Seeking companionship and chocolate, Marietta watches Spring come alive as she hits the road for a surely-jolly gathering with Hershey’s employees. Together they will talk about what matters most—the bonds that wrap us all tight. What happened when she was teaching at Piedmont Virginia Community College that resulted, 15 (!) years later, in her NYT bestselling book Little Big Minds? Why does her most recent book about emptying her beloved-for-56 years childhood home touch hearts wherever she pulls up a chair? How did her own heart fill as she readied 1203 for a new owner? Do you share her treasures: relationship, gratitude, generosity, humor—open doors, blooming flowers, tasty cookouts, holding hands?

Come early for lunch and check out Marietta’s display of cherished pieces of 1203 and a few unforgettable photographs—grandmother Plum working during the Depression, father Mac landing planes in the Pacific, mother June writing songs while dancing to her secret beats. Additional copies of Leaving 1203 will be available for purchase and personalizing. Cash, check, credit card—laughter, storytelling, love.

Marietta will suggest a writing opportunity for all who are interested. Think of an object dear to your hearts…. She’ll return to see and hear from all the Hershey’s writers-in-residence in late May. Hooray!