Mary Sellers Stickney has lived in India, Thailand, the Philippines and England. An Alabama native, she holds Foreign Affairs and Clinical Social Work degrees from Florida State University. She has...view moreMary Sellers Stickney has lived in India, Thailand, the Philippines and England. An Alabama native, she holds Foreign Affairs and Clinical Social Work degrees from Florida State University. She has worked as a counselor with the U.S. Navy at Mayport, Fla., and VA hospitals in Maryland. She lives and writes in Ponte Vedra, Fla. River of Pearls is the author's second book, following Jungle Paths and Palace Treasures (published 2001).view less