The Parrot Matchmaker (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780989163026)

Felix Oguntoye, born and raised in Nigeria, is the grandchild of two different Nigerian traditional healers and medicine men who could call to the spirits of lost souls across great distances and harsh conditions, much as Aderonke's grandfather does in this debut novel. Raised in a westernized household but in a traditional village, he became fascinated by the storytellers of his village, and developed an interest in the Yoruba culture and rituals of his ancestors and neighbors. As a very young boy, he often assisted his grandmother selling smoked fish at the village market, where he got to know a very smart and talkative parrot-who liked to sing Yoruba folksongs along with the children. Emigrating to the United States in 1974, Felix maintained frequent contact with Africa through a career in international trade that had him traveling around the world. He lives in the Atlanta area and has three grown children.