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| Tour Schedule Sewing Can Be Dangerous And Other Small Threads by S.R Mallery  I signed up for reading and reviewing this book due to is unusual name. I like to read a little bit from all genres and historical fiction, witches, mystery and of course romance. Needless to say I was not disappointed, especially since I learnt a bit more about ‘American Quilts’. These have fascinated me for a long time since they have a rich history and intricate hard work associated with them. The stories are each different yet have a similar thread running through them. Quilting or sewing or textiles are a part of each story adding a unique edge to the stories. How the simple act of sewing can make a difference to so many lives, saving or endangering them. The tone, language, nuances and history of the places and characters is well captured by Susan, making for an intriguing, interesting and absorbing read. Yes, I read them back to back, each story spurning me to the next, wanting to know more and more about the people in the stories. These might have been set a long time back in history but their impact is still felt on toady when we read about them. The book starts with the story of how even a simple task of stitches to the cloth can cause death. The second story with its title, “A Drunkard’s Path” itself starts on a sweet note but we can feel the slight edge of disquiet and sure enough we have a Quilt causing trouble. I felt for the young bride and those threads. It did seem like a familiar story to me as I was quite familiar with the folklore. “Lettie’s Tale” reminded me of the injustice and hardships innocents faced and still do the world over.  “A Plague On Both Your Houses” was by far the most interesting read with all the different characters, colors and passion. The way the author had lined 3 generations of two families was a delightful read. It made me want to yell at the characters to hurry up and be responsible for themselves. They title can be understood only when we read it, it reminded of “Love In The Time Of Cholera” by Marquez as we got to read till the end to know the significance of the title. Susan sure knows her Shakespeare! The Comforter was the best tale by far with the intrigue, fear, threats and the ending. The comforter had me on the edge for quite a bit. I am a fan of reading stories about the escape of Jews from the persecution and this one was a masterpiece! I could just see them swinging that filled comforter! Murder She Sewed made for a fun read, talking of murders and then figuring out one. The unlikeliest of persons do the craziest of things! Precious Gifts touched a chord, the innocence and faith of Kolote and Mama. A simple tale of our kindness coming back to us manifold. True Kindness has a universal language. All the stories were well woven and finely held together. The characters made me want to learn more about them. I look forward to hearing Lettie’s Escape, how was the end of the Comforter and how sewing helped a girl to live! A book I recommend to lovers of a little mystery, romance fuse in our life making it dangerous and fun! (I received a copy of the book from NjKinny for an unbiased review)
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Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour of Sewing Can Be Dangerous And Other Small Threads by S.R Mallery. This is a collection of 11 short stories. Featuring stories from genres like mystery, history, romance and action, this anthology has been highly rated by readers all over the world and has 4.8 out of 5 rating on Goodreads.
And I am so excited to share this book on my blog today. Also, Sewing Can Be Dangerous And Other Small Threads by S.R Mallery is only 99c/Rs. 63 from a limited time!
~About the Book~
Title and Author:
Sewing Can Be Dangerous And Other Small Threads by S.R Mallery
No. of Pages: 276
Publication Date: December 2013
Genre: Historical Fiction, Anthology, Short Stories, Romance, Mystery, Action
Blurb:
The eleven long short stories in “Sewing Can Be Dangerous and Other Small Threads” combine history, mystery, action and/or romance, and range from drug trafficking using Guatemalan hand-woven wallets, to an Antebellum U.S. slave using codes in her quilts as a message system to freedom; from an ex-journalist and her Hopi Indian maid solving a cold case together involving Katchina spirits, to a couple hiding Christian passports in a comforter in Nazi Germany; from a wedding quilt curse dating back to the Salem Witchcraft Trials, to a mystery involving a young seamstress in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire; from a 1980’s Romeo and Juliet romance between a rising Wall Street financial ‘star’ and an eclectic fiber artist, to a Haight-Asbury love affair between a professor and a beautiful macramé artist gone horribly askew, just to name a few.
