HOW ‘PEACE COMES TO AJANI’ CAME TO BE
Peace Comes To Ajani originally was only going to be one book. At the time I was teaching in the worst grammar school in Jersey City. The area was economically devastated and filled with shattered lives and children filled with emotional trauma. The idea of the story was to show that people know children that are bullies but they don’t see them for more than that. Few stop to realize that there is a reason that the child is acting out. There was and usually still is some trauma that has occurred in his or her life that is causing this behavior. I wanted to write about a child that was experiencing that life and show that there are ways to make that life better.
After the first book was published I realized that I had more to say. I wanted to use experiences from my life and others that I know to illustrate how the martial arts can be a positive influence. And I wanted to write about a group of friends that were very diverse in both culture and personality. Friends that would always be there for each other despite the natural differences of opinion that occur. I believe in the African saying that “it takes a village to raise a child.” No one can successfully navigate through this life alone. It takes a support system of friends and family, or “framily” friends that become family. This is will be a six book series. I have just finished writing the fifth book “Trials and Tribulations”. I hope that you enjoy reading the “Peace Comes To Ajani” saga as much as I enjoy writing them.
WHAT ‘PEACE COMES TO AJANI’ IS ABOUT
Peace Comes to Ajani follows the life of a young African American pre-teen whose life is drastically changed after the death of his soldier father oversees. His damaged emotions have him raging out of control. It is only the destined encounter with a Korean newcomer that changes his life forever. It is then that he begins his journey to discover his true path in this world.
Book 1: Peace Comes To Ajani
Ajani is suffering in the wake of his soldier-father’s death, and his emotions cause him to act-out and become an aggressive force to everyone he encounters. It is only the hand of fate that puts a young Korean friend in his life that totally changes everything. He introduces him to the art of Taekwondo that gives him the peace and direction that Ajani never thought could be possible.
Book 2: Culture Clash
A new school year begins and Ajani and Sonny find themselves in the middle of cultural misunderstandings. A new group of immigrants from the Dominican Republic move into their city of Cunningham. Language barriers and cultural differences cause a huge problem between them and the African American students in town. Meanwhile, Sonny’s father is enraged when a Japanese businessman opens up a restaurant nearby. There is bad blood between the two families that goes back several generations. Ajani and Sonny find themselves racing around the city trying to keep Cunningham from exploding into cultural chaos.
Book 3: Brothers At War
Growing up in America as a first generation Korean is hard enough. You are stuck between the tradition of growing up like your parents did and trying to find your way as an American. So imagine being an African American who has found peace by embracing a Korean culture and is suddenly rejected by it. This whirlwind of confusion causes a huge conflict between Ajani and Sonny that splits them up and sends them in opposite directions trying to figure out where they fit in. Ajani goes back to the African American community while Sonny finds himself in Korea Town. But, their paths will come full circle and find themselves head to head, brother against brother in a city martial arts tournament. Can their friendship survive the impact when it becomes BROTHERS AT WAR.
Book 4: Team Indomitable Spirit
Indomitable Spirit is one of the five tenets or life lessons of Taekwondo. It is your inner strength, the fire that keeps you moving forward despite the obstacles that you face. This book finds the crew freshmen in high school. Ninth grade is difficult enough with new surroundings, multiple classes spread everywhere and greater expectations. You go from being the big dog in eighth grade to the tiny puppy in the kennel in high school. And on top of that there is a huge community service project that will take Team Indomitable the entire school year to complete. Plus, Ajani and Jasmine finally admit their feelings for each other and are officially dating. You add all of these ingredients together and they explode making it a highly stressful school year. The team is going to need every ounce of their Indomitable Spirit to successfully survive this academic and emotional roller coaster.
LATEST ADDITION TO THE SERIES
Book 5: Trials and Tribulations
Ajani, Sonny and the rest of the Cunningham High crew are now juniors. Tenth grade was fast and furious and left a lot of trauma in Ajani’s life. He couldn’t believe all of the pain and suffering that he experienced that year. His junior year wasn’t starting out any better. His mother had a sickness that she was struggling to recover from. And on top of that there was a man in her life that she was becoming serious about. The father of Ajani’s little protégé has been released from prison, and he has come back to Cunningham bringing a drug crime wave with him. And Jaime Figueroa has been put into a situation that if found guilty he will spend time in prison. Everywhere Ajani turns there is nothing but Trials and Tribulations. It is going to take for many members of the city to stand together to bring this storm to its end.