Tag Archives: book

131 votes for My Life as a Mule

Mahalo for your support!

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Thank you friends for supporting my first book My Life as a Mule in the TaleFlick Discovery contest.

We landed 8th out of 40 books with 131 votes. Not too shabby! ;-)

And . . . in the eleventh hour I received the most AMAZING review from an acquaintance.

I met this “true reader’s heart” (how she described herself : ) years ago when I was the waterfront director at a camp for diabetic children, * TCDC. She was a camper. I haven’t seen her since (many, MANY moons!), though I have a wispy memory of her wide, vibrant smile!

Here is what she wrote:

“There have been several great stories told from the perspective of animals that gently urge us to take a look at ourselves. (Charlotte’s Web, Animal Farm, and Watership Down come to mind.)

Now, we have “My Life as a Mule.”

This book, told from the perspective of Molly, leads us to confront our own thoughts regarding class conflict, race relations, anxiety, bullying, self-doubt, and fear. Are our perspectives our own? Or are they the ones forced upon us by those around us that became comfortable because we’ve stopped challenging our values?

Molly is a delight as she moves through the challenges of her life and matures as her understanding grows.

Thank you, Ms. LeHoven, for daring us to look at our belief systems in such a non-threatening manner. It is a book you will love reading over and over again, but also one that you will share with loved ones and strangers, alike.

Open your mind and your heart. Molly is waiting.”

Wow, thank you Ms. Marquis for taking the time to find me on facebook, buy my book, AND . . . read it!  May Molly be a lifelong companion as you continue on your way. <3

With MUCH love and GRATITUDE for you ALL,

xoxox Sj xoxox

* I’m in that black and white photo from 1981 shown on the TCDC Alumni page. ;-)

Radio Interview on KKCR with Tracey Schavone

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Kaua‘i Vibrations’ Host Tracey Schavone Interviews Local Authors on an Upcoming Book Signing & Reading Event on Friday, May 3rd from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Kaua‘i Society of Artists Gallery at the Kukui Grove Mall.

Authors Sj Hylton LeHoven (My Life as a Mule) and Laurel McGraw (The Tale of the Savannah Coin) pair up for an interview with KKCR host Tracey Schavone.

Also included in the May 3rd event are FOUR MORE local female authors (click on their name for access to their book/s):

Carol A. Peacock-Williams

Dawn Kawahara

Pamela Varma and

Sally Jo Manea

Come out for an evening for FUN!

Children are welcome!

Green Pueo's 5 star review

“Molly becomes a representation of the enlightenment available to anyone, at any moment.”

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OMG, Green Pueo,

That Molly’s story speaks to you so . . . warms the cockles of my heart. <3

Godspeed on YOUR journey, Green Pueo!

May you SPREAD YOUR WINGS WIDE and SOAR to HEIGHTS BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS!

✫Sj✫

* A Pueo is “a subspecies of the short-eared owl that is endemic to Hawaii.

5 star review by Green Pueo on Amazon

“This book came to me when I needed it most. It is a romp through Molly’s pastures as she travels along the road to self-discovery. It is less than a novel and more of a journey, a pilgrimage diary whereby a donkey attempts to determine how he feels about issues of personal priority. Rather than following the opinions of a delightful set of brilliantly written animal characters, Molly listens to echoes of her own inner ear signaling to the reader that we each have that power as well unless we choose to surrender it.

This is a world where animals can speak and make us feel that we have entered a safe space where their actions and decisions impact us in new and surprising ways. We read books to escape our fears and the darkness of everyday life, and this book is a positive way to discover that we each have an inner message we are obligated to share with others.

Not sure if this book is autobiographical, but Molly doesn’t surrender to peer pressure or the ordinary life.

The story is a timeless refreshing breath of simplicity and creativity. I enjoyed the short chapters and fun illustrations.

The imagery the author creates reads like an old mythic tale. The playful dialogue told with simple descriptive prose helped me to picture Molly’s world as being hand drawn. Like the step-by-step lines of the pencil, the “Aha” moment comes only after watching a foundation of underlay develop on the author’s canvas. Molly becomes a representation of the enlightenment available to anyone, at any moment.

Molly speaks for us all, lets us know we are each on a different path and when she speaks, it doesn’t sound exactly like a donkey or a horse. Instead, a mule makes a sound that is similar to a donkey’s but also has the characteristics of a horse, starting with a whinny, and ending with a hee-haw! Therefore at the moment of refusal, disappointment, or when we are faced with self-evaluation, one is capable of ‘waking up’ as an individual and seeing the interconnectedness of everything. Molly not only “whinnys” with lightheartedness but also punctuates her message with Hee Haws in the short chapters of this book. Readers of all ages will most likely discover within ‘My Life as a Mule’ that her voice resonates in much deeper ways.”

MAHALO for sharing Molly’s story with friends!

xoxox Sj xoxox

My Life as a Mule is available through Amazon.

Molly's Epiphany Tea

Molly’s Epiphany Tea

Now available on Kindle.

Kindle version of “My Life as a Mule” now available

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Read “My Life as a Mule” on your phone or tablet.

For only $7.77 you can now get your own Kindle version of My Life as a Mule.

And…the MatchBook price is only $1.99.

What’s MatchBook? A program through Amazon.

Kindle MatchBook:

“For thousands of qualifying books, your past, present, and future print-edition purchases now lets you buy the Kindle edition for $2.99 or less. (Textbooks available for $9.99 or less.)

  • Thousands of books are eligible, including current and former best sellers.
  • Look for the Kindle MatchBook icon on print and Kindle book detail pages of qualifying books. You can also see more Kindle MatchBook titles here or look up all of your Kindle MatchBook titles here.
  • Read the Kindle edition on any Kindle device or with a free Kindle Reading App.
  • Print edition must be purchased new and sold by Amazon.com.
  • Gifting of the Kindle edition at the Kindle MatchBook price is not availabl

Learn more about Kindle MatchBook.”

