Renita Hora (4:39)

My goodness. I mean, I have so many questions. Firstly, a book on intuition seems to this unknowing person here not the intuitive subject for a kid's picture book, a young child. So first question was, how did you come upon that particular kind of subject, topic and decide, okay, this is what, you know, kids need to be exposed to?

Renee Green Murphy (5:04)

I always used my intuition throughout life as a young child. It evolved as I got older. I don't think I knew what it was when I was little. I don't think that I knew that it wasn't my intuition. Perhaps I listened to my gut. It was a voice in my heart. That's exactly what it was. And whenever I was faced with a decision, I listened to it. And I realized from a very early on age that the more I listened to my gut, my intuition, my heart's voice, it led me down the right path, and that always made me feel good. So I relied upon it. You know, I obviously listened to my parents as well. I was a good child. But like any children, we want to be able to make independent choices and we're not always with our parents to be able to do so. So I learned very early on that my intuition was there to help me make the right choice and I was gonna listen to it more and more. And so that's what I did as a counselor. I was very student centered and my philosophy with helping my students in the charter school I worked at was a strengths based approach. So it's very similar to intuition. I didn't have any books at the time to use as tools. As I said, there were no books like that. But I used a lot of self esteem books and focusing on their strengths because there is a direct correlation between independent thought, boosting high self esteem and making good choices, which also improves academic performance. And so I was onto something. I just didn't know exactly what until it dawned on me after my second child in 2018 that I needed to write a book on intuition. I needed to teach children if they didn't already know this powerful tool. They needed to see pictures about it. It needed to be simplified in a way they understood it because it's a very complex message and I wanted to write it in a way where any child would be able to understand. What Jade. I changed her character. What Jade was going to learn throughout the story. My brother is the one at the end of the story that teaches her that your heart's voice is indeed you called your intuition.

Renita Hora (7:08)

Yeah.

Renee Green Murphy (7:09)

And so my book kind of does like a 180.

Renita Hora (7:11)

So this horrible, horrible thing happens with your brother and I am so sorry. My heart just goes out to you and your family.

Renee Green Murphy (7:18)

Thank you.

Renita Hora (7:19)

That must have been so hard. How did you change the book or did it. I'm going to let you speak. I mean, do you feel that this was just the order of events that would have played.

Renee Green Murphy (7:31)

I changed Divine to Jade. I changed her name because Jade means the. The stone of the heart of heavens as well. There's a lot of spiritual subliminal messages in my book. So I changed those things. I made her 11, which is an angel number. When you see 1111, it means your angel guides are with you at that moment on the COVID She's at the beach because that's, as I said, that's where I meditate. That's where I finished writing the book and that's where I feel most calm and that where I can tap into my intuition. There's a cardinal on the COVID because that's a spiritual animal that you would see. The heart is in indigo, which is your sixth sense. There is a dragonfly on the COVID which means live life to the fullest. That was my brother's motto. There's a turtle at the beach. We found a turtle right after Robert passed away at the beach. We rescued him, brought him to my parents and fed him strawberries. My son called him Charlie. And we found out afterwards, looking it up, that turtles. The spiritual message when you see a turtle is keep moving forward, no matter how hard and difficult and heavy life gets. A turtle wears heavy shell. And so there's many subliminal messages wrapped into it. That's a definite change that I made. And then adding my brother Jade, also, aside from the three life lessons that she learns in the book, when she's not listening to her heart's voice, she's making the wrong choice. And when she is listening, she's making the right choice. And aside from the fact that Robert is the person that teaches her that your heart's voice is your intuition, she also decides to draw an angel for him. She borrows her dad's pen, and that's one of the life lessons. She didn't ask first or put it back. And her dad was happy that she was honest about that. But that was one of the life lessons in the story. I tied in Robert, where she draws a picture of an angel for her uncle and gives it to him. Her heart's voice told her to do so. And that's because my brother is now an angel. She drew it in pen because my brother was also an artist and would always say that you're not really an artist if you can't draw and pen because make no mistakes. It was one of the last things he did. He drew Bugs Bunny on a cocktail napkin at the bar. When somebody put him on the spot and said, Keith Roberts said, I can draw anything. And he said, draw Bugs Bunny. And he did. And so I tried to just add him personal touches as many ways as I could. I don't know if my book would be here today if my brother wasn't gone. So my book is very emotionally heavy in that sense. While I'm very proud of it, I've won three awards, Family Choice Awards, twice in the Mom's Choice Awards in the couple months it was out immediately. My brother was very confident, and I know he listened to his intuition because he was so confident. And he would love to be attached to a message like this, to be able to help other children tap into their inner compass and make good choices and be as confident as he was.

Renita Hora (10:22)

Well, an award winning book on a very important subject. Renee, I cannot thank you enough for sharing this with us today. I am dying to listen to the book and I know I speak for everybody else. So do let us know a little bit more about how we can order the book, how we can find your work online, or any information that's relevant for our listeners.

Renee Green Murphy (10:43)

Thank you so much.

Renee Green Murphy (10:44)

My book, you, Heart's Voice, is available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, ebook, as well as there's an audible version. So for little kids who can't read yet, or even when you're on the go in the car, like your podcast, you could play it in the car, on your phone, on your iPad. It's also available on Barnes and noble.com, walmart and target.com. it's available on my website, reneegreenmurphy.com where I sell hardcover and paperback. And right now I am in the process of speaking to schools about my book. It's in three schools in New York, I'm proud to say, and 11 libraries. It's circulating quickly, but I would like to expand throughout the country and even internationally, which is why I also created the Audible version.

