On a gloomy, rainy day, attending The King’s Daughters and Sons’ annual book and author luncheon was like finding a diamond among  pearls.

The York River Circle sponsors this event held each year at Newington Baptist Church in Gloucester.

The lunch, consisting of hot chicken salad, fresh marinated broccoli and cauliflower, copper pennies, peach salad, a choice of Sally Lunn and zucchini breads, six different types of pies, coffee and tea, all homemade, was the diamond. The pearls were the members who had organized, decorated, cooked and served this lovely meal to 200 guests. They also had created homemade candies, which were attractively boxed and placed at each setting.

The guest author and speaker, Brad Parks of Middlesex County, held his audience in awe as he spoke about his career growing from a journalist to an author. He truly delighted the audience when he broke out in a song (“Somewhere Over The Rainbow”) that brought encore requests.

This group...