Bücher von Phillip Martin

I gather folk tales with me as I wander the globe. In more recent years, I've gathered them as I paint community murals. So far, I have 63 murals in 27 countries. It's why I have such a varied collection of tales. For an absolutely amazing experience with some of the world's friendliest people, I highly recommend travel in Brasil. (That's how it is spelled there.)Missing a Few Jewels is a tale about a young prince who really doesn't do well learning from books in school. He's short a few cards in the deck, dealing with a few loose screws, and missing a few jewels from his royal crown. It is decided that he may learn best by traveling the world. And, the young prince thrives. Along the way, he gathers a singing bird, a bug that can did, one very special butterfly, and a damsel in distress. Of course, it all ends happily ever after.

I gather folk tales with me as I wander the globe. In more recent years, I've gathered them as I paint community murals. So far, I have 63 murals in 27 countries. It's why I have such a varied collection of tales. For an absolutely amazing experience with some of the world's friendliest people, I highly recommend travel in Brasil. (That's how it is spelled there.)Missing a Few Jewels is a tale about a young prince who really doesn't do well learning from books in school. He's short a few cards in the deck, dealing with a few loose screws, and missing a few jewels from his royal crown. It is decided that he may learn best by traveling the world. And, the young prince thrives. Along the way, he gathers a singing bird, a bug that can did, one very special butterfly, and a damsel in distress. Of course, it all ends happily ever after.

I gather folk tales with me as I wander the globe. In more recent years, I've gathered them as I paint community murals. So far, I have 63 murals in 27 countries. It's why I have such a varied collection of tales. Prior to murals, I lived in Asia and traveled about Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia as much as possible. Thailand has such a rich and colorful culture. The tastes set your mouth on fire while your eyes and nose are flooded with historic sights and fragrant aromas. If It Is Truly Ours is a tale about a simple farming couple who work hard and live honestly. When they find a treasure on their property, they debate. Should we claim it? Is it truly ours? What would you do? The husband decided that they could never claim it unless it came to them. How could that ever happen? Do good things come to those who wait? You're just going to have to read a charming tale to find out.

Some of my earliest memories on Sunday mornings were in my grandmother's Children's Church Services. And, it wasn't just me! She taught this class for decades. I have no idea how many lives she touched. Long before the Internet with resources at your fingertips, Grandma created a lot of her own materials. I most remember her ABCs Bible verses. Except, it was a long time ago. I didn't remember all the verses. To create this book, I relied on my memory, asked my cousins, reviewed a list my mother wrote, and made a few personal changes when other verses inspired some illustrations.Of course, Grandma only used the King James Version of the Bible. I mostly used the New King James Version. I hope that my grandma doesn't mind.

The triplets in this family think they are ready for just another day of school. As it turns out, each of them faced unexpected problems, problems that bothered them for the rest of the day. Mama knew that they needed to tell someone -- her! -- about the day each of them experienced. At the same time, she explained to them her concept of Triple Gratitude. When you think of three really positive things that happened during the day, it makes any and all problems feel a whole lot smaller. Some of this book is taken from my own life story. The take away centers on thankfulness. When I told one of my friends that every night I think about the three best things that happened during the day, she said, "You must write a book about that." It's how this book came to be. I am not sure where I came up with the idea of triple gratitude. Certainly, I'm not the first person to accentuate the positive to eliminate the negative. But, at a time in my life when a lot of things were going wrong, I decided this might be a good practice to live by. And, I continue to count to three every night. A little more truth? I've never been in love with math or spelling tests. I did outgrow a childhood bully! And, the Jeremy in my life already knew about Orion.If you like the story, I hope that you, too, will adopt the habit of triple gratitude. Some days it may be hard to find three things. Hopefully, there will also be many days when you just can't stop at three.

