BOOK CLUB FRIDAY -- GUEST AUTHOR JESSIE CROCKETT

Today’s Book Club Friday guest mystery author is Jessie Crockett. A nearly life-long resident of the Granite State, Jessie naturally adores black flies, 98% humidity, killing frosts in August and snow banks taller than the average grandmother. When not working on her next murderous adventure she enthusiastically putters in her greenhouse, designs bento lunches and throws parties.  She delights in mentoring young writers at the local elementary school. Jessie lives with her dark and mysterious husband and exuberant children in a village so small most other New Hampshire residents have never heard of it. Hearing from readers makes her day so please drop by for a visit at jessiecrockett.com.

Jessie is offering a copy of Live Free or Die to one lucky person who posts a comment to the blog this week. -- AP

How Knitting Taught Me to Be a Writer

It was the birthday sock project that started it all.  I mentioned to a friend, who was a knitter, how I had always wanted to learn to knit socks.  She promptly signed us both up for a sock knitting workshop at a local yarn store.  I arrived at the class enthusiastic and completely unaware of how unprepared I was for the task ahead.

The teacher took my measure almost immediately and moved her folding chair next to mine in the knitting circle.  I am embarrassed to admit I received far more than my fair share of her attention that day.  While other students ribbed like fiends and fashioned gussets I fumbled with my shiny new set of double pointed needles and wished I could grow a second set of hands.

By the end of the day I was the proud owner of a single baby sock, mostly knitted by the instructor.  I thought I had a basic understanding of the process and purchased more yarn and needles to make a pair for myself.  The instructor just shook her head at my foolishness as she rang me up.  Even my very kind friend asked if I was sure I wanted to keep trying.

Later that evening, stretched out on my sofa, I began what I was sure would be a masterpiece.  Chanting “knit, purl, knit, purl” under my breath I tackled the ribbing.  No matter what I did extra knit stitches appeared at the end of each round and the sock careened off in unintended directions.

I kept at it though and a couple days later took all seven inches of it to show to an elderly neighbor who was a dedicated knitter.  She took one look and asked, “Would you like me to unravel it for you dear?”  She gave me some pointers as I watched hours of work turn once more into a ball of fresh possibilities.

I tried again with similar results. My friend laughed at me and remarked it was possible to purchase socks.  I ignored her and kept on chanting “knit, purl, knit, purl”.  Then, one day, one of my beloved sisters saw the socks and uttered the magic words, “That’s wonderful!  Please make me a pair for my birthday!”  Armed with encouragement I dashed off to the yarn shop and purchased a softly spun yarn in midnight blue.  The color was too dark to see mistakes and the yarn snapped off at the end of almost every round. Still, I worked every chance I got on those socks and with the help of friends and neighbors managed to complete them by my sister’s birthday.

But what does this have to do with writing?  Everything.  I learned to express a dream and to go for it even if I was unprepared.  I learned to keep at it even when experts thought I was hopeless.  Knitting taught me to value the process as much as the product and to be grateful for the opportunity to learn from my mistakes.  It taught me how much a word of encouragement means when you are ready to quit. It especially taught me about doing a job over and over until it is right.  But mostly, it taught me passion and enthusiasm are enough to get a job done.

Last year, the same week I presented my sister with her annual birthday socks, I received a publishing contract for my first novel.  This year, I’m knitting her two pair.

Thanks for stopping by, Jessie, and for offering a copy of Live Free or Die as a giveaway. So readers, do you knit? Or is there something else you sucked at but stuck with it until you mastered it? Let’s hear from you. You could win a copy of Live Free or Die by posting a comments. -- AP