Writers, I’m thrilled to introduce my long-time friend, author and speaker Ramona Richards to you! We’ve been friends like forever (I think we met at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference), and I’m honored to have her here today to share her latest book, a beautiful tribute to her mother and her quilts.
Be sure to leave a comment for Ramona and you’ll be in the drawing for a free book!
Ramona, I love, love, love your recent release of My Mother’s Quilts: Devotions from a Legacy of Needlework. It was so tender, I began tearing up the at the dedication! It’s definitely a departure from your previous books I’ve read. How did this come about?
I’ve written devotions for a long time, and I had two prior books of devotions published earlier in my career: A Moment with God for Single Parents and Secrets of Confidence. Devotion writing is one of my loves, and I’ve worked hard on the craft. Devotions are a little like children’s books: they LOOK easy to write, but there’s a definite skill involved.
After my mother died, I wanted to find a way to honor her with my writing, and the idea came when I was unpacking all the quilts I’d inherited from her. Mother was a master quilter, but she’d struggled to put her memories in writing. That’s my gift. To combine them to preserve her legacy seemed natural, almost a nudge from God.
I was still working out the details when I had the opportunity to pitch it to Worthy Publishing. They asked for a proposal right away, so I put one together in the next 24 hours and sent it to my agent. After a bit of refinement, she sent it on to Worthy.
A proposal in 24 hours? Now, that’s fast! The photographs in My Mother’s Quilts are lovely. How did they
come about?
Another bit of God’s timing, I believe. A few years ago, I reconnected with my cousin Becky on Facebook. We hadn’t seen each other since our teens, even though our mothers had been best friends. Her grandmother was my grandmother’s sister, so some of the quilts I have are as much a part of her family. Becky’s daughter, Mary, is a professional photographer in east Tennessee. Having Mary do the photos turned out to be an astonishing gift, as Becky worked with me on the quilts, arranged for one of them to be photographed in her sister’s house, and organized a family reunion around the one quilt that’s in a museum.
The book would not be what it is without them.
I totally agree. Any advice for anyone who wants to turn their family legacy into a writing project?
Find a narrative thread or common element, and turn it into a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Don’t just make a list of events or a string of memories than aren’t related to each other. While each may be entertaining, the goal would be to build a whole story that honors those about whom you’re writing, to show the entirety of their lives, and not just a few entertaining moments.
And you did that very well. So what’s next for you?
I’m working on a proposal for another quilt devotional, but I’m also finishing up another romantic suspense. I have some major editorial projects in the works. I left Abingdon in December, and I’ve been working harder than ever!
I’m glad to hear you’re staying busy with your writing and projects. How can people get in touch with you?
They can contact me through my website, Twitter, or Facebook. I’m also going to be at a number of conferences this year, including the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in May. A complete list will be on my website in a couple of weeks. I do love hearing from folks!
Thanks for joining us today, Ramona. I can’t wait to see you again at Blue Ridge. Your book truly is a tribute to your family. I know my friends are going to love it as much as I do!
And readers, if you’d like a chance to win a copy of Ramona’s book, just leave a comment for her and you’ll be in the drawing. Be sure to return next week to see if you’re the winner.
Thanks for Sharing!
My Mother’s Quilts author @RamonaRichards is giving away a copy of her new book at The Christian Writer’s Den! (Click to Tweet)
RamonaRichards.com
RamonaRichards.com Twitter: @RamonaRichards
Bio: Ramona Richards is the author of nine books, and her devotions have appeared in such publications as Fulfilled: The NIV Devotional Bible for the Single Woman, Trusting Jesus Every Day, Wonderfully Made, Heavenly Humor for the Woman’s Soul, Heavenly Humor for the Dieter’s Soul, and several others. A writer and editor since 1981, Ramona has worked on staff or as a freelancer with more than 20 magazine and book publishers, most recently as the Senior Acquisitions Editor for Fiction and Christian Living with Abingdon Press. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
