Handcrafts and Writing - Perfect Partners


Recently, I signed up to receive the first of the Gray Fox Epistles from Sylvia V Linstead, a writer from California.  If you have the money to try this, I thoroughly recommend it.  Every month, Sylvia retells a classic folktale in the context of her native California (March was the Children of Lir and April will be Tsarevna Frog).  She then posts them out to her subscribers, along with beautiful artwork, craft and pieces of nature.  I was especially happy to receive needles of a Redwood tree - not something I am ever likely to see in Yorkshire.  Have a look at Sylvia's blog if you would like to know more.  You can even see behind-the-scenes pictures of how she puts it all together.

Actually, I think handcrafts and writing make wonderful partners.  That's why I will be having the launch for my novel, Silver Hands at the wonderful Hand Made in Bradford, which celebrates its first anniversary today.  This has been a wonderful initiative for my native city, providing a place for local artists and craftspeople to display and sell wares, and a lovely spot for local people to immerse themselves in creativity. Here's a photo of me in the shop a couple of months ago:


The launch takes place on 11th May at 2pm.  Click here for more details.  To complete the partnership, I have French-knitted four special Silver Hands wristbands for four lucky winners.  One of them will be a prize, along with a free copy of the book, as part of a giveaway on Linda Parkinson-Hardman's Thursday Throng on 25th April.  The other three will be given as prizes in a free raffle on launch day.  So if you like the look of them, you know where to go...



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