June 29, 2015 at 1:50 p.m.
Author to visit Book World to promote 'Spinning a Good Yarn'
Author to visit Book World to promote 'Spinning a Good Yarn'
By Kayla Thomason-
This romance novel deviates from author Ginger K. Glomstead's previous works, reference books "Common Disorders of the Skin, Scalp & Hair" and "Understanding Common Dermatitis," and a screenplay entitled "The Boy in Green."
"Writing a romance novel was just an evolution of my writing up to that point and the storyline of 'Spinning a Good Yarn' dictated its genre," Glomstead said. "During my meditation in which I received the inspiration to write 'Spinning a Good Yarn,'(the character of) Sheila getting divorced and then going into business for herself was really what put (the book) in the contemporary romance category."
The story takes place in the Chicago neighborhoods of Lincoln Park and Old Town, where Glomstead used to live.
In the book, the main character, Sheila, embraces her talent with yarn and opens her own shop, while navigating the dating world for the first time in 17 years. Sheila, yearning for a strong connection and lasting love, is pursued by an old Irish boyfriend she can't keep off her mind.
Throughout the process Sheila's friend, Lori, offers support and encouragement.
The characters and storyline are loosely based on events Glomstead experienced herself or witnessed happen to others.
"By the time most people hit adulthood, they have experienced a heartbreak that rocks them to their core," Glomstead said. "They're devastated and need to find their inner strength to rebound which is what Sheila did in 'Spinning a Good Yarn.' Also, most people have that core circle of a true friend or friends that help them during these rough times which is where the personality of Lori came in."
Glomstead said she loves Ireland and she appreciates the complex outfits and accessories people can make with yarn. She incorporated both of these passions into the novel.
"My background in yarn-based crafts is very basic and I always marvel at the beautiful couture works that others create," she said. "At the time when I began 'Spinning a Good Yarn,' a couple of my friends were caught up in the knitting revival that happened a few years ago when all sorts of specialty yarn shops sprang up especially around Chicago."
Glomstead's book artfully weaves Sheila, yarn, Chicago and Ireland together.
"The tie-in with Sheila going to buy yarn in Ireland is that Chicago, in general, loves the Irish and lots of Irish tend to initially settle in the greater Chicago area when they first come to America," Glomstead said. "In the late 1800s there were a lot more Irish in the city of Chicago, then they moved out to the neighboring suburbs."
Although she's very interested in the culture, Glomstead said she did not visit Ireland until after she wrote "Spinning a Good Yarn."
"I recently visited Ireland for the first time in May to promote my book 'Spinning a Good Yarn,'" she said. "I really enjoyed it, spending most of my time in the city of Dublin. I had been to the UK twice before but never made it to Ireland until this trip."
Writing this romance novel provided Glomstead with different obstacles compared to her other non-fiction works.
When she wrote her cosmetology-related reference books the writing was rather straightforward and research-based, she said.
"For novels, it's a whole different approach (to writing) because of the character development, the story arc involved and then creating the right hooks at the end of the chapters to keep the reader going," she said. "I'm proud to say that most avid readers complete 'Spinning a Good Yarn' in a day or two, which means the storyline is interesting and keeps the reader engaged to want to see the storyline through."
Glomstead said she wants to use her writing to have a positive impact on the world.
"All my writing efforts are about making the world a better place in one way, shape or form," she said. "Whether it is writing quick reference books or continuing education courses to remind or alert licensed professionals to protect themselves and their clients; or writing novels about how people overcome adversity or their inner struggles then embrace their inner strength to eventually find contentment - which is basically the storyline of 'Spinning a Good Yarn.'"
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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