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When I look at the vibrant cover of my book and hold the final product in my hand, I can’t help but smile! What a fulfilling journey this has been and I am very proud to say, I finally self-published my first ever children’s book, The Spider and The Butterfly.

This passion project did not happen overnight. It has been a journey, and a sacrifice of my time, efforts, finances, and many hours of prayer, but it has been worth every step along the way. There are no words to describe the sense of achievement and gratification in seeing my vision come to fruition. I found the courage to pursue my vision, and no matter the obstacles I just kept going. No one believes in your vision more than you do, so don’t wait, don’t procrastinate, get up and make it happen!

I have always had a desire to write for God, and through sheer persistence and determination it finally came true… I wrote a children’s story! If you have read my previous blogs you will know the journey to reach my goal was a long one. Things did not come easily or quickly, but I worked hard and I did what I had to do to make my vision a reality. I have a full time job so writing has always been a part time goal, not always easy or even possible after a full day’s work, so I sacrificed most of my weekends to write. There are no excuses if you want to reach your goals, you have to keep believing in yourself and you have to put in the hours. If I can make my vision come true at forty eight years old, then so can you. Age is but a number and if you follow your passion day in and day out, nothing can stop you!

I thank my editor Hilton Rahme, who was an answer to prayer and exactly what I needed to get my rough manuscript publishing worthy. I am very grateful to Hilton for the many hours working together on this project and I thank God for all the skills and knowledge he has imparted to me. If you are writing a book and need an editor, I highly recommend the exceptionally skilled Hilton Rahme at www.uberwriters.com.

Once my book was ready to publish, Hilton helped with a formal publishing proposal which we sent to various Christian publishers in the hope of getting my book published through the traditional publishing route. Although this was unsuccessful I wasn’t disheartened. Please don’t allow obstacles like this to discourage you or stop you from moving forward. If you believe you have something to offer the world don’t ever give up. The world needs what you have to give and if you pray consistently and ask God to guide you, you will be amazed at the people and opportunities that cross your path to help your vision become a reality.

If you are unable to get your book published via the traditional route I highly recommend self-publishing. It most certainly requires more effort, passion, and drive to accomplish, but there is no way you can leave your story sitting on a shelf, it must get out there, you must find a way… I did, so what is stopping you? I made mention in my previous blog that I already thought about self-publishing, so instead of just sitting around waiting for publishers to get back to me, I went ahead and started sourcing illustrators for my children’s story. If you self-publish a children’s book, you will need to source an illustrator. Have a look at the humble pencil drawing I drew for the cover of my book. Don’t worry if you can’t draw, you don’t have to draw your own illustrations at all. I just knew want I wanted for my cover and chose to keep my own original design, especially highlighting the cross in the middle of the web, but I clearly needed an illustrator to bring the cover to life and also for all the character and scene illustrations.

I prayed for God to help me and I found two remarkable illustrators to draw sample drawings. It was not an easy choice at all, but after receiving the final draft drawings, I chose the talented and super kind Christian illustrator, Alex van Houwelingen. I had a very tight budget, but Alex was so willing to help me and be involved in my story that we negotiated a price for twenty drawings, including the cover. We finished working on the project at the end of September 2019, but sadly and very unexpectedly, Alex passed away from cancer in April 2020. My deepest condolences to his lovely wife and two children, and I will be eternally grateful for his talent and legacy he has left on this Earth. The Spider and The Butterfly will now always carry Alex’s name and stunning illustrations into the future, never to be forgotten.

“Thank you for the blessing of your beautiful illustrations Alex, may your soul rest in peace.”

Once the illustrations were complete, Hilton helped compile the final book design and illustration layout to submit for printing and for loading onto Amazon.com. Hilton also helped me source a local printer in Cape Town, Print on Demand, and after a few samples, we finally signed off the final copy of The Spider and The Butterfly at the end of December 2019. I still had to wait a few months for my ISBN number from the National Library, but once that once was received, my book was finally completed and The Spider and The Butterfly was ready for sale by March 2020. Then the Covid-19 lockdown happened.

Lockdown may have forced a challenge on marketing my book, but nothing will stop me from getting my book out to as many children as possible. I have already gifted it to many children and sold some copies, but it is the feedback which makes my heart smile the most! All the positive reviews from the children, parents, and friends who have read The Spider and The Butterfly have been wonderful, and their encouragement inspires me and make this journey so worthwhile. I pray for God’s perfect will to be done and I am super excited for the next chapter on this journey.

My next adventure is marketing my book so follow the updates… who knows where God will lead me next.

God bless you endlessly,

Debbie-lyn

I have a vision, and no matter the obstacles I may face, I am not giving up on it. That vision is to publish my children’s adventure story, The Spider and The Butterfly, so it can reach as many children around the world as possible. I love my story; it is funny and exciting and is most certainly a unique story to evangelize, and teach children about God, Jesus, and the values of friendship. I believe in my story so much, but more importantly, I believe in the power and love of Jesus to make a significant impact in this world!

I have been waiting for some time to receive positive feedback from publishing houses regarding my book The Spider and The Butterfly, which to date has been unfruitful. I must be honest, there are times I have thought “God, where are you? Why does this journey seem so hard?” but I soon realised the many lessons learned when things don’t come easy. Not getting what you want, in the time frame you want it, is often for a very specific reason, and if you are open-minded enough to be taught the spiritual lessons along the way, enlightenment happens. Look at Jesus, who experienced the most challenging circumstances of His life here on earth, yet He embodied the absolute highest level of enlightenment. Jesus inspires me every day never to doubt God’s plans and purposes for my life, and if I fully trust in Him my attitude and actions need to be aligned with God’s will.