This tale of three guardian angels (Shirley, Goodness and Mercy) centers around King David and his young son Solomon. David explains to his son that he has three guardian angels who have watched over him his entire life. And, he explains to Solomon how he met each one of them during experiences recorded in the Bible about the life of the king.I never really know where my inspiration will come from when I write a book. In my first original book, "Pick Me!" Cried Arilla, I wrote about a star getting ready for her mission. The inspiration for that story came from a sermon I heard when I was in college. So, yes, the idea rolled around in my head for quite some time.The story of Shirley, Goodness and Mercy was inspired by my pastor's sermon on Psalm 23:6. Yes, I wish I had cleverly come up with the idea of these three guardian angels, but I knew there was a story as soon as they were mentioned. I ran with the idea immediately. This time, I wrote the story within a week. Sadly, I don't remember anything else from either of those sermons.

This tale has proven to be a favorite among student that I have shared it with. A poor man in Albania has to kill his rooster for a meal. But, on second thought, he opted to cut the rooster in half. He ate one half and saved the other half for a pet. Now, the Half Rooster was nobody's fool. He knew he had to go out to earn his fame and fortune in the world before the poor man got hungry again. With the help of Frog, Fox, Wolf and Mouse, the Half Rooster succeeded in his mission. I first arrived in Albania shortly after it opened up to the West. In those days there were no travel books or Internet searches. The border crossing was just that. A crossing. No signs of civilization, no restaurants, and no hotels welcomed me at the border. There were few cars back then. The main form of transportation was by donkey cart. And, I arrived at night with no idea where to go. I was told the closest hotel was in Gjirokaster, 20 miles away. A taxi driver had a hotel business card that said, "We speak English." It was good enough for me. That was how I met the Kotoni family. Their home was a two hundred-year-old Ottoman building that over-looked the old town. The family exuded so much Albanian hospitality and warmth that I decided to stay an extra day in Gjirokaster. During my stay, I signed their guestbook. However, I didn't just sign it. I drew the skyline of the old city as seen from their front porch. Nobody ever did that before, and I wasn't forgotten. Fourteen years later . . . Taulant, the family son, found my website. Now living in the USA (and certainly no longer eight), he said his parents still thought fondly of me and showed off my drawing to any and all guests who came to their now expanded guest house. I decided it was time to go back to Albania and make another drawing in their guestbook. As it turns out, I've visited the Kotonis four times -- two of them were muraling adventures. Every time I return, it is like coming home to family. I look forward to the day when I can go back to Albania for my fifth family reunion. Faleminderit, Kotonis.

If you ask most people, they know that Dog is Man's best friend. But, who is Woman's best friend? Why, that is Cat. You may not have known that. And, this story explains how all of that came about.I wish I could tell you that I gathered this tale while I was painting one of my murals in Somalia. Although one time I interviewed for a teaching job in Mogadishu, the capital city, the closest I've been to Somalia is its neighbor to the west, Ethiopia. I collected this story when I compiled Once Upon East Africa. The original tale had about a dozen lines. I enjoyed expanding the story and setting it to rhyme. After that effort, I just felt that the tale deserved its own book. Now, I know that most children's stories tend to end "happily ever after". This tale also has a really happy ending, if you are a cat-lover. But, some really bad things happened to our poor kitty along the way. When stories have situations like that, it opens up a possibility for healthy conversation. And, that's not a bad thing since not everything in life is "happily ever after".This is also the first of my children's books to have a recipe included. I wish I had thought of that sooner, but I am glad the idea finally came my way. Macaan! (Delicious in Somali.)

