The Spinning Room: What did colonial women dream of?

 
Welcome to Colonial Quill's Spinning Room! This is the place we gather for discussion around our "spinning wheels", as women did in colonial days.

Today's topic is inspired by Gustave Courbet's 1853 painting, The sleeping spinner.

What did colonial women dream of?

Feel free to join in, one and all, in character if you wish.

The Spinning Room: What Makes You Read Colonial Fiction?

 

Please join us in the Spinning Room today and share with us what makes you read Colonial American fiction? Is there a Colonial American novel that you just couldn't put down? What elements in Colonial American fiction do you enjoy most? When did you first begin reading this sub-genre? Do tell!

All commenters will be eligible to win a copy of Carla Olson Gade's Colonial Courtships!

Memorial Day 2012 - Spinning Wheel

 

By: Carla Gade

On this, the last Monday in May, we observe Memorial Day - a time to remember the men and woman who lost their lives serving our country. Originally known as Decoration Day, the name Memorial Day came into use after WWII. The day of tribute was established in 1868 to honor the Union soldiers who died during the Civil War, inspired by the way southern people honored their dead soldiers. Over the years it came to serve as a day to commemorate the men and women killed or missing in action while fighting for what we now call the United States of America.

In our Spinning Room today imagine a group of colonial women gathered preparing their wool and flax for homespun textiles to aid the cause of liberty. Perhaps many, if not all, are longing for a loved one who is away during the war.


Please join the conversation by answering any of the following questions:

Is there a war hero in one of your colonial era novels? Is he/she an historical person or an imaginary character? Can you share briefly how you treated this in your novel?

Do you have an early American ancestor that fought for our country's freedom? Or perhaps someone who has fought in more recent years who you would like to pay tribute to?

One of our commenters today will win a copy of Laura Frantz's The Colonel's Lady, an American Revolutionary War story with a fictionalized happy ending for the hero, Colonel McLinn, inspired by George Rogers' Clark.

The Spinning Room with Lynn Squire

Welcome all to the Spinning Room!

Today we have a special visitor, one of our Colonial Quills contributors, Lynn Squire.  You may recall some of Lynn's creative posts about horses in colonial times, done in character.  Her ingenuity doesn't stop there. Lynn has a featured early colonial era novel in serial format that she shares on her blog entitled Dawn Over Narraganset Bay, book two in her Colonial Baptist Series. The first book is set in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and this book takes place in Rhode Island during the 17th century.

Like many authors who write historical fiction, Lynn's writing spans several centuries including her latest release this month, Joab's Fire, set in 1903.  Lynn is a master storyteller who weaves her love of Jesus Christ and the truth of His scripture throughout her writing. Joab's Fire is based on the book of Job and includes an accompanying Bible Study.

Please join in the conversation as we get to know Lynn a little better. Feel free to ask questions in this informal discussion/interview.

http://www.lynnsquire.com/

The Spinning Room: Why Do You Write Colonial Fiction?

You have a passion for history. You long to live in bygone eras. Some of your favorite heroes include Abigail, Molly, Daniel, and the Georges (last names not required). You dream of garrison houses, Indian raids, privateers, patriots, meeting houses, powered wigs, cotillions, Caraco jackets, embroidered stomachers, herb gardens, baking by the hearth, and spinning wool. As you sit with your roller-gel pen or at your keyboard you imagine yourself writing with a goose feather quill pen.

But what is it exactly about 18th century America that stirs your soul?
Why do you write Colonial American fiction?



(Names: Abigail Adams, Molly Pitcher, Daniel Boone, George Washington and George Whitefield)

The Spinning Room: The Hook to Pull Readers into Colonial Storyworld

Those first lines are so crucial.  We have only a few moments to pull our colonial readers into our storyworld. And we want them with us, don't we ladies?  As suggested by Laura Frantz, the Colonial American Christian Writers are going to share first lines from their works.

If you are a writer visiting us, won't you please share one of your opening lines?  If you are a reader, is there an opening line posted that you especially love?

Let us know!

Special giveaway today: A Colonial Williamsburg ornament! Please leave your email address with your comment.

The Spinning Room: Homespun Inspiration

The Boston Chronicle in April, 1766 wrote that women there "exhibited a fine example of industry, by spinning from sunrise until dark."  Spinning bees were held in early America to encourage the production of yarn to provide homespun fabric. In the 1760's these events became popular as a means to demonstrate opposition of the importation of heavily taxed British goods and for the mutual aid for those in their community.

It reminds me of the industrious writers we have here at Colonial Quills, spinning tales and weaving stories on the looms of our imaginations. Just as the spinners of yesteryear gathered and shared in the spinning room, I imagine this a place where we can come together and talk about the yarns we spin in our Colonial American stories. Thus, "The Spinning Room" where we will post every now and again to invite conversation on special topics.

Photo taken by Carla Gade at the Windham, ME
Historical Society museum.

Please share the source of some of your own homespun inspiration.  We'd love to hear about the hometown or state that has inspired your writing. Perhaps it's where you were raised, somewhere you have visited, or where you now live. Join us at your spinning wheel and tell us what place inspires you!