No matter what you are waiting for—it could be answers to more than one prayer—please do not give up. It is during the waiting that our patience is tried, but it’s also during the hardest times in life that our faith in God is tested the most. Having patience really means mastering the ability to keep a good attitude while you wait, and having faith means whole-heartedly embracing the words… “Forsaking All I Trust Him.” God’s timing is seldom the same as ours, but it is always perfect. The fact that you are still waiting for prayers to be answered does not mean God has abandoned you; on the contrary, you are in your season for a reason. God is teaching you what it means to fully trust in His will for your life, and guiding you to be mindful of your own attitude and personal development along the way.

Writing a book is one thing, but getting it published is quite another, especially as a first time writer trying to break into the market. Waiting for responses from publishing houses can certainly be frustrating, but if you look upward and believe there is a greater plan in store, life can be a whole lot more interesting. I have also learned that even though some may reject your book, it is by no means a reflection that it won’t sell, or that it does not have a purpose in this world. I have previously mentioned JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, and how her first book was rejected by twelve publishers, yet she never gave up, and look at her amazing success story today! Her journey inspires and encourages me to keep pushing on, and I can’t help but SMILE at the many possibilities out there! Not only that, there is always hope — traditional publishing isn’t the only way to get your book out there…there is another option.

After completing the final edit of The Spider and The Butterfly, my book was ready for publishing and I decided to take the Traditional Publishing route as my first entry into the publishing world. For those who don’t know, there are actually two routes to publish and market a book…

1. The first is Traditional Publishing, whereby you submit your book proposal to publishing houses with the hope it will be accepted for publishing. The benefits of following this course, should your manuscript be accepted, are that the publishing house pays for illustrations, printing, and the marketing of your book. This initial cost saving and market reach was the main reason I chose the traditional publishing path first. The drawbacks however are many: you have to wait and hope someone accepts your story, then, the length of time it takes to publish can take up to two years. In addition, the royalties paid back to authors are a small portion of the sales because of the risks involved with a first time author, and the costs to produce the book and get it out into the market.
2. The second option is Self-Publishing. Here you do not have to wait for approval from anyone to publish your manuscript; you are in full control and can publish your book whenever you want. The drawbacks unfortunately are the upfront costs to find your own editor, illustrator, and experienced team to assist in launching your book on the correct platforms. On the plus side of this however, is your royalties are significantly more from each sale, and the books only get printed once they are sold.

My book is a very much a passion project, and more than making money I want to share the story with as many children as possible. I dream of The Spider and The Butterfly serving the purpose it was created for, but it needs to be published for my vision to be realised. I have been praying and asking God to guide me, and I now know self-publishing is the route He wants me to go. The truth of the matter is this; if you really want your dreams to come true, you must have the courage and will to pursue them! This requires action from my part and I know God will do the rest, just as God guided me to cross paths with Hilton and his brothers at www.uberwriters.com. Not only have Uberwriters assisted me with the editing of my book and guided me on the traditional publishing route, they are also able to assist me on the self-publishing path and help me to launch my book on the correct platforms. Uberwriters have the ability to design book covers and book layout, however my book is a children’s story, and this requires illustrations which I need to decide on and provide myself. So, before I can reach out to Uberwriters to assist me with self-publishing, my next step is to find a children’s book illustrator.

As a novice, I have never worked with illustrators before, but I prayed and asked God to help me. I am very grateful to Bridgit Kershaw who recommended an up-and-coming illustrator in Port Elizabeth, and with Google’s help I found another illustrator based in Pretoria. They are both Christian Illustrators, which is what I prayed for, as I felt it important that their hearts and minds be aligned to my Christian story. The next step is waiting for sample drawings from both illustrators, and with God’s guidance, I pray I choose the illustrator best suited to The Spider and The Butterfly. I can’t wait to see what the drawings will look like, and to finally see my book come to life in a whole new way! Collaborating with an illustrator is also going to be so much fun, and I look forward to every colourful experience.

Writing my book has been a wonderful journey so far, and now I am embracing this next phase with open arms. I have a definite goal and burning passion to get my book published, but this requires a sound financial plan as well. Not much comes easy in life, but I can confidently say that if I continue to put God first in everything I do, if I continue to work hard and save… the funds to realise my vision will come. Ultimately, God is my provider and I know my future is safe in the palm of His hands. I live with a confident faith that nothing is impossible when I have God by my side! I pray every day God will infuse me with the light and power of the Holy Spirit and that all my gifts will honour Him and bring Him glory!

I am super excited for what is to come next! I trust God explicitly, and carry a profound peace knowing that all the sacrifices I am making for my dreams to come true will certainly be worth it in the end!

Watch this space as my journey to publish The Spider and the Butterfly continues…

God bless you all endlessly!

My children’s adventure story, The Spider and The Butterfly, is all about a group of friends who, through their acts of kindness and profound faith, changed the destiny of two friends’ lives for the better. I can’t wait for The Spider and The Butterfly to be published, then you can read this inspiring story for yourselves. The process can take six months or longer, so I am still waiting for a favourable response from publishers, but it is in God’s hands, and no matter the timing or the outcome, God’s plans and purposes for The Spider and The Butterfly will be fulfilled.

The Spider and The Butterfly may be a fictional story about truly making a difference in this world, but some of the best stories are real life experiences. I thought I would share a true story of how a random act of kindness inspired a car guard in Cape Town to become an internationally certified chef in Dubai!

