My dear friend, Marie, has wanted to open a bookstore as far back as I can remember. She wanted to provide a sense of community to her little town of Gustine, California. Not only is she a published author, but she’s passionate about books and helping others discover the joy of reading. She went full throttle to open Scrawl, Scribble & Smirch Bookshop in less than 45 days! Any of you who’ve ever started a business can truly sense her passion for what she does. Starting a business is not easy, but adding a small town with no signage off the freeway didn’t help. Marie has been sharing, posting, and handing out flyers, letting everyone know about this amazing bookstore and space. Slowly but surely, people are driving from different parts of California to check out her cute little bookstore. She has had 4 articles and a local TV station feature her in just the first 2 months, which is a testament to her commitment and effort to make her bookstore successful. She’s running out of funds, simply put, and without help, she won’t be able to keep her doors open for much longer. She could really use our help to keep her dream alive and to keep this gem open in Gustine, California! She is creating a space for the community to gather. If only she had a little bit more time to get things running. If you feel led to donate, please do. Whatever amount you can give will help her continue to keep the doors open and thrive!