Once in a while something or someone comes along and blows your socks off! This is what happened when I saw this video. Ron Betta is a professional, an educator and an author and the review is fantastic! It’s like a Christmas present that came early! Thank you Ron, I really do appreciate it.
“The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie” available on Amazon.
The hardest decision I’ve ever had to make was the decision to go separate ways. I was looking at a 16 year marriage going under and a little boy who doted on mom and dad and I knew it would break his heart and it did.
However, there was no other way out of the predicament I was in. I could pretend to stay in a marriage where one person dictated how it was going to be run. Meaning “cheating” was alright and I had no say in the matter. He learned different. Still, it wasn’t an easy thing to do. I had to take everything into consideration. I was in a foreign country, didn’t speak the language well, and I had a young boy to take care of. I still remember the letter our son wrote asking if he was the problem and if he was, he would do better. It broke my heart.
Walking away and shutting the door behind me was not an easy decision for all the reasons mentioned above but there was one other thing that took a hit. It was my self-esteem. I hit rock bottom and it took a long time and much working on myself to bring it back up. I learned that “cheating” destroys, it is a selfish act and the person who commits it, well they will do it again. It is just a matter of time. It becomes easier the next time around.
I wanted no part of that. During my journey, I also learned to find my self-worth and self-respect. It didn’t come easy but I knew that I was worth so much more and being in a mediocre relationship is not what a relationship is about. I don’t regret the decision to walk away.
It is not just about writing the book, spending hours and hours on end putting it together, getting lost in a world where magic happens, but then comes the question, “What to do with it?” after it is done and finished.
The search began for a publisher who would love my book and give it a chance. I had two offers. One a mega publisher and the other a smaller children’s book publisher. I went with the big one thinking my book would be in good hands. Thinking and the reality are two different things but that’s for another time.
Publishing took a long time as did the illustrations and the back and forth with the publisher. There were times when I was absolutely frustrated and other times when I thought they were doing a good job. The day I had been waiting for came and I got the message that the publishing day was just around the corner! There was a certain sense of euphoria I can’t explain. I was on cloud nine but nervous at the same time. Will it make it? It was a question that kept doing rounds in my head. Then I saw the finished product and I was happy and not so happy. There were certain things that did not set too well. The book size for one thing. The cover was eye-catching and I liked that part.
I had a book out there! The publisher wrote saying, “Success of the book depends on you.” Hmm….I wasn’t sure what that meant. What do I do now? It was hard work getting the visibility that was needed to bump the book up from under millions of titles. Daunting? Yes. Then there was the question of ratings and reviews. In the beginning, it was mostly 5-stars and I was floating around. It was doing well, this little book of mine. However, I came falling back to earth when the first not so good review knocked me off my pedestal! I was irritated, frustrated and I wanted to reply but was told that silence is the best approach. I kept my cool and more reviews started coming in, mostly 5-stars and that one review that still bugs me was relegated to a space at the bottom rung of the ladder.
I still wake up some mornings and rush to see if the book is doing fine. When I see that it is, I breathe a sigh of relief and that, my friends, is more than irritating to say the least. I’m talking about my dependence on a book to bring my mood up or to bring it all the way down. I’ve decided that I’ve done my part and the book will do just fine. I will help it along but if it is a good book, it will find its way.
The sequel is finished and has been accepted. I want to wait a while before I go through the same process again. NOW, I just need a movie producer to pick the book up and to turn it into a hit! Any takers?
I found this online and it gives an excellent overview of what the book is about.
The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie has been very well received, garnering overwhelmingly positive reviews from readers and book reviewers. Reviewers consistently praise the books heartfelt message, charming illustrations, and ability to inspire courage and imagination in young readers.
Key Reception Points:
Universal Acclaim: The book consistently receives 5-star ratings on platforms like Amazon, with reviewers from different countries offering high praise.
Positive Themes: The story is lauded for its meaningful themes of overcoming fear, the value of loyalty, and the importance of supportive friendships.
Engaging Narrative: Reviewers note that the narrative is well-paced and engaging, successfully holding children’s attention with enough suspense and whimsical language.
Authenticity: Many readers have highlighted the author’s sincerity, noting that the story feels “handcrafted” and is written with a clear, personal touch and love for their child, which resonates strongly with parents.
Visual Appeal: The illustrations are frequently described as “vivid and beautiful,” adding significant depth and appeal to the reading experience.
Overall, the book is highly recommended by parents and reviewers as a valuable read for families, offering a gentle, inspiring story that encourages children to dream big and value friendship.
The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie is out there doing the rounds and ready to be picked up. Available on Amazon.
A friend sent this a few days ago and it got me thinking.
“If life doesn’t feel like a fairytale,
If every beautiful sentence seems like ridiculous madness to you…..
Take your existence by the hand,
Be the artist of your own future,
Don’t wait for toads to turn into princes, or pumpkins into carriages,
Remember that everything that was conquered with effort, smells of joy that knows no limits,
Be your own fairytale.” Unknown
I would love to take that last line to heart that fairytales are made of fairy dust and all things nice. The guy gets the girl, a pair of glass slippers has the power to snare a prince and a fairy godmother who orchestrates the whole shebang! How far from the truth can it be? These days things just don’t work that way. I am not sure if it did work that way in Fairytale Land but make-believe is just that, you can work magic into anything and parade it as the truth and have people swallow it lock, stock and barrel!