The story began in 2005 when I was working as a sales representative in Greenpoint, Cape Town.  In South Africa, and especially in the Cape Town city bowl, where I worked, parking is a precious commodity. There is no underground parking available and trying to find a space to park was frustrating. That is how I met my friendly car guard Jean Edgard Dziki.  He was a self employed, motivated car guard, helping me find a space to park, and in my absence, assuring my car was safe from petty crimes. I would see Edgard, as he preferred to be called, most days of my working week. He always had a huge, ambitious smile on his face and our conversations grew the more we became familiar with each other. We spoke about God and the power of prayer more times than not, and a special friendship developed. I loved his energy, kind heart, and good spirit.  Always tipping him as generously as I could, he was there in return every time I needed parking or a car wash.

One day I told Edgard I had resigned and was moving to another company. Edgard asked me if I could help him find a job there, and I promised I would see what I could do. The owner of my new company said he was looking for a driver and would give Edgard a chance, depending on his skill set. When I told Edgard the good news, he was beyond excited and thrilled with the opportunity. I will never forget the day I went to pick him up, all I had ever seen him wearing was his car guard rags, but this day he was dressed to perfection in a collared shirt and dress pants. He looked so professional—a man with a new found dignity—it brought tears of pride to my eyes. The initial interview went well, however, Edgard had not driven for many years, and so unfortunately did not pass the driving test and was not able to secure the position.

When I drove him back to the train station he had tears in his eyes. I touched his shoulder and said, “Edgard, I am so proud of you for taking this step, don’t be sad. You can go for driving lessons, and there will be other opportunities.” Edgard turned to look at me and said, “I am not sad I didn’t get the job, I have tears because no one has ever been so kind to me before. Thank you so much for helping me.” His comment blew me away, because here was a man who was not upset he didn’t get the job, but grateful for the act of kindness and compassion shown him.  I gained so much respect for him that day; what an inspiration he was, teaching me the true meaning of gratitude. He reminded me how few people have anyone to encourage them or help them in this world. Little did I know how deeply this experience inspired Edgard, and I could never have imagined the level of success he would achieve in the years to come.

Edgard was radically changed by this experience, so much so that he found the strength to rise above his circumstances and to find work on his own. Kindness motivated him to improve his circumstances and it was enough for him to completely turn his life around. I moved back to Port Elizabeth that same year, but we did stay in contact telephonically. I had no idea of the depth of his hardships or the long, hard road to his success. All I do know is that Edgard started working very hard, obtained a job as a waiter at restaurants, and after working at various other jobs eventually became a restaurant manager at Ratanga Junction. He did what he needed to, until finally reaching his goal of putting himself through chef school. Not only that, he also bought himself a second hand car and paid cash for it. Edgard and I would stay in touch, praying for each other and motivating each other. One day he called me to ask my advice on whether to stay in Cape Town or pursue an opportunity as a chef in Dubai. I advised Edgard that he clearly has the skill to find work in Cape Town, but the opportunity in Dubai, and the international work experience acquired, would definitely be best for his career and personal growth. I repeatedly told him that no matter what comes his way, he must stay close to God and trust in His guidance. Edgard eventually chose to go abroad, and that is where he secured a job as a chef at an international hotel in Dubai. I was amazed at how Edgard had turned his life around, and found it exceptionally inspiring.

Once in Dubai, he joined the Dubai Christian Gateway Church and kept God at the centre of his life.

Five years later, in October 2011, Edgard called me from Dubai to invite me to the Gateway Church Hub Conference, which would be held in Dubai from 3-5 November that year. Edgard offered to pay half my flight, and secured my accommodation with a family from his church. I will never forget that day he called me—I had tears in my eyes…I was so proud of how far he had come in life. I could not believe how things had completely turned around,   and how he, previously a car guard, was now an international chef, inviting me to a church conference in Dubai. I knew wholeheartedly it was all by God’s amazing grace.  Of course, I absolutely accepted his offer and could not wait to see him again.

In November 2011, I flew to Dubai to meet my old friend, the car guard—Jean Edgard Ziki—and you can just imagine the reunion at the airport. Emotional beyond words—this is a photo of the two of us the day I landed in Dubai.

The welcome from Edgard and his friends from Gateway Church was heartwarming. Edgard had kindly arranged that a couple from his church, Janette and Anish Ghildaylon, host me during my entire stay in Dubai, and they took great care of me. Below are some photos of my host family.

Janette on the far left, and her husband Anish in the centre; and below I am playing in the sand with Janette’s beautiful daughter:

I want to take this opportunity to thank Janette and her family for their warmth and generosity to open their homes to a complete stranger. Their love and kindness during my stay will be with me forever, and I pray that Gods favour, blessings, love and amazing grace will be with them and their families all the days of their lives. Thank you Janette, Anish, and family for your amazing hospitality, sincere love, and beautiful hearts.

Edgard and I went sightseeing as much as possible, and I met his wonderful brother Rey Dziki. Incredibly, Edgard had also saved enough to invite his brother,Rey,to Dubai for the Hub conference as well.

Rey Dziki, myself and Jean Edgard Dziki:

We shared some wonderful experiences and memories together, and saw the Burj Khalifa—the tallest structure in the world.

We also went to the Dubai museum, experienced fun Camels rides in the desert, 4×4 sand duning and night desert sand boarding. What a blast!

Sightseeing in Dubai was amazing, but even more surreal that Edgard, once a car guard, was the reason I was there. But the real plan God had in store for me was to attend the Gateway Christian Church Hub Conference.

