How to Make Shrunken Heads

Marla Buchanan is the author of the memoir, "Rescue in Arabia: a true story of abduction, tragedy and hope," the "Mulberry May Belle" middle-grade paranormal children's book series, and several books of strange and unusual short non-fiction, science fiction and horror. She is happily "on the doorstep of AARP membership," and is a mother of four adult children (and the grandmother of one). She lives in Northern Illinois, and has worked in social services and education. She was married to her Syrian-born ex-husband, Salim Kassem, the father/abductor of their son, Mohamad ("Moe") Kassem, for approximately 6-1/2 years. They were divorced in 1994. In October 2002, Moe was abducted by his father and taken to the Middle-East, where they remained until Salim was killed in a car-rollover in Saudi Arabia, in August 2007. Moe was left critically brain-injured and in a coma. Saudi Prince Muhammad bin Naïf bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud, the current Minister of the Interior, and nephew of King Abdullah, personally sponsored Moe's medical care and Marla's travel to, and stay in Saudi Arabia. A college graduate, she earned her B.A. in Anthropology (Minor: Women's Studies) at Northern Illinois University, in DeKalb, Illinois, in May 2007, nearly 24 years after obtaining her G.E.D. She was a featured speaker during Women's History Month, at NIU, in March 2007, where she spoke about Moe's abduction, and was also named an "Outstanding Female Student of the Year." Marla has traveled extensively throughout the Middle-East and Europe, visiting such countries as Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, as well as England, Switzerland and Italy. She's also a 10-year cancer survivor after having been successfully treated for Papillary Thyroid Cancer in 2004. Recently diagnosed with the genetic movement disorder, Essential Tremor (ET) the author is determined to overcome this most recent challenge via her amazing ability to adapt and change. Her life is an evolutionary work in progress.