Eleven Pennies, A Christmas Story

Gretchen Willmer arrives in the small New England town of Hatfield with nothing but eleven pennies, following a string of misfortunes that left her homeless, jobless, and grieving her mother's recent death. At the bus station, she meets Masie Cruthers, a kind local woman who offers her a place to stay and work at her Christmas shop. As Gretchen settles into the town, she befriends Roy, a widowed handyman, and three little girls, who guide her on a journey to bring magic to the shop. Along the way, Gretchen finds healing, community, and love, culminating in her marriage to Roy. The story is woven with themes of redemption, the kindness of strangers, and the small miracles that guide us when we least expect them. Gretchen's journey from despair to joy is anchored by the symbolic "pennies from heaven," connecting her to her past and paving the way for her future. Diane Green also writes under the pen name Diane Campbell Green.