Rey, Janette, myself and Edgard at the Hub Conference:

Team of wonderful new friends at the Hub Conference:

 

The Hub conference was an experience to remember. There is nothing like being in the presence of God and hearing all the testimonies of how Jesus has changed the lives of so many people. During the conference we heard inspirational talks from international guest speakers, we worshipped and prayed together, and I saw many people touched by the Holy Spirit. I prayed that I, too, would have a personal experience with God, and be touched by the Holy Spirit.  On the last day of the conference, I was praying and asked God to anoint my hands, and told Him I wanted to reach the nations with His word. As if in confirmation to my prayer, one of the girls in the church, whom I had previously met at a game of ten pin bowling, came over and asked if she could pray for me. Not long into prayer I was suddenly touched by the Holy Spirit, and overcome by His presence,I fell to the ground, tears streaming down my face. I don’t think I could ever put in words what it feels like to be touched by the Spirit of God—it’s a spiritual experience that moves you beyond measure. God cannot ever be fully understood—He is love and He is Spirit, and He can only truly be comprehended in a spiritual way. Well, that day our spirits touched, and the memory will stay with me all the days of my life.

Edgard was grateful to me for my act of kindness, but in the end I was more grateful to Edgard for the experience of seeing his success, for being with him in Dubai, and most importantly… for the profound experience of being touched by the Holy Spirit thousands of kilometers away from home. What a delightful surprise and astonishing turnaround of events! I know all this became possible by God’s omniscient hand—He had a plan for me too, and I went on an adventure of a lifetime.

Jean Edgard Ziki, you are the true inspiration! Against all odds, you worked hard, you prayed hard, you changed your circumstances, and you turned your entire world around for the better. I am so very proud of you Edgard!  You are a hero in my eyes, a true inspiration, and a man with tenacity and a fighting spirit.  Thank you my friend for an incredible experience in Dubai, thank you for inspiring me with your courage, and thank you for bringing me closer to God. You are a true testimony of what it means to believe in yourself. If you have the will you will find a way to change your circumstances; if you work hard and never give up things do change for the better, and most importantly, nothing is impossible if you put your faith in God.

I hope this account inspires everyone who reads it. May you never underestimate the power of kindness and the power you have to really make difference in this world.  The best thing you can do is take the focus off of yourself and turn your focus to helping others who cross your path.

If you have any inspiring stories to share, please leave a comment, because love certainly makes the world go round!

Take care and God bless you endlessly.

 

Kai, my beloved German Shepard, is the inspiration behind one of the main characters in my children’s adventure story, The Spider and The Butterfly.  Kai is very special to me in so many ways, but exceptionally unique because she wears boots on her back legs, yes boots!

This is her story….

In 2006 a friend I worked with in Cape Town bought a German Shepherd puppy. He was not sure what to name her so I decided to help and do some research.  I went to the local library in Hout Bay and looked up a couple of names, and found the name Kai which means beautiful, rejoice, ocean, victory and keeper of the keys. I immediately felt this name would be perfectly suited to this little pup, because you could not help but rejoice when you saw her beautiful little face.  My friend, her owner, agreed with me wholeheartedly and so he aptly named her Kai. She really is a beautiful dog with a beautiful nature.

Later that same year, I moved to Port Elizabeth so I did not see Kai for a few years. Then one day in 2010 the owner called me to ask if I could help Kai. Kai had puppies of her own and after raising her pups, the owner sent her to the vet to be spayed. Unfortunately Kai experienced complications during surgery and lost the ability to stand on her back paws, she was paralyzed at the joints of her paws. She then used the area between the hock and hind foot, on which to walk. Not being able to walk on her padded paws created huge health issues on her feet, many sores and lost toes. The owner did previously go through extensive measures to help Kai, but what Kai eventually needed was 24/7 care and regular bandage changes. Kai’s owner was travelling quite extensively at the time and asked if I would be interested in taking over caring for her, which I agreed to do. In 2010 the owner flew Kai to me in Port Elizabeth, and from that day on we have never been separated. When she arrived, it was a shock to see the state she was in—she was heavily overweight and her back feet were in a terrible condition. I thought “what have I got myself into?” I had not had a pet for many years and looking after Kai would be a huge responsibility. However, I accepted the challenge because I knew Kai really needed me. If I hadn’t agreed to take Kai, the alternative was to consider putting her down, which the owner did not want—and it was not an option for me either.  I eventually adopted Kai, which proved to be one of the best decisions I ever made. I was single at the time and so Kai filled a hole in my heart, and gave me the companionship I needed—a match made in heaven. It became such a joy to wake up knowing I had an animal to take care of who really needed me, but I soon found out that her presence in my life healed me in more ways than I could ever have imagined.  Dogs are the most loyal and trusting friends you will ever have, one of the most treasured gifts from God.

When I first got Kai she weighed over 56kg, so I had to put her on a diet—which is tougher than you may think, but so necessary for her health. She really needed to reduce the weight on her back hips and legs as much as possible. We also made countless visits to vets and pet specialists; I took Kai for acupuncture, and many different types of medication to assist her with her feet.

The picture below is me drying Kai in 2010.  You can see the sores on her feet that needed constant care and bandages:

I had been putting socks on Kai’s feet to help protect them, but she would still get sores and I knew she needed an alternative protective measure.  By the grace of God, I found a specialist in Port Elizabeth who finally came up with an innovative solution. He helped design two pairs of leather boots for Kai which would protect her feet from sores, and help her to walk. We had a few prototypes made before we finally came up with the perfect pair, and then after much anticipation and excitement… Kai got her boots!

