Mariah recently returned from London after submitting a painting for the final round of judging at the prestigious BP Portrait Award. She is currently preparing her first solo show in Phoenix.  For The Good Lessons she created a single, continuous piece for the front and back cover. She interpreted a photograph  that captured the juxtaposition of a young man's rebellion with his need for the adult world to remain caring. The mesquite tree and desert landscape were inspired by the story of a Pima medicine woman and her intervention with wounded teens. The evocative and  compelling cover becomes increasingly  meaningful as the reader progresses through the book.