The Victorian grandeur of St. Paul's Summit Avenue and the dusty, noisy sewing rooms of the Pillsbury flour mills provide the backdrop for Minnesota native Mary Sharratt's debut novel "Summit Avenue." Set at the dawn of the first World War, Sharratt's tale follows the experiences of a young German immigrant who travels to America after the death of her mother, in the hopes of creating a better life. Sharratt says this period of American history is particularly interesting because of the many changes in society.