The boots proved to be a great success, they looked fantastic, and really helped prevent further damage to her frail skin. I also opted to use various natural remedies to heal the open sores, still put socks on her feet, and then the boots over the socks, with lace up ties—much like human shoes. They were a great solution and brought Kai extensive relief.   Kai became my companion and best friend and she awakened my soul to a different understanding of unconditional love. The look in Kai’s eyes when she stares at me just melts my heart.  If you have never owned a dog, I would highly recommend you do. Their devotion and love for you is beyond words, and they make life’s journey so much sweeter. Kai journeyed everywhere with me, visiting as many pet friendly places and restaurants as we could.  Our favourite pastime is definitely walking on the beach, and these days Dolphin beach is our favourite, being where we spend most of our time walking together.

Wherever I take Kai for walks, people stop and ask about her awesome boots, and her story is inspiring to everyone who meets her.

In 2011 I moved back to Cape Town and Kai was right beside me in the car, our first long road trip together. We are inseparable and have a bond that no one will every truly understand. She brings such joy to my world and I thank God for the gift of experiencing the beautiful, unconditional love that dogs bring to our lives.

In 2012 I met my wonderful husband, who had a little Beagle called Bella (also a main character in The Spider and The Butterfly). She crept into my heart, as dogs do— the photo below says it all—and she instantly became Kai’s new friend.

In 2013, Bella gave birth to four beagle puppies. We could not decide which puppy to keep, but Kai was trying to show us all along which pup was ‘the chosen one.’ Kai, with her cool boots, would follow this one pup around all the time and ignore the other three puppies. During this time Kai lived up to her name sake as ‘keeper of the keys’, as she had the key to the pup that was meant to be ours from the very beginning.  My husband almost chose a different pup, but then his heart was stolen by the pup Kai had chosen all along… In came the third addition to our family, the super cute little Roxy.

Our three dogs, in the picture below, Kai, Bella and Roxy, are still with us today and are the inspiration behind the characters in The Spider and The Butterfly. I could not be more delighted!

I know my beloved dogs won’t live forever and a time will come to say goodbye, but how wonderful a tribute to have their lives embedded in a children’s adventure story for all time.  The other day Kai looked deeply into my eyes and we communicated intuitively.  She said “remember me.” I replied with tears in my eyes, “I will always remember you.”

Kai and her boots are a true story and I pray her story will inspire others for many years to come. I trust that when you read about her character in The Spider and The Butterfly you will grow to love her just as much as I do!

This is our family at Dolphin Beach. Bella, Roxy, my husband Sven & I, and Kai (her boots are off here, because she loves to run in the water).

If you have any inspiring stories to share with me about your pets, please leave a comment, I would love to hear from you.

Take care and God bless you endlessly,

Debbie-lyn

 

 

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought my book would take five years to complete, especially since it’s a children’s story! But no matter how long the road, no matter what challenges I have faced, I made the best decision for my dream to come true… I chose to never give up. And neither should you!

As mentioned in my very first blog, dated 23 November 2018, the inspiration for my story came to me in October 2012 and I only started putting ideas to paper in 2013. From there it took me four long years to complete my first draft manuscript which I submitted to publishers in September 2017. I really doubt it will take you nearly as many years, but if your story takes this long, or even longer, don’t let anything scare you off. The most important part of writing is to simply start, and with diligence, the rest will follow.

So what took me so long? For me there were many reasons, but I think the biggest challenge is that I had to follow my dream on a part time basis, using only weekends and holiday time to write. I have a full time career in the logistics and supply chain environment, which is a very demanding job. After coming home from a long hard day’s work I was mentally exhausted, and it is not always easy to put on your creative hat and just start writing.  Exhaustion is not conducive to creativity so most of my writing was limited to weekends, and as a result the core of the book was only completed at the end of 2015. In October 2015, at the age of forty three, I took a massive leap of faith and resigned from a very secure job as Key Accounts Manager at a global freight forwarding company. After receiving answers to prayer, I decided to join a dynamic company called Cornerstone as an independent contractor on a commission only basis, which is high risk and required a lot of dedication and commitment. I was still in the same industry, but this was a whole new challenge because I had to start from the beginning and learn an entirely new way of working.

My writing happened very rarely during this time because my focus was ensuring I succeed in my new role. Then there are loads of other challenges life throws at you; busy schedules, emotional drawbacks, financial setbacks, and sometimes, a lack of drive. But then there are also happy occasions. For me, it was planning my wedding on 29 April 2016. It was one of the best days of my life, but it did require a lot of my time, and I had to juggle many different balls in between my busy work schedule as well. My writing sadly took a back seat to my many obligations, but it never left the front seat of my dreams. As long as you keep your goals in the forefront of your mind you will head in the right direction, but make no mistake… reaching your goals does require action!

After my honeymoon in December 2016 I decided to set a goal for completing my book— that I would complete writing it in seven months. The goal was set for the end of July 2017. On 31 January 2017, I was in the Johannesburg Airport and I spotted this beautiful little leather bound Bible.  While reading the Bible on the plane, and speaking with a Pastor in the seat next to me, I decided to set another goal.  I wanted to read this little Bible cover to cover—starting at Genesis and finishing at Revelation. By a supernatural miracle I achieved this goal on 7 July 2017—less than six months later! I read the Bible whenever I got the opportunity, in the morning before work, in between meeting breaks, at the traffic department, whenever and wherever I could. The Bible was small enough to fit into my handbag so it literally never left my side, and reading it every day helped me tremendously to finish my book. I immersed myself into the living word of God as much as possible and it was the best decision I made because it catapulted my focus in the right direction, and against all odds, after many late nights and weekend sacrifices, I finally completed my first manuscript on my target date of end July 2017. This being the same month I finished reading my Bible cover to cover. This weaving of events always brings a smile to my face.

