Category Archives: Sj Daisy

Labor Day Weekend Promotion: 4-day Free Kindle Book Version of “My Life as a Mule” 2nd edition

Dear Friends,

This past year+ has been an adventure for all of us. I do hope that you are able to keep your head above water as you navigate life’s turbulent and unpredictable currents. As for me, I fell into the River of Revision. After months of hard work, the 2nd edition version of my first book My Life as a Mule has emerged.

Why a 2nd edition?
I realized that I needed to dish up more description to go along with the main course of dialogue. Also, I delighted in the discovery that I could add a few characters from My Life as a Toad: Tales of a traveling toad, i.e. Mr. Tafferty’s tale (which is currently in its first draft form – due date unknown). I also shifted a few things around and added a Bonus Material section.

Anything else?
I recently made several short videos of me reading excerpts from my book which are in this playlist  (specific links below):
Chapter 5 – Change is in the Air
Chapter 8 – Molly’s Grandma Rose
Chapter 13 – Molly to the Rescue
Chapter 23 – High School English
Chapter 28 – The Key to Success
Bonus Material
Short 1-minute promo


Read Along with me by clicking closed-captioning.


Free Kindle Book Deal
I’m running a 4-day free Kindle book version from Friday, September 3 through Monday, September 6, 2021. After that the 2nd edition will continue to be available on Kindle for $8.88 and as a paperback from Amazon for $14.99.

Why are you giving away the Kindle version of your book for these 4-days?
Because I want to mahalo those who purchased a copy of the 1st edition as well as those of you who continue to support me.

Happy Reading!

Aloha,
Sj

Molly's story appeals to a wide age-range.
Molly’s story appeals to a wide age-range.
Kris Kringle and friends

It’s that time again!

To put on your comfy pjs and listen to

The Night Before Christmas (as read by Sj Daisy)

Wishing you ALL a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

My life as a Mule proof cover

Almost pau (i.e. finished) with “My Life as a Mule”

Dear Friends,

Yes, I’m almost pau (finished) with my first work of fiction, My Life as a Mule.

I’m awaiting the third proof, and once I’m able to give it a quick look-see and hold it in my hands, I’ll hopefully be clicking “publish” in CreateSpace.com.

Meanwhile, how’s about a sample chapter?

Enjoy!

Sj

p.s. Kaua‘i friends, keep your eyes open for a press release in The Garden Island. : )

Excerpt from My Life as a Mule by Sj Hylton LeHoven, Illustrated by Jocelyne Champagne Shiner

Why Am I Kissing Him?

“Why am I kissing him?” Molly wondered. She was enjoying the playful romp in spite of herself. “I don’t even like him,” she mused as she felt his tongue reach further into her mouth. “And what will Betsy think?” she thought guiltily. “She’s been such a good friend for so long. How can I do this to her?”

Finding strength in the midst of her remorse, Molly pulled away.

“What’s wrong Molly?” asked Tommy, an adorable Horse Stallion.

“The cutest ever,” thought Molly. “And Betsy’s boyfriend. Not yours,” she told herself with force. And yet, she couldn’t bear the thought of him not liking her.

“Nothing, Tommy,” said Molly simply. “Nothing at all. You’re a great kisser. It’s just, it’s just…”

“What can I possibly say to get out of this mess?” she wondered.

“It’s just that I’ve got to be going. I promised my mom I’d be back in time to put out the garbage,” she lied.

“Lame!” she silently shouted to herself, “Lame! Molly, couldn’t you have thought of something else?”

“Oh, well, okay,” said Tommy, obviously disappointed. “Mules,” he thought. “They’re a moody bunch. You just can’t ever tell what they’re thinking. Mom was right, best to stick with my own kind.”

Just a few days before when learning who her son was dating, his mother had exploded. “Whatever are you thinking? A Rabbit for a girl friend? Nothing can come of it. Nothing!”

“We could adopt, Mom,” he’d replied, thinking of social studies class. “The teacher was telling us the other day about all the poor animals abandoned after floods and fires, and…”

“You are not adopting bunnies. Or dogs. Or…” she had said in a shrill voice, rising to a crescendo, “Cats! No son of mine, who I’ve poured my heart and soul and good upbringing into is going to marry outside of his species. No siree, Bob,” she had shouted with such force that Tommy had practically buckled to his knees.