While teaching at schools overseas for twenty years, Burma was one of my most favorite destinations. After arriving in Asia, Burma was my first destination. It's where I discovered lacquerware, giraffe women, Thanaka, got the very worst haircut of my life, and discovered a delightful "Cinderella" story.I first went to Burma in the early 90s just after it opened to the West. The Burmese people were very friendly and so hungry for anything from the outside world. I traded every stitch of clothing not on my back for lacquerware and other treasures. I have never had that kind of experience anywhere else. My best treasure was a huge vase, as wide as my outstretched arms in a circle. The shopkeeper said it was made by his father, who had recently died. I said he couldn't sell it; he had to save this heirloom! But, the man wanted to sell it to me. I bought the vase for five dollars and a backpack. He knew I would treasure it. He also knew I would send him photographs of the vase. (Of course, I did.)My favorite place in Burma is Bagan, a UNESCO Heritage Site stuffed full of historic pagodas of enormous size. It is where you get your lacquerware while in Burma. There weren't many tourists in the area when I visited. So, while I climbed around the pagodas (taking limited photos in the days of film photography), I was easily discovered by a charming kid, about eight years old, who wanted to hone his English skills. Aung Aung was delightful. He had to meet many, many people in Bagan. I was just one among the crowds. But, for my travel experience, he was a highlight in Bagan. I even looked him up again four years later.When I left Bagan, Aung Aung and his mother met me at the hotel to send me off. They presented me a golden lacquerware vase that I have treasured ever since. I never heard from him after that. And, I always wondered what happened to this kid. Decades later, in a world the with Internet, I located my long-lost friend. I'm very pleased to dedicate this book to Aung Aung.

When you travel anywhere, be prepared to discover differences between your home and your destination. It's part of what makes the journey so memorable. In this tale from Fiji, a young prince travels to a neighboring island. And, that's where he discovers that the people on this new land have "little friends". You might know them as mosquitoes. It was a very memorable travel discovery for the young prince.

I enjoyed rewriting this tale and setting it to rhyme, but I was not sure if it would work as a children's book. I mean, the teacher dies on page one and so many characters in the book get beaten up by Goso's students. However, there is so much to talk about. What happens when people jump to conclusions without all the facts? The story expanded, and chaos continued, until the truth was finally revealed. There are lessons to be discussed and learned. Most people who read this tale first ask me, "What's a calabash?" I was introduced to this gourd when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Liberia. Since this tale is from Tanzania, it appears the gourd has spread across the continent. The calabash was one of the world's first cultivated plants that was not used as a food source. Dried calabash gourds were used as containers. In Liberia, they were also used as musical instruments and drinking glasses. And now, you know.Tanzania has long been my favorite tourist destination in Africa. It has the Serengeti Park and Ngorongoro Crater, Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Maasai people, as well as the island of Zanzibar. Who can compete with that?When I visited Stonetown, in Zanzibar, I splurged to stay at the Hotel International, well beyond my usual budget. It was once the home of a wealthy Arab merchant. The four-story building oozed with character, history, and well-worn age. The host at the desk was a delightful guy named Mudi.I asked Mudi where I could find a local dish with cassava leaves and coconut milk called "kisambo". Mudi didn't miss a beat and replied, "At my home." Of course, I accepted and the following day we climbed into a mini bus called a "matato" and headed home for a delicious experience on the Spice Island.I am continually surprised by the kindness of strangers along my path. Mudi's mother and her girlfriends prepared a feast with a good dose of cinnamon and cardamom. I gathered recipes, which thrilled the women. The book is dedicated to Mudi and his wonderful family who gave Zanzibar such a special place in my heart.

Who doesn't love a good love story? A young man, in search of his bride, goes to a trusted father-figure to help him find that young woman. The man is very willing to help. And, it looks like everything is set for the wedding. However, there is just one hurdle to overcome. The young man must move a mysterious stone away from the door. If this young woman is truly the bride Allah has selected for him, it shouldn't be a problem to move the stone. And, that is the problem.Over the years, I have collected over two hundred fifty tales from around the world. Hands down, no competition, not even close, this is my favorite one. Not only is it a beautiful story, but it reminds me of the two wonderful years I lived in Morocco.On my very first vacation, I headed over the Atlas Mountains into the Sahara Desert where I could ride a camel. Seriously, who wouldn't want to do that? But, in order to get there, the bus always stopped for a break in Taddart at the crest of the mountains. On my very first trip through Taddart, I met Lahcen. The friendship was instant. I returned there over and over whenever I needed to escape from Casablanca. I stayed in Lahcen's home, shared tagine with his family, and made a friend for life. I brought friends and family to Taddart over the years. They all loved the Moroccan experience, and they especially loved Lahcen. I guess love was in the air. One man had a crush on my sister. He called her a gazelle. And, he offered two camels for her. Her husband would never have approved.

