C&T Publishing Announces First-Ever Online Club

Barbara Brackman’s Underground Railroad Quilt Club
Explores the History of Slavery and Quilts In Pre-Civil War America

CONCORD, CA, November 12, 2007—C&T Publishing announced the debut of its first-ever online club, Barbara Brackman’s Underground Railroad Quilt Club. The club, hosted by noted quilt historian Barbara Brackman, will be offered to quilters and history lovers who want to explore the true story of the escaped slaves who traveled the Railroad, the “conductors” who helped them along the road to freedom, and the quilts and fabrics of the era.
A 12-month membership in the club costs $19.99, and offers members access to a website that includes:

• In-depth monthly articles by Barbara Brackman profiling the real-life stories of slaves and abolitionists. Each article includes photographs of period quilts, plus excerpts from diaries, letters, oral histories, and other original slavery-era source documents.
• Block-of-the-month patterns for a mystery quilt, Chords of Memory, inspired by quilts of the period.
• Gallery of antique and contemporary quilts with patterns popular in antebellum days.
• Antique photographs and images of American life before, during, and after the Civil War.
• Interactive forum (moderated by Barbara Brackman).
• Links to museum collections, original documents and other online sources.

Online Clubs: Breakthrough Format for Readers, Authors, and Publishers

“The wonderful thing about an online club is that I can take the members much deeper into the social history of the Underground Railroad than I could possibly do in a book,” says club host Barbara Brackman. “Online, there are no space constraints—I can say as much as I want to.”

C&T Publishing’s publisher, Amy Marson, is also enthusiastic about the new format. “Online clubs represent a real breakthrough in connecting authors with their readers,” she said. “Through the club’s forum, members can correspond instantly with the author and with other people who share their excitement about a specialized topic.”

“The economics of online clubs also make it possible for us to serve communities with very specific interests, such as quilts of the pre-Civil-War era, Baltimore Album quilts, or digital art quilts,” she explained. As an environmentally conscious business, we also like online clubs for their green qualities—there’s no paper to print, no ink, and no shipping.”

Marson is also excited about the potential for online clubs to reach new audiences. “We’re using the media young people have grown up with to reach out to them and let them know how much we have to offer.”

30-Day FREE Trial Membership Available Through December 2007
FREE trial memberships in Barbara Brackman’s Underground Railroad Quilt Club will be available through the end of December 2007. To get complete details, visit www.ctpub.com and click “Clubs,” then click “Online Club.”

About Barbara Brackman
Barbara Brackman has written numerous books about quilts and quilt history, among them, Facts & Fabrications: Unraveling the History of Quilts & Slavery, Quilts From the Civil War and Civil War Women, allwith C&T Publishing. She is a consultant to museums such as the Kansas Museum of History and the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas. She is a member of the Quilters' Hall of Fame. With Terry Clothier Thompson, she has designed reproduction fabrics for Moda. With Karla Menaugh, she publishes quilt patterns and booklets for the Sunflower Pattern Co-operative.

About C&T Publishing
For 25 years, C&T Publishing has been the industry leader providing innovative books and products to the papercrafting, quilting, and fiber art markets throughout the United States and internationally. C&T books, products and authors have won numerous awards including Craftrends Award of Excellence, International Quilt Association Silver Star Award, Scientific American Young Reader’s Book Award, and numerous other industry recognitions. C&T Publishing is a privately held company located in Concord, CA.

C&T Publishing’s books and products are available in bookstores, quilt, fabric and papercraft stores or from www.ctpub.com, www.createandtreasure.com, or 800/284-1114.