The actual Bible I bought on 31 January 2017:

The next step was to send my book to publishers, and I did not have clue where to begin.  Never having written a book before, publishing was an entirely new avenue I was about to venture into. My friend Sarah Scott, from sarahscottdesign, had helped a few of her clients to design their book covers and she was very kind to guide me with regards what I needed to get the ball rolling. Sarah’s support meant a great deal to me and her encouragement really boosted my morale and kept me going. Sarah was the person to help me to get my first draft manuscript sent to publishers in September 2017. Thank you Sarah darling!

My manuscript was complete, but I knew in my heart the book needed more work. In my lack of knowledge I supposed the publishers would have editors to assist me, but alas, this is not the case. By November 2017 I had not heard back from any publishers, but I had also not stopped praying for my book. “God, please help me. I want my book to be published but I need help, send the right people to help me.” This prayer was ongoing, and then one day while visiting a client, I was speaking with the operations manager, Terry Watt, and I asked him about a colleague we work with, Hilton Rahme, and what he did outside of contracting to the company. To my surprise, Terry replied that Hilton was a ghost writer. “A ghost writer?” I asked him curiously.

“Yes, he assists authors with writing their books. He only works with Christian material though, and he also works in Children’s’ ministry.” Oh my goodness, I thought, as my eyes lit up with excitement!  Hilton sounded like the perfect fit for my book. Terry then said, “Let me call him, and arrange that he come and chat to you”. I believe this meeting was divine intervention and that Terry and Hilton were God sent. Thank you Lord for hearing my cries for help, and I cannot thank Terry enough for introducing me to Hilton. Thank you so much Terry!

Meeting Hilton has been absolutely life changing for my book! I admitted to Hilton that I had already submitted my first manuscript, but that I had never written a book before and knew I needed professional guidance. I also mentioned I had been praying for help and that my story was a children’s Christian story, which is perfectly suited to Hilton’s experience.  Hilton agreed to have a look at my work, and after reading my first manuscript told me that he would be very interested to work with me because he believed the story would be a great evangelical tool to reach kids, but was very direct in saying there is no way publishers would accept my work as is, because it required a lot more professional editing and creative input.  Well, the rest is history. On 29 January 2018, I signed with Hilton to polish and enhance my manuscript to meet publishing requirements. Hilton works with his brothers Brad, at Uberwriters, and Grant, at Ghostwriter Grant, who did second checks and edits on the manuscript with regard to formatting, writing style, sentence structure, creative input, and everything that makes for a gripping story.

Hilton, Grant, and Brad were most certainly an answer to prayer, and I have learned so very much from them.  Their calling is to expertly assist authors to write their books, website content, ministry blogs, articles, and much more, in all the excellence that honours God. If you have a book idea and don’t know where to start, I highly recommend you contact Hilton and the team at Uberwriters or Ghostwriter Grant. Their professional guidance and input is invaluable and you will never look back! I am already thinking about my second book, and you know who will be my editing team.

On 16 May 2018, while I was working with Hilton, I received the one and only reply from the first manuscript I had submitted, and of course it was declined.  This was no surprise to me, and provided sound confirmation that I had chosen the right path to sign with Hilton.

As a first time writer, I required a lot of guidance and support. Hilton assisted me tremendously, and my book would not have been publishing ready without him or the assistance from his brothers, Brad and Grant. Hilton and I worked exceptionally well together, we set target dates to get the final manuscript complete, I had homework on weekends and we would Skype every Monday night, this after a long day’s work at my current job, to discuss any suggested changes and editing. Once the manuscript was complete, Hilton also assisted me with my Publishing Proposal.  Every manuscript needs a professional Publishers Proposal to submit to publishers, and again, the team of brothers are professional and understand all the intricate publishers’ requirements. If I had not met Hilton, The Spider and The Butterfly would not have found wings, and I feel so grateful and blessed. I am very proud of the end result, and now I can comfortably say the book is ready, but I would not have been able to accomplish this without Hilton, Brad, and Grant.

I told Hilton I would like to submit the manuscript to the publishers on 29 November 2018 because this date is significant to me. Ten years before, on 29 November 2008, I completed an inspiring and life changing course at the Harvest Christian Church in Port Elizabeth called Positioned For Blessing, written by Drummond and Lindah Robinson. I highly recommend this course from Family Transformation International.

To my sheer delight, the timing worked out perfectly and I was in fact able to meet this target date, exactly ten years after completing the course. I submitted my completed, professionally edited manuscript to four top Christian publishers on the very day, at 7h00 on 29 November 2018. This date means so much to me, and I have faith that The Spider and The Butterfly is being positioned to bless many lives.

This is a picture of the actual rock I received on the last day of The Positioned For Blessing Course.  This rock is always with me in my office, and I keep it as a reminder of a blessing that transformed me and changed the course of my life for the better:

The Publishers Proposal, containing sample chapters of the manuscript, was submitted on 29 November 2018, with a lot of prayer of course. It can take up to six months to hear if publishers will accept your manuscript for publication. Getting a book published is certainly not easy, JK Rowling was turned down over 12 times and I am no JK Rowling, but I do believe in my story and I have a lot of faith. I was heartened to receive an acknowledgement of receipt from two of the publishing houses within two weeks of sending the Publishers Proposal.  I leave the book in God’s hands and pray God will find the right publisher for it, even if He sends me along the self-publishing route. For now, I feel grateful to have reached this stage in the process and continue to pray for God’s will to be done.