I come from a long line of storytellers in my family. Grandma Arilla, Mama Jeanne, and Auntie Marge spent years teaching Children's Church and Sunday School. So, I'm fairly sure that I've heard most of the stories from the Bible. When I was in high school, I illustrated those stories as my mother told them in Children's Church. Every kid wanted to win the drawing at the end of the service. I added a little of my humor to Jonah's tale. The Bible says nothing about Jonah hating fish, but I merely suggested it would be funny if that was the case. (In truth, that part was more my feelings about fishing than Jonah's.) The Bible does speak about Jonah not being happy about God's love and grace for the Assyrians. It goes into a lot of detail. As I read it, I thought, "Are you kidding me? How can anyone complain about that?" Then, I realized that there was a kid's book just waiting for me to write and illustrate.The prophet Jonah lived somewhere around 750 B.C. The Bible never really says if he changed his mind about the Assyrians. But, in Mosul, Iraq, (present day Nineveh), the grave of Jonah was a sacred site for centuries. So, it appears that he stayed there for the rest of his life. I'm hopeful that he grew to love the people. The grave and the mosque covering it were destroyed by ISIS in 2014.

I gather folk tales with me as I wander the globe. In more recent years, I've gathered them as I paint community murals. So far, I have 63 murals in 27 countries. It's why I have such a varied collection of tales. Prior to murals, I lived in Asia and traveled about Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia as much as possible. Thailand has such a rich and colorful culture. The tastes set your mouth on fire while your eyes and nose are flooded with historic sights and fragrant aromas. If It Is Truly Ours is a tale about a simple farming couple who work hard and live honestly. When they find a treasure on their property, they debate. Should we claim it? Is it truly ours? What would you do? The husband decided that they could never claim it unless it came to them. How could that ever happen? Do good things come to those who wait? You're just going to have to read a charming tale to find out.

This tale is a love story. A very wise man, the paramount chief, meets one wise woman. She turns his life upside-down in the best kind of way, as you would expect in a love story. You'll have to decide which one of them is the wisest.I love a good folktale and my journey with them began in Liberia where I gathered this tale as a Peace Corps Volunteer. It was so long ago and feels like another lifetime. It is dedicated to my best friend Daniel and his wife Theresa. From then unto now, Daniel has given me a friendship that spans time and distance. During my Peace Corps days, I'm told I once met Theresa, but I don't remember it. I am just going to have to believe her.Two weeks after I left Liberia, the country fell into a civil war that lasted for fourteen years. One of the worst affected locations was my Peace Corps hometown, Zwedru. It was the region of the ousted president and therefore a target. Zwedru became a deserted ghost town for seven years.For part of the time during the war, Daniel and Theresa fled to the Ivory Coast. It wasn't safe there either. They eventually fled back into Liberia and settled into Daniel's home village of Tugbaken. It's my most favorite place in the whole country.I revisited Liberia when the United States Embassy brought me back to paint murals with Ebola survivors. On that trip, I finally located my friend again. I wasn't even sure if Daniel was alive. I'd not heard from him for a couple decades.But, we reconnected and I visited Daniel and Theresa in Tugbaken. Since then, we've been able to connect much more frequently. I can't wait for them to read this Liberian love story because their story is the best real-life love story I ever saw in Liberia.

The shorter version of this book contains 14 photographs and 14 stories about the flowers and their locations from my travels. This expanded version contains the same 14 photos and stories but adds about thirty more pages of flowers for true floral lovers. I've wandered around the world for my entire adult life. Along the way, my best memories are the people I meet along my pathway. But, in this book, I focus on some of the beautiful flowers that have also grown up along my way. Each flower is beautiful, but they also come with stories that I've also shared.

The shorter version of this book contains 14 photographs and 14 stories about the flowers and their locations from my travels. This expanded version contains the same 14 photos and stories but adds about thirty more pages of flowers for true floral lovers. I've wandered around the world for my entire adult life. Along the way, my best memories are the people I meet along my pathway. But, in this book, I focus on some of the beautiful flowers that have also grown up along my way. Each flower is beautiful, but they also come with stories that I've also shared.

