Tinsie's Story: A Quilt's Reflections

Benny · 11-09-2006, 02:23 PM

Tinsie's Story: A Quilt's Reflections
Benny & Patty Morton

PROLOGUE
He was a very small baby, still warm from his mother's womb. I held him first. Caswell Everett Morton cried, as Mammy, her head covered with a red bandana and face wet with sweat from helping Tinsie with her birthing, lay us upon Tinsie's breast. Cas searched for and found her breast, his waililng ceased as he fed. I will remember that one moment more so than the rest, I expect. I have so far, these many years.

It was the summer of 1863 and the war of Northern Aggression was raging. Tennessee, along with his brothers, Gabe and Bo, had left the farm to help drive back the scourge of the North, leaving Tinsie and Mammy-a woman who had been a slave on Tinsie's grandfather's farm in North Carolina-to hold the place together as best they could.

The small plot that Tennessee had chosen for the garden sat along a steep hillside beside the home place, next to a small laughing spring that trickled down the mountain behind the house. He had hoped the plants might take hold of some of the moisture and something would grow for them to eat. There had been no other ground, and although the garden was on the hillside, it was the flattest land they owned.

The house jutted out of the arms of the mountain it sat halfway upon, flanked by a small ridge on either side of the house. Just like a large flat rock sticking out of the hillside, their home fit right in with its natural surroundings. From their large wrap-around porch, they could see the valley open before their eyes. It was breathtaking. The little garden produced rocks and snakes, both basking in the sun as it scorched everything in sight that summer.

It had been unkindly hot. Tinsie and Mammy worked under the sun's relentless wrath and managed to coax a few plants to take hold and produce. At least there would be something to put on the table. One thing was certain that summer: Cas was all over the place and had to be watched constantly, lest he get into something he should not. Their worst fear was that he might slide through the porch railing and fall to his death to the hard ground below.

Mammy watched him closely while Tinsie worked the garden, stealing glances from her position under the sun's relentless glare. Later, the two women would change places, after Tinsie would pull up a cold drink from the well beside the porch. It was that way most of the summer of 63'-until that day.

Cas was hot as fire. It was not the summer's heat, but the heat of a sudden fever. He held me close to him, as if he were cold and I could feel myself burning along with him.

Tinsie could barely see for her tears, her feet covering the length of the dirt road swiftly. Her cries were loud, but there was no one to hear them. She ran toward Mrs. Liddy's store, clutching me as I held Cas firm. I knew long before she reached the store that little Cas had gone to live with the angels.

I held him first and I held him last.

----------------------------------------
The story of 4 generations of women in the mountains of eastern Kentucky is narrated by a heirloom baby quilt(its voice in italics). Our book is already published and available at the following link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...icforumforw-20
Benny

MsJacquiiC · 11-13-2006, 05:03 AM

Hey BENNY - The novel looks lovely! Intriguing actually. I love historical novels. Anyway - where is my autographed copy?

I'd love to do a review on this book, as I've done several reviews for Amazon and other literary companies... You can see for yourself the caliber of my reviews in the Sketched In Review section http://jpicforum.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22

Anyway - congrats on the publication!

Jacquii.

Benny · 11-14-2006, 02:35 AM

MsJ...We will send you a signed copy certainly...as for a review...we would be delighted if you could do that for us! I see you've fixed the post here and you don't know how much I appreciate that...thank you!
I will need your address to send this to you...please email me with this or leave me a message in the box...lol
Again, thank you very much!

erikestabrook · 11-14-2006, 03:15 PM

this would make agreat book,
I can't believe how good you are at novels,
I suck at them,

MsJacquiiC · 01-07-2007, 01:02 PM

Hey BENNY - I finished reading Tinsie's Story just the other day! AWESOME writing throughout - I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the novel!

I will try to have a review for you within the next couple of days.

AND thanx again for the read!

Jacquii.

And don't think for 1 minute because you autographed it so lovely that I'll sugar-coat the review - MsJac sugarcoats for noone

--- But truly FABULOUS write = Excellent read!

btw EVERYONE the following autographed copy... and I quote...

The Following Text Is Quoted:

To our fabulous, fantastic
and beautiful Poetry Goddess, Ms Jac

I feel so special

Jacquii.

PaintedDiary · 01-07-2007, 01:10 PM

Ms Jacquii, LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it!!!!!!!!!

Yes, the story does look intriguing, with that historical touch that I love. I can't wait to receive mine, and Benny.....uhemmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........better be signed to our fantabulous, fantastic, Scientist Poet and supermoderator Dr. Robinson, aka Painted Kim! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

Benny · 01-07-2007, 01:13 PM

I am honored you like our book, MsJ! I look forward to your review! And Kim, I signed your book...but did not have your request you left here to copy from...so I hope I did your correctly...LOL. Thank you all for your kind words!

Altree94 · 01-07-2007, 03:32 PM

It's about time you did something like this Benny! You already know how much I loved this book! For everyone else, here is my review that I posted at Amazon.com:

Customer Reviews

A Unique Idea - done right! *****

If you do not read Tinsie's Story, you will be missing out on a very special experience. It will linger with you long after you have put this book down.

Memory Quilts have been in my family for generations and this book has made me look at them in a whole new light and with a much deeper respect, not just for the amount of work that goes into making one but also for the lives that each patch represents.

Tinsie's Story is not just about a quilt, but is also rich in the history of several generations - the times and their lives, loves and losses. The ending could not have been better!

Benny · 01-08-2007, 02:35 AM

I would love to hire you all to help us get this book to the public...but, sighs...I am a poor, struggling, old, lefthanded writer who puts his foot in his mouth more times than not...and I will take comments like these to cause us to press on...thank you all!

stardust · 02-05-2007, 08:38 PM

Dear sweet Benny: OH!! WOW!!...I have missed reading this Masterpiece of yours before!! I am so Happy to meet you, Benny. I did not know you are a Novelist. I thought that you were only a Poet. This is just GREAT!! You are a Talented and Gifted Writer and a Poet!! Congratulations, sweetheart!! I am so pleased to meet you!! God bless you in every step of the way!! I would certainly HIRE YOU, dear, if I ever could. Hugs and Love Always. Sincerely, Starry.