As I look back at this journey, the part I am most proud of is that I actually finished what I set out to do. That can’t be taken from me, and you shouldn’t allow your dreams and goals to be taken from you. So don’t give up when you feel alone. Don’t quit when you feel you are not good enough. Don’t abandon your dream when no-one seems to be encouraging you to carry on. Choose to get up and try again, choose to keep going, and no matter what, NEVER GIVE UP!

Do you have a dream or goal you are pursuing? I would love to hear about the future aspirations and dreams you hold in your heart.  Please leave a comment to share with me.

Take care and God bless you endlessly.

It is Christmas time and the Wilson’s are busy packing and loading our car to go on a well needed holiday. We will be on route, bright and early tomorrow morning, to visit my family in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.  Our three furry children Kai, Bella and Roxy are already circling our feet, yowling and wagging their tails in anticipation for the journey; they can smell Christmas in the air! I am not sure who is more excited, us or them!

When I think of Christmas I feel so much love in my heart. It is a such a special time of the year, a time to spend with family, a time to share and a time to laugh, a time to pray, a time to forgive and a time to create lasting memories together.  Christmas is a time to remember that relationships are what matters most in this life, relationship with God, family and friends. Most importantly, Christmas is a time to remember Jesus and to celebrate his birth. I pray that no matter how busy our schedules become, we take the time to pause and remember our Saviour … the purest, truest and most unconditional love this world has ever known.

During this special time of the year, it is also important to remember those who are alone, suffering, hungry or have no place to call home. Or those who are fighting wars and will sadly experience a Christmas that goes far beyond anything we would wish upon our worst enemies.  More often than not we catch ourselves complaining, but how sad when in fact we have so much to be grateful for.  Count your blessings instead of your problems and be grateful to God for everything good in your life. There is always someone less fortunate so instead of complaining, show gratitude for all the blessings you have by choosing to positively impact someone in need. You can’t change the whole world, but you can make a significant difference in your own sphere of influence.  There has never been any act of kindness, no matter how small, that has not made a difference in this world. One act of kindness can have a greater impact than a great deal of money, so never let money hold you back from doing good. Whatever is in your means to share some kindness, reach out to anyone God places on your heart and spread the love.  This Christmas, will there be someone who will remember you?

I pray that love and light will fill your hearts and homes this Christmas. Be grateful for the little things, don’t take anything or anyone for granted and be happy with what you have in life.

May you share a glorious Christmas with family and friends and may 2019 glow with happiness and success!

The Spider and The Butterfly will be taking a short break for the holidays, but looking forward to being back in 2019!

Take and God Bless you endlessly.

 

I was thrilled to finally have a good idea and solid foundation with which I could begin to write the children’s story. I now faced the task of coming up with a title, deciding who the various characters would be, and then finding suitable character names. Fortunately, it all fell into place quite naturally.

First, an interesting little piece of background to the story. I had met a wonderful man called Sven twenty years before and we remained friends throughout the years.  On the very same night I was inspired with the story-line for The Spider and The Butterfly, my now husband, Sven, kissed me for the first time. Two wonderful experiences on the same night! Since that evening Sven has been part of this journey with me. He has always been the one constant in this experience, encouraging me to talk less about my book and to rather start actually writing—the only way to make the book happen! This is, by far, the best advice any writer can receive—Just start writing!

My original story idea had people as main characters, but then, inspired by our three furry “children,” Kai, Bella, and Roxy, I decided to use animals instead.  Kai is a beautiful German Shepherd with boots on her back legs (yes boots! Intriguing grounds to read The Spider and The Butterfly,) and our two super cute beagles, Bella and Roxy, are an inseparable mother and daughter pair. As I sat deciding on characters, the three main characters of my story were staring me in the face, literally. It may safely be said the main characters for your story could be right in front of you too. The title of my story came easily, as it speaks for itself, is simple, and perfectly apt. Next up was selecting the right setting for the story, and what better location for the adventure than Dolphin Beach in Bloubergstrand, Cape Town. It’s Kai, Bella, and Roxy’s favourite place to play and run wild, so this naturally suited the story and their adventurous personalities.

As the story began to take shape, I realised how personal and close to my heart the story had become. Continuing with this special thread, I wove what I believe is a splendid tapestry of character names for all the other animals in the story.  In doing this, I decided to honour my loved ones now in heaven, using their names to bring their memory to life in a beautiful, yet fun way.  I named the butterfly Barbara after Sven’s late mother who was a gentle and compassionate, yet strong woman, and I hope I have made her proud.  Spencer the spider however has no family relation, but I really liked this name. Spencer means “keeper of provisions,” and indeed, that seemed appropriate to the spider in the story. Steven the Seagull is named after my cousin who died tragically in a motorbike accident at thirty three years old, and his character reflected in this story is based on Steven’s real life personality. He was fun, comical and full of life. Mitchell, the “pirate” Macaw, is named after Sven’s older brother, a mischievous and free spirited soul, who unfortunately passed in his early twenties. Dickie the magnificent deer is named after my late Uncle Dickie, a handsome man, with long, powerful legs, who stood his ground in life. John-Graeme the charming Dolphin is named after a second cousin who died from a brain tumour.  John-Graeme’s friends would load his hospital bed into their van and drive him to the beach so he could watch the waves and dolphins, hence the dolphin being chosen for his character. Uncle Jannie is the gold and blue Macaw—King of the Acacia Tree—perfectly suited to my late Uncle Jannie who was a great protector and guardian of his family. Last but not least, Phyllis the Queen of the Ants is named after my late grandmother, the matriarch of our family—determined, sensible and tough, with a dry wit much like Queen Elizabeth II.