The shorter version of this book contains 14 photographs and 14 stories about the flowers and their locations from my travels. The expanded version contains the same 14 photos and stories but adds about thirty more pages of flowers for true floral lovers. I've wandered around the world for my entire adult life. Along the way, my best memories are the people I meet along my pathway. But, in this book, I focus on some of the beautiful flowers that have also grown up along my way. Each flower is beautiful, but they also come with stories that I've also shared.

In my wanderings around the globe, I've found lots of characters who are tricksters. Sometimes the pranks work. Sometimes they backfire in the trickster's face. In this particular story, the trickster is Coyote. Does the trick succeed or fail? You're just going to have to read the story to find out. Who is smarter? The coyote or the hen?I have traveled across the Maya world visiting archaeological sites. In Chichén Itzá, Mexico, I wondered around the great pyramid with thousands of visitors. Further south at Tikal, in Guatemala, I walked among the ruins with hundreds of fellow travelers. Best yet, at Copán, in Honduras, I strolled the area with a few dozen people.Upon arrival in the village of Copán Ruinas, Honduras, I was greeted immediately by Humberto. He only spoke Spanish, but I understood that he wanted to offer me a hotel room. It was a very long day of travel and I loved the ease of finding this room. And, it was the best possible thing that could have happened to me in Honduras.Humberto and his wife, Gilma, helped me find a worthy wall for a mural in the village. Also, Gilma's brother worked with local youth who dressed up as Maya warriors for cultural events. As it turned out, they had a performance while I was there. Not only did I get to see it, but I was the official photographer as they performed for the President of Honduras and the Secretary General of the United Nations! I have the warmest memories of extraordinary experiences as I crossed the Maya world. Everywhere I travel, I meet the most wonderful people along my path. None welcomed me any more than Humberto and Gilma. Thank you for everything, my friends. Gracias por todo, mis amigos.I wanted to visit the Maya world long before I actually set foot there. And, the destination of choice was the ruins of Tikal in Guatemala. It's magnificent! The main temple there inspired the one drawn in the pages of this book. For the complete Tikal experience, you also need to stay in Flores during your journey. It's a delightful island community that serves as a base camp for Tikal. Stroll along its colorful homes, buy some very beautiful fabric, and get a taste of local Maya cuisine.

Some of my earliest memories on Sunday mornings were in my grandmother's Children's Church Services. And, it wasn't just me! She taught this class for decades. I have no idea how many lives she touched. Long before the Internet with resources at your fingertips, Grandma created a lot of her own materials. I most remember her ABCs Bible verses. Except, it was a long time ago. I didn't remember all the verses. To create this book, I relied on my memory, asked my cousins, reviewed a list my mother wrote, and made a few personal changes when other verses inspired some illustrations.Of course, Grandma only used the King James Version of the Bible. I mostly used the New King James Version. I hope that my grandma doesn't mind.

This tale from the Democratic Republic of the Congo is about the right hand (the Husband Hand) who is having problems with the left hand (the Wife Hand). The real problem is that the Husband Hand is selfish, stingy, and just hasn't learned how to share. The Wife Hand could have argued with her Husband Hand. But, instead, she just let him dig his own hole and fall into it. Eventually, the Husband Hand comes to his senses and realizes that two hands are better than one.I traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to paint a mural at an orphanage in Kamina. There was no water, running or otherwise, at the Kamina Children's Home since the well was broken. To get water to clean the paint brushes, someone had to go across the road to a neighbor's backyard and drop a bucket attached to a rope into a well. Little kids were very willing to help me, but they always came back drenched. The bucket was just too heavy for them. I learned to ask teenagers for help.It's not so easy to clean latex paint from brushes without running water, but it can be done. The problem is multiplied enormously when oil-based paint is used. You need soap, turpentine and a lot more water. And, alas, I had oil-based paint on this project. It dripped, splattered, ran, and got on all sorts of little hands and arms.There were several times when I sat by the water bucket cleaning my brushes as well as little arms and fingers. As I rubbed away splattered paint from the children's hands, they in turn cleaned me up from fingertips to elbows. It was the closest I've ever come to a footwashing. So, when I found a tale about hands, I knew it was a keeper.My favorite part of any mural project is the people that I meet along my path. It's why I keep on painting. Nobody along the way could be any more special than Kyungu and Michel. These two orphans were truly my right hand and left hand while I was in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