These days you pick someone out of a dating site, whichever it might be. Then begins the excruciating task of deciding if it’s a “yes” a “no” or it lands in the maybe pile. It all boils down to as the saying goes from the Frog Prince, “You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your handsome prince.” Not appetizing is it? And even then, you might just walk away with nothing to show for it and that is the reality of it.
Life is not a fairytale. The girl doesn’t always get the guy in the end and there is no walking off into the sunset and happily ever after either. More often than not the shoe doesn’t fit and heartbreak follows in its wake. I could go on and on but I am going to stop right here and lighten the mood a little. I hope these quotes help to keep you company as we go through life searching for that needle in the haystack.
“Someday my Prince Charming will come. Mine just took a wrong turn, got lost and is too stubborn to ask for directions.”
That hasn’t changed much, you know what I am talking about if you’ve ever been in a car with a guy and he refuses to admit that he’s lost. Nothing new there.
I love this next one from Ms. Oprah Winfrey.
“Mr. Right’s coming, but he’s in Africa, and he’s walking.”
Ms. Carrie Bradshaw had a lot to say on this topic.
And just like that:
“A relationship is like couture. If it doesn’t fit perfectly, it’s a disaster.”
The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you that you love, well, that’s just fabulous.”
“Sometimes we need to stop analyzing the past, stop planning the future, stop figuring out precisely how we feel, stop deciding exactly what we want and just see what happens.”
“As we drive along this road called life, occasionally a girl will find herself a little lost. And when that happens, I guess she has to let go of the coulda, shoulda, woulda, buckle up and just keep going.”
Don’t despair. As the Fairy Godmother said:
“Even miracles take a little time.”
If all else fails,
Ladies,
Please stop wasting your time looking for Mr. Right.
Just find Mr. Left and drag that sucker to the right!
Have an amazing day.
This one might shock you as it did me when I first had it at my in-laws. It was roasted rabbit and my ex loved it. It came with all the trimmings, red cabbage with apples, dumplings and brown sauce to add to the calorie count! My first thought, “Yucks!”
It seems this is considered a very festive meal, the rabbit I mean. If you’re thinking of the cute bunnies, well, these are farm raised for the specific purpose of Christmas or New Year’s lunch or dinner. Since that first time, I’ve made rabbit many times. Only because the ex insisted on it and the in-laws loved it. I’m glad those days are over with. My son is not too much into eating bunnies!
Special dish? I made goose last year. It turned out great, stuffed with chestnuts, rice, and chopped dates. It was delicious. This year, Christmas will be on a smaller scale. My son is planning to show up here so it will be his favorites on the menu. Tuna melt and Lasagne. He doesn’t care if it’s Christmas, he just wants to have what he wants.
Looking back over the years, there were many special dishes that made the holidays festive but I can’t remember all of them. I remembered “the rabbit” because it stood out from the rest and it was something unusual.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
It’s time to amp it up! Michael-John Wolfe is an award winning American actor, poet and author. Watch as Honey and Hubie revel in the “spotlight” they are getting! Thank you MJ.
A man went to the doctor’s office to get a double dose of Viagra.
The doctor told him that he couldn’t allow him a double dose.
“Why not?” asked the man.
“Because it’s not safe,” replied the doctor.
“But I need it really bad,” said the man.
“Well, why do you need it so badly?” asked the doctor.
The man said, “My girlfriend is coming into town on Friday; my ex-wife will be here on Saturday; and my wife is coming home on Sunday. Can’t you see? I must have a double dose.”
The doctor finally relented saying, “Okay, I’ll give it to you, but you have to come in on Monday morning so that I can check you to see if there are any side effects.”
On Monday, the man dragged himself in; his arm in a sling.
The doctor asked, “What happened to you?”
The man said, “No one showed up.”
Hmm….that’s what you get for overreaching!
I’m not sure what to do with this question. If I didn’t need sleep, I would probably want sleep! It is human nature to want something you can’t have. Okay, what would I do with all the extra time?
I really don’t know. Sleep usually rolls around one way or another. Coming back to the question, I would probably spend it writing. I have spent some nights writing when the world out there was asleep. It went well. Ideas kept rushing in and before I knew it, I had two articles written. Or I would spend my time watching senseless stuff on TV. Horror comes to mind. I love spooking myself so I watch all kinds of paranormal stuff and if I am brave enough, a horror movie or two. Sometimes I love watching comedies and at times love stories, the kind that make you want to cry your heart out. Crying is not a bad thing. Sometimes after a good cry, my world rights itself out!
I think I would want sleep vs. the extra time. I’m into beauty rituals and what better ritual than to get your 8 hours in? I prefer to look rested and the owl-eyed look does not suit me well.
Next question please……
Christmas is approaching and Honey and Hubie are on their way! Santa seems to be having a good time as well!
The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie, available on Amazon. Pick it up, give it a read and leave a rating or a review. Please be kind!
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