: About Me

Like most writers, I started young, but without real focus. Only in the last few years, after coming to grips with the fact that I wasn't going to be rich and famous before I hit 30 (an age more than a decade behind me), have I started to really take my craft seriously. I've been a professional storyteller in Southern California for over 10 years and have appeared at folk festivals, friendship/multicultural festivals, book fairs, and storytelling events. My first two books are an African folktale, "The Lion's Drum," and a Japanese folktale, "Chieko and the Pine." Each book was followed by a DVD, and both DVDs were recipients of the nationally recognized Parents' Choice Award.

I love reading, writing, and storytelling, so that's what I do, but I also work as a technical writer to, you know, make enough money to afford to live in Southern California.

My first ebook, "Everything You Need to Know in Life Can Be Found in Folktales - What Your Fairy Godmother Knows About Living a Happy Life," was released in April 2011 and is available at BarnesandNoble.com and Amazon.com for just $1.99. The book shows how the folk and fairy tales of the world illustrate the principles we all need to follow for living a happy life.  And because it's folk and fairy tales, it's good for all ages and easy to read.

My passion is ...

Folk and fairy tales

I know too much about ...

Folk and fairy tales and their cultural interpretations

My parents always told me ...

Work harder

My childhood ambition ...

Become a famous (and rich) novelist

My favorite memory ...

The birth of my daughter

Why I write ...

I've read and read and thought and thought, and if I don't get it out, my head will explode. Not a pretty sight.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

A little bit of everything. Although I have to admit, most modern stuff (especially TV) leaves me very dissatisfied.

My first job ...

Newspaper delivery on a bicycle..at 4:30 in the morning.

My best moment ...

Receiving my first Parents' Choice Award for my "The Lion's Drum" DVD

My inspiration ...

My wife and daughter, my friends, oh heck, pretty much all of life.

Arts & Humanities > Children's Literature Great movies that were based on children's books

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Since the cinema came into our lives, tens of thousands of movies have been created.  As movies are simply another storytelling medium, it makes sense that a majority of movies have been based on or derived from books.  Among the most popular have been children’s books, as a movie based on those will bring the entire family into the theatre as opposed to just one or two people.  Of course, not all movies based on children’s books have been great.  There have been some real stinkers.  But there have also been some really good ones that have become timele...

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