About Bird of Paradise by Emily Hughes Johnson an d Marilyn Anne Hughes
London, Paris, Hong Kong, San Francisco. Although she’s lived all over the world, it is the Island that always calls her home. But as she stands upon the threshold of her future, only she can decide where her story will take her next.
Lush emerald green jungle forests, gentle breezes perfumed by jasmine and gardenia, crystalline cascading waters, and the sparkling turquoise lagoon. Gently bobbing boats and the rich Island cultures of the past meet the present. Regardless of where she was, she was never truly home until she felt the sun-toasted sands of the Island under her feet.
The Heywood family has lived all over the world. Arianna, a Heywood daughter, is mature far beyond her age. But that doesn’t mean she does not love Friday night football games, senior high dances and the butterfly inducing anticipation of will he or won’t he kiss her. On the cusp of graduation, Ari is looking forward to joining her older sister at UC Berkeley (it is the 1960s after all) and she dreams of one day sipping Bellinis with her love in Italy.
He was her innocent childhood crush. She, on the other hand, was more like his kid sister. But Ari is no longer a little girl, and when a spring break visit to the Island reveals that his feelings have changed, Ari is eager to step into the world of womanhood. But as is often the case, you cannot always choose what happens in life. Embarking on a decade-long journey of self-discovery, Ari works to find her place in the world, torn between the pull of her Island and the possibility of what lies beyond. Guided by the wisdom of those who came before her, Ari must bridge the gap between her past and the story of her future, but an unexpected encounter may change it all. They say some love stories are meant to last forever. Will this be one of them?
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Marilyn was born in Southern California but spent her formative years in the San Francisco Bay Area with her parents and older sister. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Sociology and received an advanced degree in Elementary Education. After moving with her husband to Aspen, Colorado Marilyn spent the next 20 years as a public-school teacher and elementary education consultant and lecturer. She and her family moved to Pinehurst, North Carolina in 1996 and shortly thereafter was diagnosed with breast and advanced ovarian cancer. She began writing The Bird of Paradise as a life gift for her daughter, Emily. She passed away in 2012 leaving the novel unfinished – for Emily to complete.
Emily was born in Aspen, Colorado where she enjoyed skiing, dancing ballet and playing golf. At the age of 13, she and her family moved to Pinehurst, North Carolina. She attended UNC-Chapel Hill and graduated with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations. She currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband and son. Emily enjoys playing golf, running, kickboxing, reading, and spending time with her family. Finishing her mother’s work has been one of the greatest honors of her life.