Mahalo for supporting Molly and her friends!

xoxoxoxo

Simply Molly

Simply Molly

BFFs: Molly & Harriet

Just in time for the Holidays!

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Molly and her many friends look forward to meeting you and sharing your (or your friends’) personal space!

You can now bring Molly’s LOVE into your home by ordering PRINTS of Jocelyne’s most magnificent drawings (feathered in the funny, light, AND deep book, My Life as a Mule).

The unframed prints are available in two sizes: 5×7″ or 8×10“.

There’s even an author’s set if you’re having trouble deciding which ones to pick!

Click HERE and you’ll be taken directly to the the digital store.Mahalo for supporting Molly and her friends. They’re sooooo looking forward to being a part of YOUR life!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

✫Sj✫

Easter Bonnet Molly

Easter Bonnet Molly

My Life as a Mule four 5 Star reviews

National Mule Day – October 26th

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National Mule Day is on October 26th.

And what better way to celebrate than to purchase your own copy of My Life as a Mule  (click on the title or HERE to go directly to Amazon).

Not sure if it’s a good fit for you? Read Claire’s review below to get an idea of what’s in store when you meet Molly up close and personal.

I’ve just finished reading Sj Hylton LeHoven’s My Life As A Mule for the second time. It is superb. On the surface, it seems like such a straightforward story with adorable talking animals but there is so much more to it. I now see it as a coming of age allegory with family members and everyday joys and mishaps that we can all relate to. Back in my day, we would call it “deep.” There were plenty of times during the read that I had to stop and think about the deeper meaning of a passage.

Sj tells her story using animals just as Orwell did in Animal Farm but thankfully, there are revelations rather than revolutions, and compassion conquers tyranny. Molly the Mule’s teenage awakenings are not nearly as ominous as pigs on two legs. This is a sweet and sad, and often laugh out loud read and somewhere in the middle, I forgot all the characters were animals.

It’s tough to pin down with regard to “the” audience. I loved it but so did our 9 year old grandson. It’s entertaining and educational on a number of levels and for ages eight to 80. The book is beautifully illustrated by a very talented Jocelyne Shiner and you can even buy prints of her work. A delightful five stars all around.

Mahalo nui loa! xoxoxoxoxox

✫Sj✫

A Baptism

A Baptism

Jill's Dad LOVEs the book!

Have you gotten your copy yet?

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A man I don’t know at all…

“…is reading the book and LOVES it.

He is laughing. I hope that is the appropriate reaction…”

Yes! It is! My Life as a Mule has been called light. Deep. And FUNNY.

Have you ordered your copy yet? You can get it from Amazon.

Happy reading!

xoxoxoxo

The Camp Eagle

The Camp Eagle

Tracey, Sj and Jocelyne cropped (1 of 1)

1 Year Ago…

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I met two friends from high school for dinner.

It was August 2017, and I had come to the mainland (from Kaua‘i) to write.

What was I going to write?

I had NO idea.

But I just knew that I had to write. I knew that it was time to rid myself of distractions. And make a commitment (to myself) to show up each and every day. Something was brewing within me, and I could feel that it needed to be shared with the world.

Yes, the world!

In time, I began to realize that it was simply a message of love. That you’re loved and perfect as you are.

Text from Tracey 8.15.2018

Written by Tracey, my beautiful friend on my right.

You can imagine how thrilled I was to receive this text and discover how deeply my expression of love (which revealed itself as my first book My Life as a Mule) touched my friend’s heart.

It still thrills me to the core of my being to know that something I wrote, OR more correctly, something that was written through me, brought joy to someone. A smile to their face.

Okay, Sj, that’s nice for you (you’re thinking), but what’s that got to do with ME?

I felt led to remind you that the world needs YOUR love as well! Yes, the WORLD!

No one but YOU can express the love that you are in the way that you do.

So, please, let your light shine! Show the world how very, very beautiful you are. We need you. Exactly as you ARE.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

✫ Sj ✫

And my beautiful friend on my LEFT is the illustrator of my book, Jocelyne Shiner!!!!!!

P.S. Wondering where you can order your copy?

Through Amazon.

Pedrata reading My Life as a Mule

One Review at a Time…

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Creatures of all shapes and sizes are reading My Life as a Mule.

I don’t know what sspokes looks like or what kind of animal s/he is, but I do know that she connected with Molly. Deeply.

Have you met Molly yet?It’s time. She’s patiently waiting and will greet you with a smile whenever that perfect time for you is. : )

I have no doubt that this book was brought to me as a Divine gift. There is a message somewhere in this book for everyone whether it is as simple as laughing at some of the experiences of life that Molly encounters or deeply feeling a heart-felt connection with her at the turning points in her life. I saw many aspects of my life’s lessons and experiences mirrored back to me in a most affirming way. I am so grateful to have found this book at this time in my life and I know it is a wonderful read for anyone at any age. Besides I love horses and Molly is a wonderful voice for the equine family. Enjoy the story.

sspokes on Amazon, July 20, 2018

Taj Juré Transformational Tea

Radio Interview with Taj Juré Now Available

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Taj Juré is an amazing interviewer!

On Sunday, June 24th, 2018 she interviewed me regarding my book My Life as a Mule (in her radio program Transformational Tea).The interview was loads of fun. My bit starts around 20 minutes into the show and goes for about 35 minutes. BUT I highly recommend listening to the entire program. Taj brings such wonderful insight to a life filled with peace and harmony.

You can enjoy her show Transformational Tea on the first and last Sunday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time on KKCR.org.