Author Guest Post & KidLit Review with Melissa Stuart

This is the heartwarming story of one little girl’s journey through grief.

Welcome to the July 29th stop on the blog tour for Butterfly Love from Above by Melissa Stuart with iRead Book Tours (schedule linked.) Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, author guest posts, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.

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Author Guest Post

“The Dance”

I’m not one to easily get starstruck when seeing or meeting a celebrity. But I have to say, meeting Garth Brooks was pretty special! When my husband was playing for the Colorado Avalanche NHL team, one of the organizations the players donated to each season was Garth Brooks’ The Touch’em All Foundation. It supports underprivileged children with an emphasis on health, education, and allows them to play sports through after school programs.

I have to say Garth was the kindest, most humble, and down to earth guy! After a photo op with him, I got to chat with him about his organization and tell him how much his songs have meant to me over the years. I told him my two favorite songs of his were “The Dance” and

“Unanswered Prayers.” I also jokingly told him that as much as I love his music, I was an even bigger fan of his wife Trisha Yearwood! He laughed and said he felt the same! He went on to tell me she was in the other room resting her voice and getting medical treatment for her throat, with the hope of making a surprise appearance with him at the show that night. He wasn’t sure she would pull it off. Halfway through the show, the middle section of the stage opened up and Trisha was slowly raised up to the stage! The crowd went wild!

Six years later, and the song “The Dance” has an even deeper meaning to me when I listen to it. When I attended the concert, my husband was wrapping up his 16th season in the NHL and preparing to retire. I had big plans to open my own Spin Fitness Studio after his retirement. But when the time came to finally be able to fulfill my longtime dream, my back suddenly ruptured after a day of horseback riding, and I found myself lying on my bathroom floor unable to get up. My dream ended in that moment.

The next couple years led to multiple spinal surgeries and other physical setbacks I never saw coming. Writing this children’s book based on my true story was never part of my plan. But it was time to find a new passion and learn a new dance! This writing journey has been such an unexpected gift during one of the hardest times in my life!

I hope to inspire all who read it to “always look up” and to find joy through giving back to others who may also be under a dark cloud of their own. So as Garth Brooks song goes, “I could’ve missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance.”

About the Book

Butterfly Love from Above
by Melissa Stuart

Published 25 February 2022
Performance Publishing Group

Genre: Children’s Fiction
Page Count: 36
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!

This is the heartwarming story of one little girl’s journey through grief. After losing her best friend—a butterfly named Twinkle—Star must search to rediscover her sunshine. The loss of Twinkle has kept Star under a dark cloud for some time, but her journey towards betterment will touch the hearts of all readers! Star is amazed to discover that she can reclaim her own sunshine by helping others who are also stuck under a dark cloud of their own! And she’ll realize that her light is even brighter than before! Star’s love for Twinkle—and her pony, Luna—will show readers the beauty, joy, and healing power that animals can bring to our lives! Her journey will remind us that there is something beautiful to see when we take a moment to “always look up!”

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | B&N

My Review

My Rating: 4 Stars
Consider liking my review on Goodreads

I was granted complimentary access to Butterfly Love from Above by Melissa Stuart as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title with iRead Book Tours. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

Butterfly Love from Above is the story of a little girl named Star who loses her butterfly friend, Twinkle, but after grieving the loss of her animal companion, gains a new pony a few days later and learns to spread joy and kindness among her peers.

The illustrations are beautiful and I love the fact that this book is based on a true story. As a fellow horse lover and fan of Garth Brooks, I feel like the author and I would get along quite well in person!

The ratio of sentences to pictures is inconsistent, with some pages featuring only art or art and just 1-2 sentences, while others feature multiple paragraphs. Because of the latter, I recommend this as a storytime or guided read book, not an independent read for the target age group.

About the Author

Melissa Stuart lives in Los Angeles, California with her family, their English Mastiff, Gucci, and their pony, Luna! Melissa and her husband stay busy traveling all over the country with their boys’ hockey teams. She loves being a Hockey Mom and watching her boys chase their dream of following in their dad’s footsteps to play in the NHL! Her happy place is with her little girl, Stella, at the barn surrounded by horses and their precious Luna. Sun Valley, Idaho is her family’s favorite summer getaway destination. When they’re there, Melissa feels most inspired to write sitting by the river, surrounded by mountains and nature! Her dream of becoming a published author for the first time came true in early 2021, as she shared her story “Find Your Sunshine” in a book co-written by 10 other inspiring authors—all of whom were sharing stories about shining their light and becoming difference makers in the world! Melissa hopes this story will inspire children to always look up. She wishes to teach them that true joy comes when we shine our own light and show kindness to others. That’s the secret to finding our sunshine!

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