I want my work to last. Longevity is one of the three main goals I have for my books. The other two? A post for another day.

I realized long ago that it took just as long to write a book that was trendy and out of print after two years as it did to write a classic. And as a quilter and artist, I appreciate books that provide me with lessons for years to come.

I often hear people complain about how expensive books are, which is why I go for those that provide me with lasting value. I enjoy patterns, booklets, and other fun diversions. But they don’t have the lasting value of a book.

Color Mastery has nine quilt projects. If you bought them individually in a pattern, each would average $15.00. Multiply that times nine and you get $135.00.

Color Mastery also has 11 exercises, and has twelve months worth of class material. I teach shop owners how they can offer a different class each month using the exercises and projects in the book. A full-day class averages about $60.00, and 12 of them would be $720.00.

$135.00 worth of patterns/projects, and $720.00 worth of classes is a total of $855.00. Still think a book is expensive? Look’s like the world’s best bargain to me.

The real test of a book-lover’s book is this: does it provide those things that make a reader’s life easier, that will make the book last, and makes it easy to find, or get more information? I printed Color Mastery on museum-quality paper using the best photographer and printer in the industry.

I included an index to make information easy to find. Look at the latest quilt book you bought: I bet it doesn’t have one. Publishers are skimping on this kind of stuff and betting you won’t notice. Bibliographies too. I want to know how to find out more information when I’m interested in a topic, and I know my readers do too. And librarians love them.

Does the book’s binding last? Is it sewn or glued? Color Mastery’s is sewn, of course. And it has a spine, so you can find it on a store shelf or your own.

Look for these qualities when you buy a book. Be a discerning consumer. Expect them in your books and ask for them. And support quilt book authors who give you the best.

Standing room-only last Friday evening at Sew Memorable for the Color Mastery book launch party. Jeanne’s team was so sweet and excited! They made homemade baby chocolate eclairs and weekend employees took off their day jobs to work in the shop all day to help Jeanne set up. Friends, quilters, even both of my sons’ teachers came to hear all the details on color in their quilts. I was amazed at the women who had “thought” about quilting, but never had taken the plunge, who were excited about putting fabrics together in a gorgeous quilt.

I was so touched by the women who told me:

• My daughter picks out colors for me and now I can do it!
• Thank you for writing this book – we really needed it.
• My sister selects my colors and I never like them.

So many quilters who were frustrated about color but now are excited about the prospect of mastering the color in their quilts.  Everyone went home with a brand new product, requested by you – dear readers! The Color Mastery Quilt Journal Kit on CD! Printable journal pages, all on a CD, so you can print and customize your own color journal. I’ll have more details as the week goes on – the CD will be available here soon!

How does it work?  Here are the details:

• If you live close to me in Georgia (within one day’s drive), I’ll visit your group in person.  If you’re more than one day’s drive, willing to pick up my travel expenses and provide a place for me to stay, I’ll visit your group as well.  Otherwise, we can visit over the telephone or via Skype, an online video conferencing site (don’t worry – it’s easy.  You don’t need any special equipment).
• Encourage your bee group members to purchase my book(s) and to bring them to the meeting so I can autograph them, if it’s to be an in-person visit. If it will be a speakerphone visit, I can mail autographed bookplates to you. Buying the author’s books is the polite thing to do. Since authors usually are not paid by book groups for their time (though gas money is always appreciated), the least you can do is for the majority of the members to buy the book.
• Print and bring a list of discussion questions for the book. I’ll be providing a bee group discussion guide soon on this website, so keep checking back! Also, encourage your members to come prepared with one or two other questions for the author.
• For in-person visits, I like to arrive 10-15 minutes early and set up a small display of my books, bookmarks, and a sign-up list for my email newsletter. I appreciate the opportunity to sell books to members who may not have had a chance to buy one before the meeting or who may want to gift the books to others.
• Arrange for someone from your bee to introduce me, thank me for coming, then have the members of the bee group introduce themselves. Especially if this is a speakerphone visit, it’s helpful for me to know something about each member to distinguish them. And, if it’s a speakerphone visit, members should re-state their name each time they ask a question.
• Relax and enjoy the interaction. If you normally serve food during your meeting, continue to do so. Just let me know beforehand. I certainly won’t turn down a meal or a glass of wine! Make sure someone watches the time so I can stay on schedule, and plan for time at the end to autograph books, if it’s an in-person visit.

I’m booking small groups now, so float this idea before your group.  Discuss.  Get out the calendars.  I’ll see you there!