FOR THE LOVE OF FIBER SERIES by Kate Bowman! #LFPrism

Author Interview

What inspired you to write For the Love of Fiber Series?
After seventeen years in the Chicago suburbs, we moved back to my native Wisconsin. On the verge of being empty-nesters, we decided to move to the country and a more relaxed life-style. Answering an ad in the local paper I joined a ‘learn to spin group’. I’d always been a knitter and the thought of spinning my very own yarn added a whole new dimension. I soon found myself the owner of several Jacob sheep. I joined a group of local fiber artists who taught me so many things, among them being that crafting and women’s friendships are such an integral part of many women’s lives.
I was inspired to weave craft and art into my stories because to me, each craft I learned was a personal growth issue. I had to practice patience with learning to spin a good yarn, use math and dexterity with weaving and to use wool as an artist uses paint in felting. Along with learning these crafts I realized the importance of them and friendships down through generations. I’m hoping to pass this love on to my grandchildren.
If you could sum up each of the two books in one sentence, what would you say?
The Spin I’m In – When newly widowed Martha discovers her husband had been leading a double life, she determines to find the person she put aside to become the perfect wife and mother and finds friendship and help within a group of local fiber artists.
It Never Felt So Good – Struggling artist Cara Olson moves home to Wisconsin to care for her ailing grandmother and while there learns that the definition of success is totally individual to each person.
What challenged you about writing this series?
I’ve always been intrigued with stories of women starting over and finding their own place in life. I wanted my characters to be ordinary women with real, everyday problems—things we can all relate to—be it family, friends or career.
I’ve worked for years studying the craft of writing and like other crafts, it was a personal growth experience. Along the way I’ve met so many wonderful and sharing writers and I wouldn’t be here today without them. Writing can be a lonely life without friends to share the joys and frustrations.
Which character do you relate to the most to and why?
I guess it would be Carol. As the mother of five, the grandmother of seventeen, and a nurse, I can relate to most everyday problems in family life. Also, as a cancer survivor I will never forget hearing those fear-inducing words, “You have cancer.”
What do you hope readers will take with them after they’ve read the series?
I hope readers will realize the strength we women can gather from each other and always from family. Plus, a little humor goes a long way to putting joy in life.
What is something about me that is unique or we may not know?
I guess the most unique thing about me is my family background. I consider my family the original Brady Bunch, only on a gigantic scale. My father was a widower with six children and my mother a widow with four. They married and had five children—myself having the dubious honor of being number fourteen. I learned a lot about characters in that wonderful, loving family and draw on them often in my stories.
Another unique detail related to the books is that both covers are original artwork painted by my daughter, Molly Bowman Johnson, and photographed by my son. David Bowman. I’m so proud of these covers!

The Spin I’m In(For the Love of Fiber #1)By Kate Bowman

Women’s Fiction, Romance

Paperback & ebook, 293 Pages

August 26, 2019
A determined widow faces the challenge of a new life to regain the confidence and independence of her youth, but finds that life, unlike knitting, doesn’t always follow a pattern.

After twenty-five years of being the perfect wife and mother, Martha LeBeau finds herself unexpectedly widowed and shocked to discover her husband had been living a double life, leaving her penniless and in debt. Determined to regain her lost confidence and independence, she sells her suburban Chicago home and moves to the Wisconsin countryside to forge a new life away from cheating men and smothering children. There she meets the Wool Gatherers, a group of fiber artists who teach her the art of spinning wool and raising sheep. Along with one determined Border Collie, she begins on the path to self-growth and healing.

Riley O’Connor is the single father of a child with Asperger Syndrome. The child’s mother walked out on them because she found that life too difficult to handle. Since then, he has dedicated himself to protecting his son from any further emotional damage.

Meeting Riley and his son through her new job brings love and challenges to Martha’s newly found independence. Romance blooms like a finely knit cable, entwining their lives.

Can either of them learn to trust again?

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

Martha LeBeau has had her share of difficulties, and it is good to see her in a new place, making it on her own and happy. And I it was fun getting to know the art of raising sheep and weaving fibers. And being able to sell them. She has a sweet relationship with Riley and his son. But can she really trust a man after what her first husband did to her?

This is a new author for me so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The characters are loveable and realistic. I love Martha and Riley his son. This is a small community so everyone knows everyone else. And thus the reason Martha was given so much advice about Riley. There is a little more than I wanted to read a few time in the story, this is Womens fiction. Overall it is a pretty good story to keep you entertained for a few hours.

A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

It Never Felt So Good(For the Love of Fiber #2)By Kate BowmanWomen’s Fiction, RomancePaperback & ebook, 268 PagesMay 9, 2020
Cara Olson is forced to put aside her struggling art career in Chicago to care for her ailing grandmother in Wisconsin. While journeying with her beloved Gram through the diagnosis of possible Alzheimer’s disease, she loses and then rediscovers her passion for art and experiences the resurrection of a past love.

Struggling artist Cara Olson is called home to Wisconsin to care for her ailing grandmother who is showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Leaving behind her mentor//boyfriend, Stefan, she begins to look at her unsuccessful career and relationship in a new light.

Surprised to find her Gram’s doctor is her high-school crush, Peter Andreson, she fights her reignited feelings. When Chicago critics dismiss her artwork as a poor imitation of Stefan’s, she is devastated and vows to give up art.

While caring for Gram and running her small Scandinavian gift shop, the Wool Gatherers, a local group of fiber artists, help her find new outlets for her creativity, designing works of art with hand-made felt and her re-emerging love of landscape and portrait painting.

Along the way, her feelings for Peter grow, and she realizes she has once again fallen for a man only dedicated to his career. When the opportunity arises for her to return to Chicago with the promise of a new career, she seizes it. But even her success can’t fill the void she experiences without Gram, her new friends, and Peter.

Can she return to Shoreview, the place that inspires her art, and be satisfied with a life that doesn’t include him?

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

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Tour Schedule
August 31st:Launch Kimber Li E-Romance NewsSeptember 1st:Jorie Loves A Story Nicole’s Book Musings RemembrancySeptember 2nd:underneath the covers Rockin’ Book Reviews Adventures of a Travelers WifeSeptember 3rd:Splashes of Joy reviewingbooksplusmore Among the Reads Christy’s Cozy CornersSeptember 4th:Teatime and Books Bri’s Book Nook Hearts & ScribblesSeptember 5th:Grand Finale
About the Author

Born in Wisconsin to an original Brady Bunch, I had the dubious honor of being #14 in the family. As a result, I’ll never run out of characters. The early years of my marriage were spent moving around the country with my engineer husband, collecting interesting stories and characters along the way. I picked up my first romance after a particularly stressful shift at a suburban Chicago hospital where I worked as an RN. Hours later, bleary-eyed and exhausted, but able to sleep because the story affirmed that good things can happen to good people, I was hooked.
After seventeen years in the Chicago suburbs we returned to Wisconsin and a new life of country living. After a local class in spinning, I decided it would be fun to have my own source of wool. Several years and many animals later, I found a new source of humor for my stories. I’ve always loved animals and you’ll find many of them populate my books. My stories are about real people trying to make it in this crazy, sometimes funny, sometimes sad world—but always with an ending that will renew your faith in love and life.
When I’m not writing, you’ll find me with my family or out walking in my fields, spinning wool, knitting or weaving, but always listening to the interesting stories of those characters living in my head.
For more information about me and my books, visit http://www.KateBowmanAuthor.com.

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