Thursday, October 6, 2016

Book Review: My Name is Wonder: A Tale of Adventure by Ronald Chapman

Today I'm excited to feature Ronald Chapman back on my blog in support of his tour for My Name is Wonder: A Tale of Adventure through WOW! Blog Tours.  Here's a little more about this very unique book:

 My Name is Wonder is a tale of adventure that will have you thinking from the first page until well after you’ve closed the book. This beautifully written novel chronicles the transcendent adventures of a little goat with big dreams. Join Wonder and his wisecracking guide, the mysterious crow Mac Craack, on a journey through the scenic landscapes of the American Southwest and into the heart of a mindful presence. Along the way, you’ll meet an unforgettable cast of creatures, each with an important lesson to teach.


Praise

“…a book for the ages, with profound truths simply stated. First there was Jonathan Livingston Seagull and then Yoda—Now there isWonder…” -Beverly Molander, Minister and Radio Host of Activating the Power of Yes

 “…an exploration of human nature and into the allegorical realm that shows us how to be wise teachers and guides…” -Paula Renaye, Author of Living the Life You Love 

Paperback: 202 Pages Genre: Fiction/Spirituality
Publisher: Terra Nova Books (September 1, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1938288785 ISBN-13: 978-1938288784



 My Name is Wonder is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

About the Author: 
 Ronald Chapman is owner of an international speaking and consulting company, Magnetic North LLC. In addition to international accreditation as a speaker and national awards for radio commentary, he is the author of two novels, My Name is Wonder (Terra Nova Publishing, 2016) and A Killer's Grace (Terra Nova Publishing, 2016 and 2012), two works of non-fiction, Seeing True: Ninety Contemplations in Ninety Days (Ozark Mountain Publishing, 2008) and What a Wonderful World: Seeing Through New Eyes (Page Free Publishing, 2004) and the producer of three audio sets, Seeing True: The Way of Spirit (Ozark Mountain Publishing, 2016, 2005), Breathing, Releasing and Breaking Through: Practices for Seeing True (Ozark Mountain Publishing, 2015), and Seeing True – The Way of Success in Leadership (Magnetic North Audio, 2005). Ron provides a wide array of social media content at www.SeeingTrue.com, content for people in substance abuse recovery at www.ProgressiveRecovery.org, and other content from his master site,www.RonaldChapman.com. He holds a Masters in Social Welfare from The University at Albany (New York.) Prior to his relocation to Atlanta, Georgia in 2008, he was a long-time resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

Ronald can also be found online at: 
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1338592.Ronald_Chapman 

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/seeingtrue/ 

Michelle DelPonte was gracious enough to review the book and share a thoughtful review with us below. Thank you, Michelle!

Review:
 “My name is Wonder, but I am not that.” My Name is Wonder: A Tale of Adventure is full of life lessons that we seem to forget in our everyday busy lives. This book is one that will truly get you to evaluate your life. Does your name define you? Do you live life by the box that others put you in? While Wonder the goat is full of curiosity, he never lets others’ expectations of him, hold him back. Wonder lives life on his terms.

Wonder takes every opportunity to learn from others. He has two prominent teachers throughout the book, Mac Crack and Oren. Like any great teacher, Oren teaches Wonder by letting him figure things out on his own. So many times in our lives we fail to listen to ourselves or trust our gut. Sadly, it is often to our own detriment that we fail. Perhaps our inner knowledge is one of greatest gifts we were blessed with, but we fail to understand it.

We tend to look at our positions in life, set goals, make plans, and reach for the stars. However, what happens when life slams those doors shut? Are we able to turn around and make lemonade form the lemons? Wonder’s plan to see the world was rendered impossible. Yet in times that most would give up, Wonder chose to see the positive. He chose to reevaluate his life and make the best of the situation. He didn’t ever take no for an answer. Wonder never let what was expected of him get in the way of what he wanted out of life. He was always in the driver’s seat of his life, despite all expectations.

Wonder also decided that if he was present in a situation, that he truly needed to be present. Wonder needed to soak up every bit of knowledge and experience that life had to offer. Wonder made his own way, despite all the odds. I think more often than not, we get caught up in work, marriage, and life, that we fail to see the wonder. We are present in situations, but yet not really present at all. When is the last time you made a point of seeing all the wonder life has to offer?

About today’s guest reviewer:
Michelle DelPonte is a busy mom and health care worker. Her two sons are the focus of her life and she works diligently to raise awareness about autism in the community. She loves reading, anything to do with history and geocaching just to name a few of her many hobbies. Michelle, her husband Ben and their two sons Sebastian and Asher live in Manitowoc, WI on the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan where they enjoy walking and biking on the Mariner’s Trail and spending time at the Library.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you for the support, Renee! And Michelle, I am delighted to see how you understood the second part of My Name is Wonder, about the importance of our own self-empowerment, no matter the circumstances. Beautifully done! And very much appreciated. Ron Chapman

Crystal Otto said...

Thank you Michelle for this lovely review, and Renee for hosting. Ronald, I can't wait to see what is next for you - readers are definitely loving your work!