The Background

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be multiple things when I grew up. Chef, journalist, teacher…after settling in on the exciting world of accounting and finance, I spend most of my time in pursuit of creativity. Part of that journey brought me here…in the creation of these books. 

My dad and I have an amazing relationship. But it didn’t always start that way. In fact, as a kid, I felt like we were extremely opposites. I had made a conscious decision to change our relationship. That’s when I remember him speaking fondly of his I-Kuan Tao group. So, in an attempt to become closer to him, I decided to attend English Tao classes where I studied for over 17+ years and eventually became a discussion leader in 2015 for 4 years. Not only did my relationship with my dad become stronger, but I also pursued my dream of teaching.

When I started attending college, my kid sister, Amy was born. I was always determined to read to her a lot to enable her to develop her language skills at an early age. I would let her choose from an array of books on the shelf. I remember wishing she would choose a rhyming book as they were fun to read. So, the more I enjoyed my experience as the reader, the more I can enjoy my shared experience with Amy. I’ve also noticed that content was super important. Sometimes, branded characters would have fun stories, but lacked lessons that I remember were always embedded in the books I read as a child. The inspiration for this set of books was from my time with Amy as a reader coupled with my time with I-Kuan Tao as a discussion leader. 

The purpose of this set of books is to remind us of the lost treasure of virtues. Jamie Loves to Eat reminds us that vegetarianism isn’t just about eating. There’s a connectivity that it has with the world around us. Amy Loves the Earth emphasizes on the impact we have on our environment as we conduct everyday life. Melody Loves her Family reminds us to respect the roles various people play in our lives. It particularly reminds us the roles that our parents played when we were first born and even though we grow up and things change, they will always be your parents. Physically, we and the world around us changes, but that love is constant. 

To create a tool for parents, family members, and friends to have shared experiences with kids like the times I’ve had with my sister, Amy. 

All characters are based on real people. Jamie = me (which I’ve dedicated to my parents). Amy = my kid sister. Melody = my niece (which I dedicate to my older sister).

I’ve been a vegan for 3+ years and prior to that I was a vegetarian for 11 years. Even though my dad has been a vegetarian for over 25 years, I initially became vegetarian because of my mom (a non-vegetarian).