The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society by Darien Gee
Questions for Discussion
- Scrapbooking is a method used to record our memories. Do you scrapbook? Other than putting photos in an album, what are some other ways you can celebrate special moments or people?
- Author Mark Twain used to collect memorabilia from his travels and would clip articles about himself and his books and paste them into scrapbooks. Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, and Bruce Chatwin are known for having notebooks filled with sketches, notes, stories, and ideas. So why does it seem like only women scrapbook these days? Do the men in your life scrapbook or journal in any way?
- Do you think it’s important to only scrapbook about memories that are pleasant or do you think it’s important to include all events and memories, even those that didn’t create a happy memory? Should both be added to your scrapbooks? Why or why not?
- Bettie Shelton is intent on getting everyone in Avalon to scrapbook, men and women alike. Why do you think she does this? Do you think she uses this to avoid recording her own memories? Is there something you are putting off doing by helping others?
- The stunning plumbing beauty, Yvonne Tate, knocks on your door to fix your backed up toilet. Would you want her to be left alone with your husband or partner? Have you ever judged someone immediately on their outward appearance only to later realize you made a hurtful or hasty judgment?
- Yvonne left her past behind to create a new future. Do you think it’s possible to really leave our past behind? What happens when we try and forget the past?
- Serena (aka Daffodil) pulled Connie into her life and provided her the strength to love and care for something. Even though they were only together for a short time, Serena proved to be the catalyst for many things in Connie’s life—reconciling with her past, accepting help and love in her present, and even introducing her to someone who might be a part of her future. Have you had an animal or pet do this for you? How did it turn out?
- Hannah Wang is a character who also appears in the first Avalon book, Friendship Bread. In what ways has she evolved in The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society? Is there anything you miss about her from the first book? What about Madeline? How has she changed?
- In times of a crisis, we rally together just like the town of Avalon. Have you personally been in a crisis or involved in helping someone through a crisis?
- Do you know of someone like Bettie who is dealing with a failing memory? Do you have a friend who is dealing with someone with Alzheimer’s? How can or how have you helped? Is there someone in your town or neighborhood who reminds you of Bettie?
- What do you think about Isabel’s decision to take care of Bettie? Would you consider doing something like this for a friend?
- It takes a lot of love, strength and courage for someone to give up a child for adoption or to be the adopting parents. Have you been in this situation? Have you helped someone in this situation?
- Isabel had not planned for her life to go as it had. Have you been in a situation where life served you several platters of disappointment? Would you be strong enough to let someone like Ava, the woman involved with ending your marriage, become a part of your future? Why or why not?
- Bill left a card in a safe-deposit box for Isabel to read on their 25th anniversary. Ian builds her a surprise porch swing. Colin saves a big bag full of bottle caps for Ava. What do you think about these gestures? Are they rare things for men to do? Or are they becoming more common today than in the past?
- Which character do you identify with the most? Why? Does anyone in your reading group remind you of a character from the book? In what way?
- Do you have a domestic talent or skill that you could share with other women in your community? What could you share? Have you considered doing it? Who or what group could you share it with?
EXTRA …
People often ask me as I scrapbook in real life. I can count the number of “scrapbooks” I’ve made on one hand (including the Hawaii one below), but I journal with photos all the time and am trying to do an annual digital collage at the end of the year. None of my children have their baby albums yet…it’s a project on my to do list once I retire!
Click on the thumbnails before to see the full image.
Images 1-4: “A few pages from one of my rare 12 x 12 albums — the cover has some stitching on it, which I love, and I added the vellum Hawaii sticker on the front. The room card key holder for our hotel is on the left inside cover, and it expands to a full size map.”
Images 5-8: “My Moleskine Smashbook/Journal (the lovely girl on the inside cover is my daughter). I journal almost every day, but also use it for notes, brainstorms, and inspiring quotes and images. The left page is usually a magazine image, the right whatever scribbles come to mind.”
Images 9-12: “This album below was made for me for my novels Friendship Bread and Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society. I add the photos and journal cards as I go (in this case, I have readers “sign” my scrapbook), and usually include flyers and notes from whatever book event I’m at.”
