Garbage Bag Girl: an unforgettable story of hope and resiliency. A book reading, signing, & interactive community event with Celeste L. Edmunds, Author and International Executive Director of The Christmas Box. Garbage Bag Girl is Celeste Edmund's story of being raised by addicted parents and, at a young age, learning to survive and protect her siblings from rapists and drug dealers. Eventually, the state separated their family, and Celeste was adopted alone into a dysfunctional, fractured home where a sadistic and manipulating mother treated her as an unwanted outsider. Contemplating taking her abuser's life, Celeste eventually ran away, finding shelter wherever she could, until a compassionate woman stepped in to give her home and love. About Celeste L. Edmunds: Christmas Box House Executive Director Celeste Edmunds understands what the children she serves at The Christmas Box Houses are going through. She went through it herself. Her biological parents were addicts, and her childhood was an ongoing cycle of police calls, fighting, and physical, sexual, and mental abuse. At age 7, Celeste was taken from her home and placed into a child welfare system, where moving every few months to a new environment became normal. By age sixteen, she had lived in more than 30 cities. Celeste views her childhood as a difficult but essential growing experience. There were terrible things, but there were also caring people along the way who did what they could to protect and nurture her. She was author Richard Paul Evans’ assistant when he founded The Christmas Box International. She quickly became an integral part of its creation, helping to build and refine the original shelters for a decade before taking a new position in Corporate America. Working in the corporate world gave her valuable knowledge of a different kind, with experience in marketing (receiving Marketer of the Year by Utah Business Magazine), public relations, community giving, and team management. Combining her nonprofit and corporate experience, Celeste is uniquely fit to guide The Christmas Box International. Celeste is passionate about making a difference in the lives of youth and the child welfare system so that others may not have to go through the same experiences she had. The Christmas Box International celebrates 28 years of defending more than 155,000 children. That is enough to fill Madison Square Garden more than seven and a half times. Celeste believes that The Christmas Box International is more than a place–it is a concept where community, government, and nonprofits come together to bring the resources to children that they need. As a child who grew up in the system, Celeste understands the importance of providing these youth the opportunity for a better life by providing them with safety, dignity, and hope. Her goal is to give these beautiful children everything she wished for as a child, including hope for a better future. Celeste released her book this fall titled Garbage Bag Girl. She hopes to bring more awareness to the issues that face children in the child welfare system and help them know that they deserve a childhood and are worthy of safety and love. https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/events/garbage-bag-girl-an-author-event-with-celeste-l-edmunds

About Jay Barnson's The Vanished series: As a teen, Aiden Holt studied stories of unexplained disappearances throughout history. He never dreamed he would become one of those disappearances. Now trapped in an alien world, hunted for his non-functional “special abilities,” Aiden fights to survive against horrific creatures and determined enemies. Somewhere between certain death and servitude, Aiden seeks an escape—if he can find other “vanished” who beat the odds and survived in this harsh magical world. About Cambria Williams's The Befallen: Sloane, sheltered yet persistent, believes she's capable, and longs for everyone to see past her disabled leg. Selling at Market Day unaccompanied is the chance to prove herself. But when she returns home to her village, she's shattered to discover the Befallen have killed everyone. Having nothing but her faith in the goddesses of the moon, she's forced to test her strength in the outside world. Sloane realizes the kingdom is dangerous even without the Befallen: full of thieves, thugs, and, worse, heretics. Sir Tolvar, a banished, famed knight, wrestling with the demons of his past, is skeptical. He's reluctant to let Sloane join their cause until she convinces him that faith carries its own power. As the two uncover the mysteries surrounding the Befallen-growing steadily stronger-an impossible task is thrust upon Sloane that makes her question everything. About Jana Brown's Fallen Stone: Misery died so she could save the world. That’s what they told her. Turns out they lied. She was once a holy warrior with a noble cause. Now she’s using her earth magic to scrape by, meal to meal, motel to motel, city to city, one step ahead of those who call her traitor. Her jobs aren’t glamorous, but in the end, beggars can't be choosers and work pays the bills. Denver was supposed to be just one more stop over. But between an overly enthusiastic roommate, a gorgeous healer, and a challenging – not to mention lucrative – job for the Chimera Lord of Denver, Misery