One day I had a talk with a friend from my long ago college days. He asked me, "Why don't you write your own books? I know you can write well and I've seen your art." It was the final push I needed to finally write and illustrate my first book. Thanks for the advice, Tommy.The story takes place in two locations that mirror each other -- a classroom on earth and another in heaven. In both places, a student named Arilla strives to be the best that she can be. Like all of us, there have been times when you wanted to be selected and cried out, "Pick me!" We all know how to do that. But, Arilla thought about the process every time she wasn't selected, and made the necessary changes. Eventually, she was selected for the most perfect of all jobs.This story about Arilla is inspired by my grandmother, the first artist in my family tree. Grandma couldn't draw like me, but she was very crafty. Her Christmas presents were always homemade. She made mittens, ornaments, slippers, and a whole lot more for each of her grandchildren. If you were very lucky, you might get a sweater, scarf, or cap. And, each grandchild received a quilt. It was entirely hand-sewn. Anything else was considered cheating.I know it's a grandmother's job to have a lasting impact on the lives of her grandchildren. My grandma certainly succeeded in that. She had a positive influence on each and every person she met. This one's for you, Grandma!

Spider is a crafty guy in stories across Africa. Sometimes, he plays tricks on people and gets away with it. Sometimes, the tricks backfire and there is a lesson to be learned. It this particular tale, Spider's goal is to get his new market pig across the creek and to his home. It's a task easier said than done.The first spider stories that I gathered were when I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Liberia. At the time, I never thought about the very same stories coming on to the New World with slaves from Africa. Of course, that happened.This tale was inspired by a trip to Jamaica that was meant to be. My mural project was delayed several times, but it just had to happen. Spider tales brought from Africa to the New World have a special place in my heart. And, I've learned that people of all ages enjoy a good story.When I painted two murals with the United States Embassy in Jamaica, I had the very good fortune of being teamed up with Greg Bailey, a Jamaican artist and professor from the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston.Greg taught a muraling class at the college. I came to share with his students how my murals have taken me around the world. During that session, I told this Jamaican tale with his class as well as a spider story from my days in Africa. It appears that my stories are as successful with college students as they are with elementary students. Perhaps it's how I tell them? Afterwards, the college art students joined Greg and me in painting two community murals in the Kingston area. It was a wonderful introduction to a tropical island that I had somehow missed in all of my world travels. And, when I think of Jamaica, I have the warmest feelings to accompany that tropical sunshine.

In this story, two angels are the best of friends. They've been that way since anyone can remember. And, the friendship has helped them both. Hark was extremely shy. He never spoke in public. He only whispered his thoughts to Harold. Harold, not in the least bit shy, blew his horn -- loud and long -- whenever Hark had anything to say. There was just one problem. Harold was terrible with the horn. There was nothing joyful about his noise. But, as the years passed, changes occurred. And, it's those changes that created this memorable story about friendship.Just like with my previous book, Shirley, Goodness and Mercy - All the Days of My Life, this story was inspired by a sermon. In a talk about angels, my pastor talked about how kids say the darndest things. (If that reminds you of Art Linkletter, you know you are old.) Anyway, one little boy said he only knew the names of two angels, Hark and Harold. Hey, you never know when or where inspiration for a book is going to strike. I knew immediately that there was a story there.I love the main theme of this book. Hopefully, we all have people in our lives who support us, believe in us, and encourage us along the way. Neither Hark nor Harold would have reached their full potential if the other hadn't believed in them. My Hark, or Harold, was always my mother who believed in my art for as long as I can remember. When I look at my early drawings, I'm not sure how that was possible. Anyway, this particular book has what I consider the best illustrations out of all of my books, so far.

