome. I'm just glad that today's we try to do a little more than what we did back then. We still have a long way to go. Thanks for the giveaway.
(Kai Wong 1:14am July 12, 2013)

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