isn’t finding it easy to leave. When she discovers the lesser fae are going missing, Misery finds a new cause, a paycheck and many reasons to stay. She just hopes pursuing them won’t get her killed…again. ​Please help us welcome authors Jay Barnson, Jana Brown, and Cambria Williams to The Printed Garden to read from and sign copies of their books. This event will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Wendy Davis's campaign was a long shot-the seated Republican who represented Utah's House District 45 was so popular that even her own party doubted a Democrat could win. But Wendy knew her community, and she knew they were ready for change. Despite her party's predictions, she knew she wouldn't lose in a landslide. She might even win. In 2019, she was ready to prove herself in an earnest, grass-roots campaign. She couldn't have predicted what would come next. From a global pandemic that shuttered offices and cancelled in-person events to overblown media stories and back-handed maneuvers from her own party, Davis faced one of the most challenging campaigns in Utah history. Through it all, she would prove that she was much more than an underdog. She was a fighter. A raw look behind-the-scenes of US electoral politics, The Fight You Don't See recounts Wendy Davis's bid to represent Utah's House District 45, documenting the hidden battles she faced before-and long after-Election Day. Join us in welcoming Wendy Davis to The Printed Garden to discuss and answer questions about her new book, her political career, and Utah politics. This event will begin at 7:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Wendy Davis's campaign was a long shot-the seated Republican who represented Utah's House District 45 was so popular that even her own party doubted a Democrat could win. But Wendy knew her community, and she knew they were ready for change. Despite her party's predictions, she knew she wouldn't lose in a landslide. She might even win. In 2019, she was ready to prove herself in an earnest, grass-roots campaign. She couldn't have predicted what would come next. From a global pandemic that shuttered offices and cancelled in-person events to overblown media stories and back-handed maneuvers from her own party, Davis faced one of the most challenging campaigns in Utah history. Through it all, she would prove that she was much more than an underdog. She was a fighter. A raw look behind-the-scenes of US electoral politics, The Fight You Don't See recounts Wendy Davis's bid to represent Utah's House District 45, documenting the hidden battles she faced before-and long after-Election Day. Join us in welcoming Wendy Davis to The Printed Garden to discuss and answer questions about her new book, her political career, and Utah politics. This event will begin at 7:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Wendy Davis's campaign was a long shot-the seated Republican who represented Utah's House District 45 was so popular that even her own party doubted a Democrat could win. But Wendy knew her community, and she knew they were ready for change. Despite her party's predictions, she knew she wouldn't lose in a landslide. She might even win. In 2019, she was ready to prove herself in an earnest, grass-roots campaign. She couldn't have predicted what would come next. From a global pandemic that shuttered offices and cancelled in-person events to overblown media stories and back-handed maneuvers from her own party, Davis faced one of the most challenging campaigns in Utah history. Through it all, she would prove that she was much more than an underdog. She was a fighter. A raw look behind-the-scenes of US electoral politics, The Fight You Don't See recounts Wendy Davis's bid to represent Utah's House District 45, documenting the hidden battles she faced before-and long after-Election Day. Join us in welcoming Wendy Davis to The Printed Garden to discuss and answer questions about her new book, her political career, and Utah politics. This event will begin at 7:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Wendy Davis's campaign was a long shot-the seated Republican who represented Utah's House District 45 was so popular that even her own party doubted a Democrat could win. But Wendy knew her community, and she knew they were ready for change. Despite her party's predictions, she knew she wouldn't lose in a landslide. She might even win. In 2019, she was ready to prove herself in an earnest, grass-roots campaign. She couldn't have predicted what would come next. From a global pandemic that shuttered offices and cancelled in-person events to overblown media stories and back-handed maneuvers from her own party, Davis faced one of the most challenging campaigns in Utah history. Through it all, she would prove that she was much more than an underdog. She was a fighter. A raw look behind-the-scenes of US electoral politics, The Fight You Don't See recounts Wendy Davis's bid to represent Utah's House District 45, documenting the hidden battles she faced before-and long after-Election Day. Join us in welcoming Wendy Davis to The Printed Garden to discuss and answer questions about her new book, her political career, and Utah politics. This event will begin at 7:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.