This tale has proven to be a favorite among student that I have shared it with. A poor man in Albania has to kill his rooster for a meal. But, on second thought, he opted to cut the rooster in half. He ate one half and saved the other half for a pet. Now, the Half Rooster was nobody's fool. He knew he had to go out to earn his fame and fortune in the world before the poor man got hungry again. With the help of Frog, Fox, Wolf and Mouse, the Half Rooster succeeded in his mission. I first arrived in Albania shortly after it opened up to the West. In those days there were no travel books or Internet searches. The border crossing was just that. A crossing. No signs of civilization, no restaurants, and no hotels welcomed me at the border. There were few cars back then. The main form of transportation was by donkey cart. And, I arrived at night with no idea where to go. I was told the closest hotel was in Gjirokaster, 20 miles away. A taxi driver had a hotel business card that said, "We speak English." It was good enough for me. That was how I met the Kotoni family. Their home was a two hundred-year-old Ottoman building that over-looked the old town. The family exuded so much Albanian hospitality and warmth that I decided to stay an extra day in Gjirokaster. During my stay, I signed their guestbook. However, I didn't just sign it. I drew the skyline of the old city as seen from their front porch. Nobody ever did that before, and I wasn't forgotten. Fourteen years later . . . Taulant, the family son, found my website. Now living in the USA (and certainly no longer eight), he said his parents still thought fondly of me and showed off my drawing to any and all guests who came to their now expanded guest house. I decided it was time to go back to Albania and make another drawing in their guestbook. As it turns out, I've visited the Kotonis four times -- two of them were muraling adventures. Every time I return, it is like coming home to family. I look forward to the day when I can go back to Albania for my fifth family reunion. Faleminderit, Kotonis.

Cassandra Rho has found new friends and unexpected romance in the beautiful city of Pelesea. Still, the family she was forced to leave behind in Oldorburg haunts her. When Cassandra is suspended from the school of magic and forced to serve in the goddess Gella's temple, she discovers surprising peace-and basic hedonistic temptations she finds hard to resist. In the temple, an old hermit finds Cassandra and provides knowledge about both her mysterious origins and her calling: to find a powerful artifact called Zolmex and fulfill her destiny. Joined by unexpected companions, she embarks on the treacherous journey. Meanwhile, her sister Kessi is held captive by a powerful, cold-hearted priestess who believes her to be the key to summoning the demon-god, Marnelphion. While Cassandra fights to survive the quest for Zolmex and to save her family and ultimately the world, an old rivalry poses an even greater threat than an unleashed demon. The Quest for Zolmex is a deeply layered, fast-paced read through The Adventures of Cassandra Rho.

Orphaned at birth and born with strange, mystical powers, Cassandra Rho finds herself labeled an outcast at an early age. Her ability to fabricate spells using the arcane symbols that only she can see, and her uncanny ability to summon and control ravens only add to her woes. She soon finds herself in trouble with the local authorities and only a daring rescue by an unlikely ally saves her from certain doom. She starts life anew in a beautiful city ruled by a just and fair king and queen, enrolling in the magnificent school of magic there. Still, Cassandra cannot live happily without first seeing that her family is freed from the unjust town in which they live. As time quickly slips away, her temper flares at the king's delay at venturing forth to save her family. Each passing day could spell doom for her family and cost her everything. Join Cassandra in this epic fantasy adventure as she struggles to find her origin, save her family and control her unusual powers. Along the way, she will make powerful enemies, a few friends, and will find romance in the unlikeliest of places. Will she overcome the dangers that lie before her and defeat the unexpected threats that are closer than she realizes? Will she discover her identity and learn to control her powers? Can she save her family and live in peace? Find out in the adventures of Cassandra Rho.