Renita Hora (11:37)

Renee, thank you so much. We will definitely make sure to add all of that information to the show. Notes that was Renee Greene Murphy, the author of youf Heart's Voice. Renee, thank you so much for being on the Trufiction project.

Renee Green Murphy (11:52)

Thank you. My pleasure.

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GEICO Ad (12:25)

And now to the premise of the True Fiction Project, which of course is to create fiction out of nonfiction.

Renee Green Murphy (12:52)

Your Heart's Voice by Renee Green Murphy.

Renee Green Murphy (12:55)

Ms. Ed to my beloved little brother Robert, you will forever live on through us.

Renee Green Murphy (13:00)

Your magnetic light will continue to guide.

Renee Green Murphy (13:02)

Us, teach us, and comfort us.

Renee Green Murphy (13:05)

Jade, when you're finished playing, please clean up before you leave the room you're playing in. I asked you many times, I almost tripped on your dolls. Mom said. Okay, jade replied. Why does mom always expect me to clean up my mess? After all, she is the mom, she thought with a snarky face. The peculiar Voice in her heart told her to put her dolls away before she left the den. But she was in a hurry and decided not to. Jade went back into her room to color, as coloring often helped her mind to relax. She was in the middle of coloring a beautiful picture of an angel that.

Renee Green Murphy (13:42)

She drew for her uncle.

Renee Green Murphy (13:44)

She had promised him she would give him this surprise picture the next time she saw him. And mom said they were seeing him tomorrow at Grandma Fay's house. I must hurry, Jade thought.

Renee Green Murphy (13:56)

Knock, knock.

Renee Green Murphy (13:57)

Yes, come in, said Jade. Jade, dinner will be ready in 30 minutes. I will call you when it's on the table, so please come downstairs, okay? Okay. Mom, do you want to see my picture? I'm almost finished. She showed the picture of the angel that was almost complete. It's beautiful, Jade. How angelic. It's for Uncle Robert. I cannot wait to give it to him. He will Love it. Jade. 20 minutes later, dinner. Shouted Mom. Jade went downstairs for dinner.

Renee Green Murphy (14:32)

Meatballs again.

Renee Green Murphy (14:33)

She thought her mind said no. But deep down, she had a voice in her heart that often told her what to do. Sometimes she listened and sometimes she did not. She called in her heart's voice this time. It her heart's voice told her to eat her dinner as it would make her parents happy and she would be making a good choice. So she did. After telling her parents all about her day in school, she looked down at her plate and realized she ate all her veggies too. Wow, she thought, my heart's voice really does help me make the right choice. That night before bed, her dad came in to say goodnight. Jade, I've been meaning to ask you. Have you seen my new pen I just got for my birthday? There was that voice again. She could hear it in her heart. It was whispering to her. You saw the pen. You used it to draw the angel. Tell him yes.

Renee Green Murphy (15:27)

But she thought, what if I get in trouble?

Renee Green Murphy (15:29)

It's his new pen. He just got it. I did not ask, what if he takes away TV and my new show is on tomorrow? She started sweating. Jade asked, dad, did you see my new pen?

Renee Green Murphy (15:44)

Is there something you want to tell me, sweetheart?

Renee Green Murphy (15:47)

She decided to listen to her heart's voice and shouted, yes. Dad's head flung back, almost startled. Why are you shouting? I'm just worried that you'll be mad, said Jade. It's okay, sweetheart. You were honest and that means more to me than anything else. Just please ask first before you want.

Renee Green Murphy (16:06)

To use something of mine.

Renee Green Murphy (16:07)

And always be sure to return it afterwards. Okay, Dad. I was drawing an angel with It. It's right here.

Renee Green Murphy (16:15)

Do you want to see?

Renee Green Murphy (16:16)

Jade held up the picture of the angel.

Renee Green Murphy (16:18)

Yes. Wow Jade.

Renee Green Murphy (16:21)

You are one talented 11 year old. It's for Uncle Robert. I cannot wait to give it to him. He's going to love it. Sweetheart, said dad. That night as Jade drifted off to.

Renee Green Murphy (16:32)

Sleep, she thought about her day and how each time she listened to the voice in her heart, she made the.

Renee Green Murphy (16:37)

Right choice and when she didn't, she.

Renee Green Murphy (16:40)

Made the wrong choice.

Renee Green Murphy (16:41)

What is that voice called? She thought. I must find out. The next day after school, she ran into Grandma's Fae's house with the picture in hand. Here Uncle Robert, it's for you. He looked up after looking at her picture. This angel is as beautiful as you and you are one heck of an artist, Jade. Thank you.

Renee Green Murphy (17:03)

I love it.

Renee Green Murphy (17:04)

Is this in pen too? That's even more impressive, explained her uncle.

Renee Green Murphy (17:09)

She hugged him.

Renee Green Murphy (17:10)

I started listening to my heart's voice and it told me you would love a picture of an angel. I'm glad I listened. Uncle Robert laughed. Your heart's voice. You mean your intuition? Yes Jade, we all have it. And that's exactly what what it's there for to help guide us to make good choices. You're smart and talented, my beautiful niece Jade.

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Here at the True Fiction Project we are always looking for great stories that make for compelling fiction. So if you have a great story or know somebody who does, or if you are a writer who would like to contribute then please do get in touch with us@renita.com contact.

Renita Hora (18:06)

Thank you for listening to the True Fiction Project with Renita Hora. Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter to receive more inspiring stories showing how fiction is born from our everyday experiences. For more information visit www.truefictionproject.com.

Renee Green Murphy (18:29)

All you.

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