Hovatter’s newest humorous story is in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Laughter is Always the Best Medicine, the latest in a series of Chicken Soup for the Soul books. This is Hovatter’s third time being published in the book series.
The Chicken Soup for the Soul book series has been read by millions over the years, and Sampson native Teresa Byrd Hovatter is no stranger to the series. On Feb. 18, her third story in the most recent book of the series was released.
‘Chicken Soup for the Soul: Laughter is Always the Best Medicine’ features Hovatter’s most recent story, which she hopes will entertain and delight all who read it.
“Blinded by Beauty” is the name of Hovatter’s chapter, but she hopes readers will pick up the book and read it cover to cover and discover her chapter along the way.
Very supportive and loyal to the Chicken Soup series, Hovatter said they were the ones to give her the break she needed to become a published author.
“I love working with those guys, they’re very personable,” she noted. “They actually gave me my start in my so-called writing career. These books are the best, I’ve been reading them for years, and just thrilled to now be a part of Chicken Soup.”
Hovatter explained how easy the books in the series are to read and match up with her own writing style. She said she likes to write in a way that people relate, in simple-to-understand storytelling, “Sometimes I read a novel and think, gosh, why is this so hard to read? Let’s keep it simple.”
The book, which is available now on Amazon, describes the collection of the latest stories of the series as, “101 true, laugh-out-loud stories packed with embarrassing mishaps, social blunders, and the kind of moments that make life hilariously unpredictable. Whether it’s domestic disasters, the things kids say at just the wrong time, or personal slip-ups that became family legends, these stories are guaranteed to brighten your day.”
Amy Newmark, editor-in-chief of the latest book in the series explained, “If laughter is the best medicine, then this book is your prescription.”
Hovatter has been asked to be on the Chicken Soup for the Soul’s podcast on March 5. She said it will be available to listen to on the Chicken Soup for the Soul’s website at chickensoup.com.
She always had a love for writing, keeping a diary as a child, but she never fully embraced her writing ability until recently.
“I was married young, and then had three children, got divorced, and have stayed busy in my career in real estate,” Hovatter explained. “But one day, I was in my office, I sat down and just started writing.
“I had read somewhere that Chicken Soup was accepting submissions, and I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t know how it would go, and then about two months later they contacted me and said they were publishing my story.”
Hovatter said it all started when she was gifted a plant that she thought was real, as she laughed, “I won’t go into details, but it was embarrassingly funny, but that’s how I got started (writing).”
Hovatter is a single mother of three, and “TeTe” to five adorable grandsons. She has had a successful real estate career since 1994. Faith and family are her priorities; travel is her pleasure. While delighted to still be a part of the Chicken Soup of the Soul family, she also is working on her second book, ‘Words of Honey,’ which she said is her most exciting project to date and is planning for a publication date sometime in April.
“These are things that happened in my life, and how God pulled me through it after I finally learned to listen to him,” she added.
As a reader, she said her favorite types of books are anything inspirational and encouraging, but she also enjoys a good mystery and a love story, too. “On a personal level, I’m off the wall sometimes with my reading choices. I just love books; I love to read.” Hovatter said two of her favorite authors are James Patterson and Nicholas Sparks.