“I’ll be going to your workshops, though obviously I’m a very experienced crocheter,” Adele said, grabbing the white puffy piece and holding it out. “I’m a crochet designer, too. I just invented a stitch.”

Izabelle barely looked at Adele’s offering. My bookstore associate didn’t seem to have any radar to detect how people were reacting to her. Instead of picking up on Izabelle’s dismissal, Adele put her crochet creation on the table and hung close to the weekend presenter, prattling on about how she’d be glad to help out with the workshop. Izabelle thumbed through the folder.

“Before you leave, would you sign the copies we have of your book?” Adele didn’t wait for an answer, she just ran off toward the craft books. Izabelle definitely heard that question and looked over everyone’s works-in-progress as she waited for Adele’s return.

“Sorry I’m late,” Dinah Lyons said, arriving in a burst of energy. She’s my best friend and a freshman English instructor at Beasley Community College. She wore her salt-and-pepper hair short, which, along with her scarf wardrobe, gave her an arty, offbeat look. I was surprised at the flowing piece of white chiffon she was wearing, since she usually went for a couple of scarves in unusual color combinations. Dinah looked at Izabelle, assumed she was a new member of the group, and started to introduce herself, but she was stopped by Izabelle’s condescending smile-as if it was ridiculous to think she’d be one of us.

Izabelle set Dinah straight about who she was and why she was there. Then she spoke to the rest of us. “I don’t usually put on retreat workshops. The only reason I agreed to do the crochet session was Mrs. Shedd said I could demonstrate the fusion craft featured in my upcoming book. I want to practice it in front of a live audience before I go on the road with it. When my new book comes out, I’m going to be doing a major tour with stops at The Today Show, Martha Stewart, and some others.” Izabelle waited for the expected oohs and aahs, the loudest of which came from Adele as she returned, holding several of the large hard-bound copies of Izabelle’s current release.