In my wanderings around the globe, I've found lots of characters who are tricksters. Sometimes the pranks work. Sometimes they backfire in the trickster's face. In this particular story, the trickster is Coyote. Does the trick succeed or fail? You're just going to have to read the story to find out. Who is smarter? The coyote or the hen?I have traveled across the Maya world visiting archaeological sites. In Chichén Itzá, Mexico, I wondered around the great pyramid with thousands of visitors. Further south at Tikal, in Guatemala, I walked among the ruins with hundreds of fellow travelers. Best yet, at Copán, in Honduras, I strolled the area with a few dozen people.Upon arrival in the village of Copán Ruinas, Honduras, I was greeted immediately by Humberto. He only spoke Spanish, but I understood that he wanted to offer me a hotel room. It was a very long day of travel and I loved the ease of finding this room. And, it was the best possible thing that could have happened to me in Honduras.Humberto and his wife, Gilma, helped me find a worthy wall for a mural in the village. Also, Gilma's brother worked with local youth who dressed up as Maya warriors for cultural events. As it turned out, they had a performance while I was there. Not only did I get to see it, but I was the official photographer as they performed for the President of Honduras and the Secretary General of the United Nations! I have the warmest memories of extraordinary experiences as I crossed the Maya world. Everywhere I travel, I meet the most wonderful people along my path. None welcomed me any more than Humberto and Gilma. Thank you for everything, my friends. Gracias por todo, mis amigos.I wanted to visit the Maya world long before I actually set foot there. And, the destination of choice was the ruins of Tikal in Guatemala. It's magnificent! The main temple there inspired the one drawn in the pages of this book. For the complete Tikal experience, you also need to stay in Flores during your journey. It's a delightful island community that serves as a base camp for Tikal. Stroll along its colorful homes, buy some very beautiful fabric, and get a taste of local Maya cuisine.

The triplets in this family think they are ready for just another day of school. As it turns out, each of them faced unexpected problems, problems that bothered them for the rest of the day. Mama knew that they needed to tell someone -- her! -- about the day each of them experienced. At the same time, she explained to them her concept of Triple Gratitude. When you think of three really positive things that happened during the day, it makes any and all problems feel a whole lot smaller. Some of this book is taken from my own life story. The take away centers on thankfulness. When I told one of my friends that every night I think about the three best things that happened during the day, she said, "You must write a book about that." It's how this book came to be. I am not sure where I came up with the idea of triple gratitude. Certainly, I'm not the first person to accentuate the positive to eliminate the negative. But, at a time in my life when a lot of things were going wrong, I decided this might be a good practice to live by. And, I continue to count to three every night. A little more truth? I've never been in love with math or spelling tests. I did outgrow a childhood bully! And, the Jeremy in my life already knew about Orion.If you like the story, I hope that you, too, will adopt the habit of triple gratitude. Some days it may be hard to find three things. Hopefully, there will also be many days when you just can't stop at three.

Who doesn't love a good love story? A young man, in search of his bride, goes to a trusted father-figure to help him find that young woman. The man is very willing to help. And, it looks like everything is set for the wedding. However, there is just one hurdle to overcome. The young man must move a mysterious stone away from the door. If this young woman is truly the bride Allah has selected for him, it shouldn't be a problem to move the stone. And, that is the problem.Over the years, I have collected over two hundred fifty tales from around the world. Hands down, no competition, not even close, this is my favorite one. Not only is it a beautiful story, but it reminds me of the two wonderful years I lived in Morocco.On my very first vacation, I headed over the Atlas Mountains into the Sahara Desert where I could ride a camel. Seriously, who wouldn't want to do that? But, in order to get there, the bus always stopped for a break in Taddart at the crest of the mountains. On my very first trip through Taddart, I met Lahcen. The friendship was instant. I returned there over and over whenever I needed to escape from Casablanca. I stayed in Lahcen's home, shared tagine with his family, and made a friend for life. I brought friends and family to Taddart over the years. They all loved the Moroccan experience, and they especially loved Lahcen. I guess love was in the air. One man had a crush on my sister. He called her a gazelle. And, he offered two camels for her. Her husband would never have approved.