The Etiquette of Kindness--It's Not Just About the Right Fork!: Skills and Courtesies for Our Time; A Manual for Young People (and Others!)
Author, Suzanne-Marie English, has brought Etiquette Classes to sixth, seventh and eighth graders for fourteen years.  Working with the young people and their teachers, helping to identify and refine etiquette skills and manners, sharing ways to interact kindly and courteously has been a delight and passion for her!  Long a writer of poetry and short stories, she took seriously the requests of numerous parents and teachers to put the Etiquette Classes into book form.   About the two years of writing The Etiquette of Kindness, Suzanne-Marie says: “In sharing the etiquette classes, I had the delightful experience of seeing the students catch fire with kindness! It was this mutual enthusiasm for the powerful possibilities of kindness-in-action that was my initial spark and that fueled my passion as I wrote for the young people I’d met and taught – and for those as yet unknown. The process of writing The ETIQUETTE of KINDNESS has given me many hours to deliberate and meditate on this thing called kindness; on how it might translate for people in varying situations in our world; on the young people who have taught me so much and on their generosity and joy!  It’s my hope that I return the favor by helping more and more young people to open doors of opportunity for themselves – and to hold them open for others!” Suzanne-Marie is a mother of four; together with her husband, Richard English, she's a grandparent of nine.  She and her family live in the foothills of the Northern California Sierras.  Along with her love of children and family, she delights in Nature, gardening, hiking, her dogs, cats, animals in general and anything to do with the ocean, rivers, streams and lakes!  She may be contacted through etiquetteofkindness.com. Illustrator, Alexander Orion Sparks captured in his artwork the sense of fun and enthusiastic spirit that the author wanted to convey.  He brought fresh takes and great ideas to the illustrations for The Etiquette of Kindness – It’s Not Just About the Right Fork! Alexander completed his degree as a concept artist at San Jose State University, California and is currently a studio art director in Dallas, Texas.  His passion for observation suffuses his artwork and guides his studies in science, philosophy and world affairs.   An extensive sampling of his artworks may be seen online at alexandersparksblogspot.com.