The Gift (Candies from around the World)is a childrens picture book. It is a story of a most unusual gift a girl buys while in a foreign country to give to her friend when she returns. Nothing is strange about the gift until it is opened. It is then the girls get their first taste of the magic inside. The idea for this book comes from my family. My Grandmother used to speak in both English and German. One of my cousins in Australia visited when I was young, and I always remember her beautiful accent. Jennifer is my niece, and I used her name for one of the characters. The names Tony and Chloe came from two people in Nashville, Tennessee. Tony helped me with songs Id written, and I told him I would use his family name(s) in my next book.
