The Secret Garden of N
When I was a little girl, I wished I could live many lives in one life. At that time, I thought that would be such an unattainable wish, one which even the mighty genie of Aladdin would have trouble granting.
In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho wrote, "...when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." The Secret Garden of N recounts the enchanting adventures of two children from China into the world of an old French family as they discover the meaning and values of European nobility. Journey with Xiao Qi and Xiao Yu as they visit the famous Loire Valley, experience the French "savour vivre" and discover values their new friends Charles and Claire hold dear to their hearts.
Sample 1: A Mysterious Invitation
Sample 2: Anselle, the Talking Dog
Sample 3: Noblesse Oblige
Finding Your Secret Garden ...
Being noble means having strong moral principles and fine personal qualities. The seeds of noble qualities are deep in our hearts. We need to cultivate them constantly and let them grow...
By being noble, one must act responsibly with honourable behaviour. When one has power, wealth, and prestige -- one has the responsibility to assist the less fortunate...
The honorary titles are just the façade. It is like what we wear; clothes are just for the outside, but what is really important is the inside, who we are and what we stand for...
Find those noble seeds in your heart, and we hope you will enjoy your journey discovering and growing them well into fully-blossomed and beautiful flowers...
Message to Our Young Readers:
If you are reading this, you are indeed very fortunate because you have someone who loves and cares very much for you. This someone has decided to give you the key to a secret garden, a place where you will discover a world where cultural boundaries do not exist, friendships abound, and imaginations loom.
I hope to share with you some of the interesting experiences I have had in my “extraordinary” journey. Like you, I was lucky to have people who loved and cared very much for me. My way of thanking them is to share with others the ways I have been helped.
This book is just the beginning of the journey. I hope you will enjoy the story of Xiao Yu, Xiao Qi, Charles and Claire, and join them as they venture into The Secret Garden of N.
May you have courage and the wisdom to take on the “signs” that will lead you to a wonderful and colourful life journey!
Enjoy…
Keng Keng
The Secret Garden of N is delightful story of adventure of two Chinese children, Xiao Qi and her brother, Xiao Yu. Their adventure began when they received a mysterious invitation to travel to France. Reading the book is as exciting as discovering a new side of the world yourself. In France, the children would meet new friends, encounter a “talking” dog, explore new places, enjoy different food, and most importantly, discover a life-changing secret.
The book makes a wonderful bedtime story for children that you can break down into chapters. The lively pictures in the book help create a vivid imagination of how the characters, the castles, the gardens, and the food, would look like. Children can even bring their imagination with them to dreamland.
Reading books to my children allows me to see their reactions; as they ask questions, I discover their thoughts.
The Secret Garden of N is indeed a book that uncovered many facets of life and culture as my children see through the book's characters' eyes.
Keng Keng TAN
Live Your Life to The Fullest,
Maximise Your Potential,
and
Actualise Your Dreams.
The Author
Keng Keng was born in Melaka (Malacca), Malaysia. After a traditional Chinese upbringing, she pursued her education in England, and obtained a Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng, Hons) from King’s College, University of London. Later, she obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Fuqua School of Business, Duke Unversity from the United States of America.
Before starting TransCultural Group, Keng Keng was vice president in an American company leading its global reseach and consulting practive as well as business development in Asia Pacific. She has enjoyed a successful and global Information Technology (IT) career, gaining respect and recognition from her Western and Asian peers alike.
Keng Keng is a certified advanced CQ facilitator by the Cultural Intelligence Center, LLC USA., and advanced trainer and facilitator of "CultureActive" Profile Assessment tool by Richard Lewis communications, UK. In addition to that, she also conducts International Business Etiquette courses in Swtizerland and Asia.
Keng Keng is also a trained pianist with a Grade 8 for Pianoforte & Theory of Music by the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music (England) and an amateur artist at leisure. She speaks six (6) languages fluently, lived in Malaysia, United Kingdom, France and United States, and traveled to more than thirty (30) countries around the world before returning to Asia.
Cultural matters and how they impact businesses, and personal success are passionate subjects after her many years of a global journey. It leads her to create a business to share and impart valuable experiences gathered by her own and her professional partners’ journeys. Participants from around 30 countries have attended her workshops in Singapore, Switzerland, the USA, China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Keng Keng is French but lives happily in Singapore and calls it home. She enjoys simple pleasures of life and continues to serve the community.
