[The Brave Little Tomato]

I am a dreamer. Perhaps to a fault. I just love to dream. To think of things that are not as if they are. 

But here’s the thing I’ve learned about dreaming. It is so easy to dream without anything actually happening with that dream. I’ve found that there are Dreamers and Doers and when those people come together a beautiful, tangible, product comes forth that you can hold in your hands. It is no longer just a dream that floats up into the air like a large bubble at a carnival which eventually pops and is gone. It is a Product, that can be sealed, stamped and sent to London.

One of my dreams is to write children’s stories. I have four ideas which I am excited about but one of them will be called “The Brave Little Tomato”.

 [ Queue Intense preview trailer voice ]

"In a world with only fruits and vegetables that CAN’T SEEM TO GET ALONG!"

The scene is set in a made up world called Gardenia where there is a civil war between the fruits and the veggies and no matter their efforts the conflict only worsens. That is until one unsuspected brave soul rises to the occasion. 

His name is Barry. And He is a small adolescent Tomato, with clunky black-frame glasses. Quite the unlikely hero he is. Bullied throughout his elementary years in school because of his stuttering problem but even more so because he didn’t fit the mold of the cool Fruit crowd or the learned Veggie clique. Caught in-between two worlds Barry decides to focus on what brings Produce together instead of what pulls them apart. When the conflict reaches it’s climax Barry steps in the middle and shouts at the top of his little tomato lungs “C-C-Can’t we all get along!”. In one brave act of heroism the leaders of the fruits and veggies decide to come together and embrace their differences.

[ Back to the intense trailer voice ] 

"In this timeless heart-warming tale Barry brings a separated world together by reminding us all that whether fruit or vegetable we can all find common ground."

Just to be honest my motivation for writing children books yes would somewhat be for children but mostly for adults. I love reading children’s books because they speak more profoundly to me than “grown up” books. I think we have gotten so far past the simplicity of what really matters in life and in loving people. I also like the idea of how people in our society who are different or feel like outsiders or feel like they are caught in-between two different worlds are often times the bridge between those two worlds connecting, empathizing and understanding each others perspectives and heart cries. 

SO, if you are an advocate for The Brave Little Tomato in print, shoot me a message or comment and maybe I’ll start a Kickstarter. A little encouragement goes a long way. And I can say with all honesty that each person that has reached out recently encouraging me to write more has literally been the reason why there are words on this page. This blog specifically because of a text from my close friend Peter. Thanks Pete!

May Your Love Be Strong,

Joey