"Leaving Riverton"...the Novel

"Leaving Riverton," the novel, is what started the idea of mixing a story, quilts and fabrics.
Reading and Western history has always been a love of mine. I wanted a story of depth and character,
one you could identify with and with quilts that were really involved in the story line, not just thrown in.

The personalities of the women were to be special. I want you to laugh and cry with them and wish that they
could be your next door neighbor.I want you to know who they are and that they work hard at living their life.
One of my favorite sayings is "She's tough enough to go west in a covered wagon, pregnant!! Now I don't know
about you, but that is tough! You would definitely test yourself at all levels in that season of your life. You would
have to put your "all" into it, and these women do!!

The story took several different directions, as I put the pen to the paper and I finally realized that it will take a series
of stories for the Mailly family to expand. The outline for the series goes from 1856 until 1970. It will cover generations
and go from Louisiana to California and Texas to Illinois.

I researched Texas history, so the facts are true, but of course, the characters are ficticious.
Family history was enjoyed by my mother, my grandmother and great grandmother who all lived to a very old age.
(my mother is still alive). So, we have the facts from the horse's mouth so to speak. They remembered it all.
Many of these women in my famly have very unique stories and all were widowed at a very young age. We have an
unusual fact in our family that our blood line was all female for five generations that we know of. This means that all
the males were married into the family, and all children from those marriages were female and the women were widowed
young. A family get-together could look like a convent! My female ancestors had to learn to be independant and live in a
man's world over 150 years ago.

My sisters and I have broken that family chain by our husbands still being alive and by us each having a son or two.
Many of the events in our story really happened and are true adventures of the women in my family.

Continue to read on to the "Pattern Book" section to learn more about the nine main charactors in the novel. You will
enjoy meeting Liz and the others and seeing the beautiful quilts.