~Excerpt~
An Excerpt from Sewing Can Be Dangerous & Other Small Threads
From A Drunkard’s Path
“….Are you kidding me?” Deborah exploded. “My life is falling apart! C’mon, curses don’t really happen, do they? I mean, what can I do? You tell me now!” She segued into a screech.
“Come over to my place tomorrow and I’ll try to relate it all to you, I promise…”
….“Do you know anything about the Salem Witchcraft trials?” The older woman leaned in toward her niece, as if casting a spell herself.
“No, not much, why?”
“You remember Martha Stinson from my quilt group? Well after the wedding, she showed me a journal written by a relative of hers and frankly, I am very concerned about you. It seems one of the accused witches from the original Salem trials might have actually had a connection with a real witch, an ancestor of Martha’s…”
* * * *
Inside the packed meetinghouse, dust particles from mud-caked boots floated throughout the air, rendering it dense, murky. That year, April had been an unkind month to Salem Village. Rain-drenched meadows produced a sludge that clung to the edges of women’s dresses, creating odors so foul that in such tight quarters, it became difficult to breathe. But people weren’t concerned with such matters on this day. They had gathered for a higher purpose: the Devil was in Salem, and they wished him thwarted at all costs. Even the constant threat of Indian attacks and surviving harsh winters paled in comparison to what was happening now, in that room, swelling with apprehension.
Crammed into high-walled pews, dark wooden benches, or simply shoved up against walls, spectators filled every conceivable space in the meetinghouse. Donning black hats, cloaks, and breeches, the men angled forward, their eyes boring holes into the five men sitting up front, yet it was the women who carried the greatest burden that day; their hooded coats and muffs covering their recently unkempt hair and unwashed fingernails, couldn’t disguise the uncertainty they felt about their community’s loyalty to them and how it would all end.
Sitting at the head of the counsel table, amongst other magistrates in the newly appointed Court of Oyer and Terminer, John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin quietly conferred with each other before beginning their first round of questioning. Arrogant, self-important, the black-robed magistrates assumed their positions on the political totem pole, and having been brought to Salem for such a specific purpose, they dared not disappoint. They were on a mission to deliver souls. Hathorne, displaying the greatest exhibition of self-aggrandizement, seemed the most severe. With no real legal experience, and having only glanced at Sir Mathew Hale’s Trial of Witches, and Joseph Granvill’s Collection of Sundry Trials in England, Ireland the week before, he nonetheless believed he was more than competent to interrogate the accused.
At the front of the room facing the magistrates, sat all the accusers, the “afflicted” girls: Abigail Williams, her cousin Betty Parris, Ann Putnam, Sarah Bibber, Sarah Churchill, Elizabeth Booth, Mercy Lewis, Susanna Sheldon, Jemima Rea, Mary Warren, Mary Walcott and Elizabeth Hubbard. With downcast eyes and folded hands, they appeared demure; inwardly they were experiencing emotions quite different from anything they had ever known. Childhoods stocked with adult repression and fear now served as a springboard to the frenzy of accusations they had created, because on this day, along with their catharsis and even exhilaration, came the most important emotion of all: a sense of empowerment. At last, they were getting adults to listen to them, and it was intoxicating.
John Hathorne commenced with the proceedings. “Bring in the accused, Bridget Bishop….”
~Buying Links~
Grab the kindle/Nook book at just $0.99 or Rs. 63!
Amazon IN: Kindle Book
Amazon US: Paperback | Kindle Book
B&N: Nook Book
~Meet the Author~
S.R. Mallery has worn various hats in her life. First, a classical/pop singer/composer, she moved on to the professional world of production art and calligraphy.?Next came a long career as an award winning quilt artist/teacher and an ESL/Reading instructor. Her short stories have been published in descant 2008, Snowy Egret, Transcendent Visions, The Storyteller, and Down In the Dirt.
Website/Blog:
Twitter:
@SarahMallery1
Goodreads:
Pinterest:
(I have some good history boards that are getting a lot of attention—history, vintage clothing, older films)
Amazon Author page:
~Giveaway~
$25 Amazon Gift Card
Open Worldwide
Ends on 31st July
~Organized by~