“Mom, I’m Tommy. Not Bob,” he had meekly replied.

“Tommy, Bobby, whichever son of mine you are, you are not. Do you hear me? You are not marrying outside of our species,” she had said with such finality that Tommy hadn’t dared make a peep. Or a neigh. He’d been literally struck speechless.

“But Molly,” he thought now, coming out of his reverie, “well, she’s the same species, right? Why not give it another go?”

“Tommy!” yelled Molly, pushing him away after his sudden advance. “I’ve really got to go,” she called as she quickly trotted away. “See ya!”

“What was I thinking?” she thought as she dashed towards home. Bumping into trees. Dropping her books. Molly was a mess.

“Molly!” she suddenly shouted. “Get a hold of yourself!” So, she did. She stopped and took a deep breath. And then another. By the third, she was beginning to calm down.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, Betsy,” she cried. “What was I thinking?”

“You weren’t,” the little voice inside her said.

“No, I guess I wasn’t. It was just, well, it was just, he gave me that look, and I couldn’t help myself.”

For as long as Molly could remember, she couldn’t stand not being noticed.

“When did it start?” she wondered as she slowly drifted along a forest trail that ran behind her neighborhood. “In grade school? With Miss Granger? No,” she said, shaking her head. “Definitely not. I tried my best not to be noticed.”

Completely oblivious of a flock of birds swarming the maple trees, she continued to review her personal database of memories, stopping at Sunday School. “No,” she thought. “That doesn’t seem right.”

And then it hit her. “It’s only when I’m around boys! It’s like a switch goes off. And I just have to have them see me. Notice me.”

It didn’t need to be grand. A simple smile would do. But somehow, some way, Molly needed to be noticed. Acknowledged.

“Wow,” she thought. “I’ve been like this my whole life. Or,” she mused, “as long as I can remember. But Betsy? How could I do this to her?”

Walking in circles, Molly was worrying herself sick. And then, as easy as pie, the solution came to her. “I’m just going to act like it never happened. Ignore it, and it’ll go away.”

And that’s what she did. For the next few weeks, she simply avoided Tommy. He came this way. She went that way. He entered the lunch room. She left by another door. “I don’t have to explain myself,” she thought. “Deal with it in any way.” And it would have been perfect, except for when Betsy began to complain. “He won’t even talk to me,” she told Molly. “I don’t know what happened. One minute we were talking about where we wanted to go eat before the dance, and the next, he’s acting like I don’t even exist.”

“I’m so sorry,” Molly told her friend. Of course, she didn’t say what she was really sorry for. That would have caused all kinds of problems that she wasn’t ready to face.

“But why did he dump her?” Molly wondered. “That makes no sense. It only happened those two times.”

Not sure what to do and feeling more remorse than she thought possible, Molly decided to crack open her piggy bank. “It won’t make what happened go away,” she thought. “But it can’t hurt.”

“Wow! Thanks, Molly!” cried Betsy after enjoying a big bite of her hot fudge sundae. “Ice cream’s my favorite. And ice skating too! Wow! You’re the best friend ever!”

Update June 25, 2018: My Life as a Mule is now available at Amazon. Click on the title for the link to purchase your own copy. : )

Riding the Trust Train

The train has left the station.

For parts unknown.

What is this all about?

This video will fill you in:

The trust train first showed up publicly after kayaking Na Pali on Kauai. A chat with Congolio gives that background:

I plan on updating this website to reflect the changes . . . that will happen when it happens.

I’ll write and post now and then as I’m called to.

If you too experience life by trusting completely, HOP ON!

Even if you don’t, I invite you to HOP ON! You may find that trusting really isn’t so scary.

Kay den. Thanks for your time and attention. Sending lots and lots and LOTS of LOVE your way!

xoxoxox

✫ Sj out ✫

My cuz, Sj Daisy, has her own YouTube channel . . .

 . . . and she’s posting a new video each week on her playlist: Read Along with Sj Daisy.

After a school year of reading to children at the Lihue Public Library (on most Mondays), my cuz, Sj Daisy, realized that she was onto something . . . that she’d found a little piece of her heart that had been missing, covered in moss and forgotten.

