Lewis G. Tucker spent his childhood years in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as the fifth of seven children who all had vivid imaginations and very different personalities. The siblings endlessly made up stories about each other and those around them to tease, anger, and joke around at every opportunity. Lewis fantasized a lot, not unlike most kids, but then he began to write his fantasies out in stories, poems, and even in song. He finished my education with a B.S. in mathematics from Winston-Salem State University, then worked as an auditor with the local municipality before attending the University of Oklahoma where he performed and directed several shows while finishing his Masters in Fine Arts. After settling in Los Angeles, he performed for more than a decade with the African American Drama Company while teaching math and theatre in the local school district. During his tenure as a teacher he earned his second MA, in education. Being a teacher of middle schoolers allowed him to revisit his childhood on a regular basis. He often remembered the siblings who inspired him growing up, while being inspired the antics of by his students, his nieces, and their friends. He often wondered...if he combined them all into one child, with what kind of child he would end up with? That thought led him to creating the main character of the book, Ayira, with a multi-ethnic heritage. He hopes she can become a role model for all children, but particularly those of mixed backgrounds.
