The Friendship Bread Book and Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society IntroductionI'

I'd like to introduce you to 2 incredible novels by Darien Gee

The Friendship Bread: A Novel

"In the quiet community of Avalon, Illinois, Julia Evarts wonders how to move on with her life. Though her husband and five-year-old daughter give her an abundance of love, Julia still reels from a tragedy that has left her estranged from the sister who was once her best friend. Meanwhile, across town, widow Madeleine Davis takes great pleasure in serving up delectable treats and cozy comforts at her tea salon—now, if only she had some customers to enjoy them. And famed concert cellist and recent Avalon transplant Hannah de Brisay finds herself at a crossroads when her career and marriage come to abrupt ends. The three strangers forge a friendship at Madeleine’s Tea Shop, and soon their camaraderie extends to everyone in Avalon in the guise of a unique and wonderful gift. But even as Julia becomes ever closer to her new friends, she realizes the profound necessity of confronting the painful past she shares with her sister.

Life and loss, friendship and community, food and family: Friendship Bread tells a spirited, remarkably moving tale about the triumph of hope."

I usually send this book to my GOOD friends in real life. I make the starter in a jar with a lid and give that to them and they usually give me a piece of the bread that they made with the starter!  The book is expensive but you can find some good deals online when you search for them!

The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society: A Novel

"Perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber, Kristin Hannah, Beth Hoffman, and Kate Jacobs, this luminous novel from the author of Friendship Bread follows a group of fascinating women who form deep friendships through their love of scrapbooking—as memories are preserved, dreams are shared, and surprising truths are revealed.

Welcome to Avalon, Illinois, Pop. 4,243

At Madeline’s Tea Salon, the cozy hub of the Avalon community, local residents scrapbook their memories and make new ones. But across town, other Avalonians are struggling to free themselves of the past: Isabel Kidd is fixing up her ramshackle house while sorting through the complications of her late husband’s affair. Ava Catalina is mourning the love of her life and helping her young son grow up without his father. Local plumber Yvonne Tate is smart, beautiful, and new to Avalon, but finds that despite a decade of living life on her own terms, the past has a way of catching up—no matter where she goes. And Frances Latham, mother to a boisterous brood of boys, eagerly anticipates the arrival of a little girl from China—unprepared for the emotional roller coaster of foreign adoption.

Enter Bettie Shelton, the irascible founder of the Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society. Under Bettie’s guidance, even the most reluctant of Avalon’s residents come to terms with their past and make bold decisions about their future. But when the group receives unexpected news about their steadfast leader, they must pull together to create something truly memorable.

By turns humorous, wise, and deeply moving, The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society is a luminous reminder that the things we hold most dear will last a lifetime."

“In a gathering of women there will always be compelling stories. Throw in a love of craft and these stories take on a whole new dynamic. There are shared secrets, support, encouragement, and love as the Avalon Ladies come to terms with the past and boldly step forward into the future.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber

I am a scrapbooking gal!  I love to do all kinds of scrapbooks.  I'm presently working on my dog scrapbook for my dog Sandie and I have won contests at my (then) local scrapbook store that I did in crops!  Well this is probably foreign language but on Thursday I will show you some pages I have done and pages I have won awards for and then the scrapbook that John (my husband) and I are working on in memory of my Mother In Law.  I will also share with you the story of how I taught my Mother In Law to do scrapbooking and show you pages from her books!  She has MANY!  I'm so glad that I have them now that she is no longer with us.  She has outdone me in the number of scrapbooks completed.  While she was scrapping at her home, I was working on local contests and crops that I made up for our group of women.

Questions:  Have you ever read either of those two books?  Is there one that you would like to read or share with someone else to read?  Are you a scrapbooker?  Do you know any scrappers?