Sedona Recharge: Native American Roots and Pooja’s Next Tale
Hello, friends of Pooja and wide-open horizons!
Greetings from Sedona, Arizona! Susan and I are soaking up this Mardi Gras trip—hiking red rock trails, eating incredible food, and recharging our souls. The Native American culture here—Hopi, Apache, Sinagua, Yavapai, Navajo—is sinking deep, feeding the next Pooja book where she heads to Oklahoma to help animals hit by a tornado. With 50 hardcover copies of Pooja: Destiny Awaits ($25.00 each) in hand, I’m ready to sell—let’s move them while I’m inspired out west!
Sedona’s Gifts
This place is magic—rugged hikes with jaw-dropping views, meals bursting with flavor, and a quiet that resets me. We’ve been digging into tribes like the Hopi and Navajo, their stories weaving into my sketchbook. It’s research gold for Pooja’s next adventure in Oklahoma, where she’ll meet the Great White Buffalo Spirit and rally animals post-tornado. Travel’s my muse—it widens my world, just like Pooja does for kids aged 4-8 with her tales of kindness and curiosity.
Native American Threads in Sedona
Sedona’s history hums with Native voices. The Sinagua built Montezuma’s Castle 900 years ago—a cliffside marvel carved into limestone, their homes perched like eagle nests, farming corn and cotton below. The Navajo’s sacred tales paint the land—Spider Woman taught them to weave, her legacy alive in vibrant rugs sold roadside. Yesterday, we met Melvin Shorty, a Navajo flute player crafting magical flutes with Mayan-inspired designs. His music was hypnotic, beautiful—notes floating like desert wind. For a split second, I thought, “Maybe I should learn the flute!”—but then I laughed. Paper and ink are my tools; Pooja’s story lives there. Melvin’s flutes, though, echo the Oklahoma spirit I’m sketching next.
Recharging With Friends
We’ve also spent time with our wonderful friends Jennifer from Humans Evolving (https://humans-evolving.mn.co/) and Lauren from (https://www.lightofgracereiki.com/about) . Their energy and insight lift me up—connecting here in Sedona’s glow is a recharge I’ll carry home to Ruston and Louisiana Tech. It’s a reminder: growth fuels creativity, and creativity fuels Pooja—past, present, and future.
Sell Pooja’s Adventure
Speaking of fuel, I’ve got 50 hardcover copies ($25.00 each) ready to sell direct—email me at marla@latech.edu or call 318.614.0489, or grab the eBook ($7.99) at www.jamisonshults.com. X (@PoojaAdventures) is buzzing—10 followers, hot chats, sales sparking! Our TikTok giveaway (ends Mar 7) offers a signed copy, and the March 25 launch (Shreveport or virtual) will sell live. With The Omnibus Publishing shifting by April 30, we’re taking charge—50 copies won’t last, so buy now at www.jamisonshults.com!
Sedona’s filling my tank—Native roots for Pooja’s next tale and energy to sell this one. Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok (@poojaadventures)—let’s hit 40-60 sales by March 20. Arizona’s calling—join Pooja’s journey!
Warmly,
Marla Emory
Illustrator of Pooja: Destiny Awaits
Professor, School of Design, Louisiana Tech University