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Welcome Richard Osgood, author of Grow a Business—Plant Today! PDB's newest Featured Author on the Polka Dot Banner. During this interview Richard talks about the difference between a Business Garden and a Business Hobby. Which category are you in?

"Island Eyes, Island Skies" by Richard Levine is the story of D.C., a tween girl, and Rob, a tween boy, as they share life experiences and learn to overcome tragedy. After first meeting at her cousin's birthday party, Rob and D.C. were reunited at school when D.C.'s family moved to Old Westwood. Soon after they got to know each other, Rob's father had a heart attack and D.C.'s mother had a miscarriage. D.C. and Rob found each other as kindred souls seeking explanations for the random tragedies that had struck their families. Will Rob and D.C. come to accept their disasters or will they continue to be haunted by these tragedies forever?

PDB: Your life is an interesting story, Rodolfo. It took a great deal of courage for you to leave your native city and country of Lima, Peru at the age of nineteen to immigrate to the United States alone. Please share with us what that was like.

RC: It was hard to leave my family, and I know it was especially hard for my parents, but they knew that I had to grow. They supported that, I guess because of the way they raised me, and they felt that everything would be all right, and actually it was.

At the time, it was like an adventure for me, and I guess I was not smart enough to know that it could be a difficult move, but I was charged, I was optimistic, I was feeling very positive, and nothing could stop me. I remember being at the San Francisco Airport with two small suitcases in my hand, not knowing where to go, but feeling great! But after a few years I lost my optimism, I lost my motivation, I became complacent, and the fire that I once had inside of me when I first came was not burning anymore.