Work In Progress

Betrayal at Angkor Wat (FO)

This is a very special post for me about a very special FO. 

Below is a picture of the latest work-in-progress household FO. 

This is the cover for Partner's (or, since you can read it yourself, Rocky's) first novel, a spy suspense thriller.

Rocky started this book while we were in Great Britain, first publishing a novella, Assassin in Grosvenor Square. Now that short has been incorporated in the longer work and is much more complex. Places we traveled are intertwined in the book. Little lines bring back memories of walks or places. Don't worry, none of those memories involve assassins! 

But this is a deeply personal book, as I suspect most first novels - or maybe all novels - are. 

This has been a family affair.

Way back when, I edited a draft of the book. Below is a picture I posted way back in October when I was reviewing the book!  
 And, of course, a lot of the work and especially the final edit and review, have been done during Wiggle's naps. 

The book is self-published on Amazon and available as a digital download. If you have a Kindle, and are so inclined, please head on over and purchase the book. The book has been launched with an introductory price of $0.99.  If you read it, and enjoy it, Rocky would be very grateful for your review; in the self-publishing world, reviews are what help to sell books. 

 

Knitting from my Pattern Stash

So I'll just start this off by admitting that I'm typing it during the Royal wedding.  Yeah, I got up at 3 a.m. to watch; total girl move. But at least I'm also knitting (or writing about it).

One of my goals for this year is to knit from patterns I have instead of buying new ones. It may have become easier in recent weeks for me to meet that goal.

Most unfortunately, our preferred chain book vendor, Borders, isn't doing well and has closed quite a few stores around us with ever increasing discounts.  I refrained from buying until discounts hit 40%.  Originally, I had a list of 6-7 books which I was interested in purchasing, if available.  Then discounts grew... and some of the final books were 70% off.  I may have ended up with more than seven books.

In fact, if it weren't for all the squirrels that I find while looking at your blogs, I could likely knit for years from the books I bought... what do you think?

Sasha might be excited about all the new wooly possibilities

that's better...there was a bit of a theme in the books I bought...

Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarns - because indie dyers are my weakness
Favorite Socks - because you all make beautiful socks
Around the World in Knitted Socks (on the original list)
Knitting the Perfect Pair
Socks from the Toe Up - for that goal of toe up socks, also on the original list
The Big Book of Socks - with a recipe for baby socks!

Some other knitting books... I tried to get some technique books

The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques - not in Ravelry??
                        maybe I can avoid the armpit holes next time
Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac, commemorative edition - my first EZ book!
Knitting 24/7

Magazines went fast and were the first things I purchased

Knit Scene
Knitting Traditions - 45 Projects from Around the World
Knit Style - April 2011
Interweave Knits - Weekend Knitting
The Knitter - Ideas for Creative Knitting

And lest you think I only bought knitting books, there were many other books purchased too, including the 14th and 15th book in a mystery series I love (don't read too far, just get the first book!). Yeah, Partner and I may be a bit book-crazy by nature.  As in, going to bookstores is a date night for us.

Gotta go!  They'll be kissing soon! [shrugs and runs away like a little girl]