I thought I would share family photos of the real life “characters” portrayed in my story:

I could not have chosen better characters and names represented in this story, a story that was written to share the love of God with children of the world. The Spider and The Butterfly has evolved into something so much more special than I could have imagined, and I pray the love in this story sinks into the hearts of all who read it.

And so my writing began, little by little, one paragraph at a time, inspired by the love around me. Writing this book was certainly not plain sailing, and it took longer than it should have, but if you are interested to know more around the challenges and bumps in the road, look for my next blog, and I will share more on my writing journey.

Take care, and God bless you all endlessly.

It’s a sunny Saturday as I write this and guess what we are doing…we’re having a braai! In my last blog I explained that in South Africa we call a barbeque a braai. As I sit writing, the smell of freshly lit wood smoke accompanied by the crackle of fire is drifting through my home, and it makes me feel like I’m on holiday!

As mentioned in my previous blog, I want to share what motivated me to write a children’s Christian story.  Some of my friends who aren’t Christian asked me why I wanted to write a Christian story, especially in this secular world we live in today. “Surely, you won’t sell nearly as many books,” and, “Its tough enough to get into the secular market, let alone writing for a Christian market.” Maybe this is true, but I think it is a matter of perspective, and yes, absolutely a matter of faith. If you have a dream that you believe in, you have to follow it no matter what others say. If you believe you can make a difference in this world, go for it. Be your own person, follow your own path and you may surprise yourself and others along the way.

It is one thing to have a grand idea or dream, but quite another to take action and follow through to make it happen. Trust me, I know all about it. If you really want to make your dreams come true in this life, you need to believe in yourself and you need MOTIVATION.

I have many passions, but my foremost passion is my earnest love and respect for God.  No matter how far I have wondered off course, I have always carried in my heart a deep desire to be a writer and messenger for Jesus.If you have a gift and are not using it, God will use His will and find a way to bring your gifts to the light. You just have to listen and be open to the opportunities that come your way. I have to thank my pastor from Oasis Church in Port Elizabeth, Kurt Sutton, who initially planted the seed in my heart to start writing in 2007.

Although I have been writing for some time, The Spider and The Butterfly is the first book I have submitted for publication. The key is never to give up on your dreams and to keep pushing on.This burning desire to write for God and share the message of Jesus with the world is the ultimate driving force behind the many mountains I have conquered, and the very reason I wanted The Spider and The Butterfly to be a Christian story.

I also absolutely love children.Children are exceptionally precious and extremely close to my heart.  I am very protective of children and have always believed a child who has a close relationship with Jesus holds the greatest treasure life can offer. In Luke 18:17 Jesus said that to enter the kingdom of God you must be like a little child, and it makes perfect sense to me because children are so innocent, so real, and so very honest.

In 2013 I was devastated to discover I am not able to bear children. In trusting God to prevent my life from spiraling down into depression, I decided I would act as a mother to other children, teaching them Godly values through meaningful and memorable stories.And so, The Spider and The Butterfly was born, motivated by my passion for Jesus and my love for children.

My ultimate goal is to fulfill God’s purpose for my life, share His love with whoever will listen, and make a difference to as many lives as possible.

In my next blog I will be sharing the Facts behinds the character names.”

Take care, and may God bless you endlessly.

The first question asked when my book comes up in conversation is “Where did your story idea come from?” or “What inspired you to write The Spider and The Butterfly?”

I smile and reply that there are stories all around us and a story can be found in everything we do. I like my story, though. My story behind my story I mean. Let me share it with you if you will.

I was at a braai at a friend’s house in October 2012. We call a barbeque a “braai” in South Africa, except we think it’s nicer because it’s an open wood fire—using real wood and no gas! Nothing beats the fire and unique smell of a braai—one of my favourite things hands down! Anyway, one of the younger woman at the braai suddenly developed a severe migraine headache and went to lie down on the couch. I was really concerned for her and wondered if I could help in some way. I sat beside her and really felt for her seeing the pain she was in. In an effort to console her, I decided to tell her a story and hopefully take her mind off the pain. I just started talking, and let my imagination run. I don’t know exactly where the story line came from, but my intention was to help and I think God took over from there. The story seemed to calm her and brought a smile to her face as she slowly started feeling better.I watched the expression on her face change from one of pain, to distracted interest, and to fixed concentration as the adventure unfolded. Truth be told, I think her improved state was a combination of the story distracting her from the discomfort, and receiving some love and care in the moment. It was a marvelous time she and I shared, and neither of us could keep the smile off our respective faces afterwards. I was tremendously inspired by this amazing experience, and the motivation to actually putting pen to paper, so to speak, was born. I decided to bring the story to life in a short children’s novel and to hopefully inspire others to use their God-given imagination to spread His message.

I have since realised the story my friend heard was just the bare bones of the end story—it evolved considerably after I started writing. I was further moved to use my own three furry “children”as the main characters of the story. The more I wrote, the more ideas poured into my mind. I prayed for God’s help with the task every step of the way, as I trust in His love and guidance more than anything else in this world.

When I think back now of how the story came to life, it made me realise we should never underestimate the power of love, and how random acts of kindness can positively impact the lives of others. Not only does your light shine brightly when you take your mind off yourself, but blessings certainly chase you down in return. I took the time to care for a friend and look what transpired, a God-inspired story to help many children in need of spiritual guidance.

Look out for my next blog on what motivated me to write the story.