How Pen Friends Add Spice to Your Life

In A LADY IN DISGUISE, Wookey makes Lady Briana her favorite comfort food:
English Bread and Butter Pudding
Remove crusts from 6 pieces of white bread (best if day-old).  Butter and dice to no larger than 1” squares.  In a buttered pie or square pan, put down a layer of bread pieces.  Drop lots of raisins over them so that every bite will have one.  Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.  Do this with more layers of bread, raisins, and nutmeg. 
Whisk:
2  eggs
1/4  cup sugar
1  3/4  cups milk
1/2  teaspoon vanilla
Pour over the bread.  Push down any bread bits that aren’t soaked.
Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  You can cover loosely with aluminum foil until the last 10 minutes unless you want a slightly browned top.

From my pen friend, Viv, in Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, England, who sent me good history books from her town.  I met her years later, much to my joy.
(The picture below does not have the crusts cut off. It looks prettier if you do trim them, but it tastes just as yummy either way.)

Do you like to make friends?  Do you miss letter-writing?
     What better way to learn about other countries and cultures than by striking up a friendship with someone far away?  I have pen friends in many countries because, years ago, I joined International Pen Friends.  It's still going strong, with members in hundreds of countries around the world. 
     Many of the people on my first list of pen friend names are now wonderful, long-time friends.  We've visited back and forth, and I still find joy in every trip to see them.  We do all kinds of fascinating things together.  I gather inspiration for my books from the places where they live.  I highly recommend this kind of real friendship. 
Scroll down for how you can join IPF, too.

If you would like pen friends from many countries, just contact Julie at:
International Pen Friends
PO Box 430,
Paynesville, VIC 3880
AUSTRALIA
http://www.ipf.net.au
Email: [email protected]

   The first pen friend I will tell you about is my dear French friend, Myriam.  We met after writing letters to each other for ten years.  I rejoiced so much in our meeting because I had grown to know and love her as a very special person.  There's no way I ever would have met her if I had not received her name on my IPF list.
   One of these photos shows the first time she took me to Château de Chambord.  I used  this magnificent palace as a setting in my new book, PURSUING GENEVIEVE.  You also see us on another visit, enjoying our time together in Chartres.
  We are kindred spirits, and email nearly every day.  We send letters and packages as well. Our friendship grows deeper, and I thank God for such a cheerful, precious gift.