“I knit a story about light and fresh air, yes? Warmth and survival.”
These words guide Gabby, the nineteen-year-old protagonist in my novella, Blood Stitches, through the labyrinthine Mayan underworld in which she finds herself trapped. The refrain becomes Gabby’s light, illuminating her escape and filling her with hope.
Originally spoken by her abuela, grandmother in Spanish, the phrase alludes to the magical DNA weaving in and out of their genes. They form an intricate history, a gift from the Mayan moon goddess, Ix Chel, that allows Gabby’s family to knit complex patterns, a story of sorts, complete with plot twists and turns.
“Yarn weaving,” Abuela calls it.
It’s a history not unique to Gabby’s family. Mayan women for centuries have told stories through their weaving, a tradition that continues today… Visit Hobby Reads to view the rest of the posting.
Erin Fanning 