2018 grant recipient
Emmalina and the Bee Sting Remedy, 2024, Children’s book, illustrated by Olga Badulina
MOFSA Reflection Statement
“MOFSA Opened the Door to Emmalina Books’ Future”
In 2019, I was awarded a special grant for Spiritual Art in a Children’s Book, from this dear foundation, MOFSA. It was one of my most memorable, auspicious days, because I had literally surrendered control over my books that very morning. To my guides, I said, “If you want this book out there, it’s in your hands now.” Hours later after our weekly Quaker meeting, Bob Oberg introduced me to MOFSA and allowed me to apply to the board for a “special” grant.
The very first Emmalina Book was called Emmalina and Papa’s Healing Hands. A beautifully illustrated story to share energy healing with small children and their parents. The story had been waiting patiently, for 6 years, to finally be introduced to the world. I had tried countless methods to create illustrations for the story, but I knew they weren’t living up to the vision. When MOFSA awarded Emmalina Books the special grant, it was a breaking-through point, allowing me access to a professional artist, the truly talented Carlos Alvarez Cotera. And even more importantly, it was a clear and loud voice saying “Yes!” to Emmalina Books.
After MOFSA opened this first big door, Emmalina Books went on to become seven stories, published as audiobooks on InsightTimer. Winning recognition on the Parent Feature list seven times. And gratefully receiving reviews that said, “your voice is like the angels…please write more stories.” I can’t tell you how important and encouraging this was to me — to know that I was not writing just for me. The seven stories have been listened to nearly 90,000 times by listeners from California, Cambridge, India, Australia, and all around the world.
There are now two illustrated children’s books available to readers on Amazon. The second illustrated book is called Emmalina and the Bee Sting Remedy. It was illustrated by another talented illustrator in Denmark, Olya Badulina. Emmalina Books has become a recognizable brand with the help of a marketing specialist. The website is flourishing, and the Media page is filled with articles and interviews that I have been blessed to be a part of.
Thank you to Bob Oberg and the Marianne Oberg Foundation for Spiritual Art.
Emmalina and Papa’s Healing Hands, 2019, Children’s book, illustrated by Carlos Alvarez Cotera
Anne Klaus pictured with Bob Oberg, holding a framed illustration by Carlos Alvarez Cotera from Emmalina and Papa’s Healing Hands, 2019
Artist Statement
My name is Anne Marie Klaus. I have become — thanks to the Marianne Oberg Foundation for Spiritual Art — an internationally celebrated storyteller, under the pseudonym, Jolene Joy Moss. My work is to change the story of energy healing in the United States of America, one sweet story at a time. I noticed, when I lived abroad, that other countries found it much easier to incorporate holistic healing with modern medicine. While many Americans seemed to feel stuck. I wanted to create a gentle way to make healing normal.
Bio
Jolene Joy Moss is my pseudonym. Raised in California, I earned my degree in Creative Studies Literature. I joined families with Austrians and Germans and was blessed to spend time living in these countries as well. Now, in North Carolina, I have blended my writing degree with my love for the freedom of natural healing, and the joy I have of reading bedtime stories aloud. My husband and my children help inspire my stories.
Insight Timer audiobook stories, Top international meditation app