I am very excited to announce that my next book, The Magic at Villa Verde: The Path to Strength, will be released next month! In this collection of three rhyming stories, meet Homa the Hen, Deanna the Dragonfly, and Kasper the Crow, and join them in their journey to develop their strength.
These three stories were written during the summer of 2020, about three months into our shelter-in-place. I felt overwhelmed and needed a mechanism to channel my emotions. I spent so much time trying to figure out how to develop my own strength during a pandemic. At first, I had total writer’s block. But, I am so grateful to Gale Kenison, the illustrator of The Magic at Villa Verde series. Gale would text me and ask, “Have you been creating, sweetie?” This simple, yet inspirational, question motivated me to put pen to paper and keep creating.
We are all here to create and share our gifts with others. I recently completed Gabby Bernstein’s The Bestseller Masterclass. I’ll never forget her profound words, “You answered the call.” Many feel called to write or create, but very few answer the call. I have been there. I have been terrified to answer the call. Questions like “What will people think? What if they don’t like it? Is my work good enough?” have crossed my mind plenty of times. But guess what? There is nothing like a pandemic to help put things into perspective. Life is short and precious. So, don’t waste any more time. Whatever your passion is, carve out time for yourself and your dreams.
Need some strength and inspiration? Each of the characters in my new book illustrate a particular quality about strength. Homa the Hen is a returning character from my first book. Homa exhibits strength by taking a stand to give those in need a helping hand. Essie the Elephant, another returning character, helps Homa rescue chicks from a neighboring farm. This story focuses on the importance of taking a stand for something you believe in. Taking a stand requires strength of will and character, which both Homa and Essie possess. Deanna the Dragonfly is a completely new character. Deanna’s story, The Power of Transformation, highlights how imperative it is to transform, even when it may be the last thing you want to do! Deanna, a reigning champion in the annual race at Villa Verde, suffers a tragic accident. As a result, she is no longer the reigning champion and must learn to transform and use her talents in a new way. Lastly, Kasper the Crow, another new character, faces his fear of scarecrows to rescue Kayla and Baichan the Bunny from a serpent. This story truly highlights the importance of conquering your fears.
While channeling inner strength may be a challenge at times, now more than ever the world needs our inner strength in creating a brighter tomorrow. Stepping into our strength takes courage, commitment, and community. So, the next time your inner voice calls you to create or take that leap of faith, what will you do? I hope you answer the call because the world needs your light!
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