My home church!
St. Julie’s was and is an incredible place I miss terribly. When I return home to visit, all I have to do is set foot inside and I’m overcome with an overpowering sense of peace. My parents were married there, and it was where I completed the sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. CCD and Mass every Sunday, fun events throughout the year, and Youth Group memories that I treasure.
One of my favorite events was the annual Septemberfest fundraiser. Crafters (including my mom and aunt sometimes!) and food vendors would take over the church parking lot and the neighboring lots of Bishop Stang High School for a day long celebration of fall fun and fellowship. There were activities and games for kids, a book sale, yard sale, and the Ladies Guild raffle always had good stuff.
When I decided to write a story with my daughter and some students in her class, I chose a carnival setting, but in my head, it was Septemberfest. The kids were incredibly fun to work with, and I love the story we put together. The Cotton Candy Caper is a fun tale about forgiveness and redemption and overcoming ominous forces that have grabbed hold of your life. It is a story of hope, of being saved, and of moving on to the other side with grace.
If you haven’t read it, it’s always 99 cents at Amazon, and it’s in Kindle Unlimited. Suitable for children as well as adults, the story touches on religious elements as our protagonists fights for the good inside him to overcome the evil that wants his soul.