I remember seeing posts on various Facebook groups about September being National Sewing Month, but didn't think too much about it. I've been sewing more lately, so didn't need additional reasons to do it. However, after a discussion at work, I decided to look into it a bit more.
Did you know that National Sewing Month started with a declaration by Ronald Reagan in 1982? I didn't, until I found the site at www.nationalsewingmonth.org. Click on the link for "History of National Sewing Month" to find the previous years' themes. There are a few free patterns and articles on this page, but there are many more at www.sewing.org. I plan on exploring their "Charitable Sewing Projects" section when I have more time.
Personally, I like this year's theme, "Take your skills to a higher level," as that is what I've been tackling in my own sewing life. I recently completed a machine applique wall hanging, with machine quilting and a totally-machine-sewn binding (well, except for the one little bit that got missed on the back and needed a needle and thread to attach), all learning projects for me. I have only done one applique before, a small dove for a small flag, so this multi-part fused applique was something new for me. The pattern was free from Fons & Porter's website, and seemed appropriate after my experience with my own seam ripper a week ago. (I needed to take apart 24 blocks that had been put together in the wrong direction.) The Grim Ripper:
At work, circulation desk staff were looking for something "exciting" that they could use as a theme for a new display. Before they could reach for Chase's Calendar of Events, I suggested the sewing theme, and they were thrilled. Off to find sewing books to display to our patrons! If you are trying to find new patterns, you might check your own local public library and see what they have to offer. You might be surprised!
I have the unique chance to see books from 3 different perspectives: as a librarian, I help people find the book they are seeking or need to answer a question; as a reader, I have my own favorite genres and authors; and, as a publisher, I help to create books for others. Wait, you didn't know I'm a publisher? Let me introduce you to Mazz Press.
My husband spends his days as a newspaper reporter writing stories to inform people, and his spare time is spent creating fictional tales to entertain people. Early on he got really frustrated with the whole 'find an agent and get published through a traditional publisher' thing, and after much discussion we decided that, between the two of us, we had the skills to publish his books ourselves. Enter Mazz Press, the name of the publishing company he created to publish his own books. We bought the ISBNs, set up a business relationship with a printer (360 Digital, in Michigan), and set up a routine for editing his works.
It seems there are almost as many ways to self-publish now as there are self-publishing authors, and that's kind of cool. You can choose to print paperback books to sell at author events or at local bookstores (if you can set up that arrangement). You can choose to go just with ebooks and save yourself the costs of printing anything. Or you can go with both options, as we have done.
I am never shy about telling others how we do things, and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask! But I'll spare everyone else my thoughts on it, and just tell you about our books instead. :)
The series we publish is called "The .40 Caliber Mouse". The logo is above. We put this on t-shirts, too, and it's been a big seller! Note that we do not make children's sizes, however, because it bothers us to see kids wearing shirts with guns on them. That little guy is nicknamed "Lucky the Vicious", and his eyes are usually red. All of the books fall under the 'action/thriller' genre, with a fair amount of violence (hey, there is a gun in our logo!).
Book One in the series is also called "The .40 Caliber Mouse". It's about a low-priced mercenary with an agenda, who hires an angry webmaster and a seriously scary sidekick. There is no mystery about who is doing what, but you'll need to keep reading to find out why the mercenary does what he does. (Available from Amazon and from Smashwords, as well as most other ebook retailers.)
Book Two is "The .40 Caliber Mousehunt", and the title doesn't lie. Those involved with the online mercenary project are hunted by more than one group, for more reasons than you might think. (Ebook versions: Amazon and Smashwords.)
For Book Three, we take a side trip to a different story, in the same universe as "The .40 Caliber Mouse" stories and involving some of the same people. "The Wild Damned" looks at three people who qualify for that description... or is it four people? This book edges more into the horror genre than the previous books, with a higher body count. It even has its own logo:
This is the Mark of the Carrion Crow, one of the three main characters. Scary dude. (Amazon and Smashwords ebooks.)
Book Four just came out in May of 2013, and continues the story of the main character from books one and two, Corinn Michaels. "Katerina Blues" is a story about Corinn trying to track down (and eliminate) her personal demons. Probably the most adult in nature of all the books, I'm told it's not as bad as "Fifty Shades of Grey" (which I did not read). So if you could handle that story, and you like a bit of a thrill, why not give Katerina a try? (Amazon and Smashwords ebooks.)
Of course, all four are also available from our website at www.mazzpress.com. I'll post links to some of the reviews we've received in another blog post. Thanks for reading!
