An Editor's Worst Nightmare, Part I

As I opened the email last week, every publisher's worst nightmare unfolded before me. Exactly one day after release of our beautiful Volume 2 Issue 4, my body went still and my heart fell to the floor as I read the email.
"Dear Sherry,
Just thought you should know, the Starry Night pattern in your latest issue is a Gail Lawther pattern and is, in fact, on the cover of her Christmas book."

The emailer is a supportative quilt shop owner and knowledgeable patchwork teacher in the West of Ireland, so there was very little doubt in my mind that she was anything but correct. Our Starry Night designer purportedly used her own designs, with the help of her daughter to draw the Starry Night. However, as quick as a click, Google proved differently.

Again, I was struck as a frightening stillness run through me . Every stitch, line, and even colour, with its exact likeness, screamed out at me from the cover of Gail Lawther's Stained Patchwork Projects for Christmas published in 2002.

My first reaction was to call Gail. No number on hand. I emailed a frantic message knowing her husband Chris mans their emails quite regularily and thoroughly. We have worked with Gail in the past with one of her patterns appearing in Volume 1, alas with her rightful name and credit. And last summer we consulted her on Celtic knotting when we found ourselves at loose ends over proper knot drawings. Now, I had to confess we plagurised her design and it was in print 20,000 times over.

Contrary to norm, our email went unanswered. Gail and Chris could very well be enroute to FOQ. We also had our own departure in mere hours. This was one knot in my stomach that would travel with me.