Walter Fordham found his inspiration for Iliana in the Children's Day holiday, established by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in the late 1970s for the children of Buddhist families. This holiday celebrates children and childhood, emphasizing that each child can be a king or queen. As a father of two girls and two boys, Walter decided to fulfill a request that had been made long ago for him to tell the story of Children's Day. Walter was born and raised in New Jersey and studied English Literature at Guilford College. He now makes his home in Halifax, Nova Scotia with his wife Joanne, where together they publish the Chronicles of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche [www.chronicleproject.com].