And then it dawned on her that she could keep her heart united AND reach even more children by videotaping her readings (one book at a time).  The children could then read along whenever it fit THEIR schedule . . . and so . . . Read Along with Sj Daisy was born.

She’ll be adding a new video each week through March 2017 (and maybe even longer . . . but this is what she feels she can commit to at the moment).

Do you have a child in your life who likes to listen to picture book stories? Or maybe YOU would like to sit back and be read to. The listener’s age doesn’t matter; no i.d.s will be checked upon entry into Sj Daisy YouTube Land.Thanks for taking a moment from your busy life to check out Sj Daisy and her YouTube channel. AND thanks for sharing her with the children in your life.

I think that you’ll be falling in love with my cousin . . . I sure did!

xoxoxoxoo

Sj out

Sj Daisy and Pedrata que

My cuz, Sj Daisy, is here too from time to time . . .

You can check out her and Pedrata on YouTube. Be sure and click on the CC button for closed captioning.

Sj Daisy Flyer

She looks like you!!!

Today the most amazing thing happened

at the Lihue public library after reading to the kids.

(I’ve been doing this on Monday afternoons since August).

Sj Daisy left, and I returned to the main area in her stead (i.e. sans overalls and hairdo). I was speaking with the young adult librarian when a little girl came up to me and said, “You look like Sj Daisy!”

“Do I?” I replied.

“Yes!” she said with enthusiasm.

We went over to the flyer posted on the wall.

“She’s my cousin,” I explained.

“She looks a lot like you!” she said again.

LOL. So cute!

This little girl’s name btw?

Daisy.

: 0

For real.

Life is full of such wonderful surprises!!!

: )))

~ Sj ~

©2015 Rob Rogers/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Reprinted with permission.

Who Are YOU?

Do you know?

In yesterday’s paper, the editorial cartoon by Rob Rogers shows Bruce Jenner on a box of Wheaties. The real Bruce Jenner. The Bruce Jenner that he, or rather she, is today.

“If we celebrated the courage it takes to be your true self . . .”

Yes. If we celebrated everyone who chose to be authentic, the faces on the cover of Wheaties would most likely be as varied as the rainbow.

It takes courage to be real, authentic. The word courage comes from Old French, which comes from Latin: cor “heart.“

It takes living from one’s heart to be courageous.

But in our world, we’re actually conditioned to be someone other than ourselves.

Who do you think you are? You can’t be a ____________, you don’t have the brains, education, connections. Your skin’s the wrong color. You’re stupid. Fat. Ugly.

Each one of us has been told that we’re somehow lacking. Whether from our parents, spouses, teachers, or the media, we’ve each gotten the message that we should be someone other than ourself.

And we’ve bought into it. Literally. We buy all the many things we’re told we need to buy to be: _________________ (fill-in-the-blank).

I’m here to tell you that it’s not true. That it’s a lie.

You are already perfect as you are. You already have within yourself everything you need to be who you came here to be.

Take a breath. A DEEP breath. Connect with your inner-self.

It’s time to be YOUR self. It’s time to be that brand of YOU that no one else can copy. Trademark. Patent.

How do I do that? How do I remember who I’ve come here to be?

First of all, simply BE yourself. That’s who you’ve come here to be – YOU.

Secondly, be still. Be quiet. Unplug.

Make space for yourself everyday to simply sit in the presence of who you are. You may begin to hear little whispers. You may hear the lion’s roar. Or you may simply hear silence. It will be exactly how it needs to be for you.

Today, I challenge you. Be YOUR self. Be brave enough to let the light within you shine forth. I promise you; the world will thank you. : ))))

Also, last week after a 15+ month hiatus, I posted a pep talk. The topic? Be YOUR self. : ) When I saw Rob Rogers’ editorial cartoon yesterday, I thought, “OMG! That would be perfect for the blog glob post for Sj’s Pep Talk: Be YOUR Self!” I wrote to Mr. Rogers last night, and he quickly replied with a YES! Thank you so very, very much Rob!

In closing, Dear Friends, whether I’ve met you in person, in Spirit, or through the internet, please know that I love you and see you for who you truly are.

+Sj