Cath Shaw Truelove, “Bees on a Bicycle: Finding Home and Heart in Small and Significant Ways”
May 2021: A Note from Hope Katz Gibbs, founder, Inkandescent PR + Publishing Co. — With the spark of Spring, I can’t think of a better book to feature than Cath Shaw Truelove’s new book. The owner of a hugely popular urban garden center in the heart of Chattanooga has not only created a creative shop featuring fun and unusual plants and gifts featuring regenerative practices — she has given us a book to cherish.
“Stuck, starting over, or just plain bored?” she asks. “Try this wild romp through weird jobs, a whirlwind of life changes, and reinvention after loss. You’ll come away smiling and inspired to tackle the pesky stuff in your closet, mind, and heart.”
A little backstory: I first met Cath the week before she moved from Richmond, VA (where the month I separated from my husband, I had just opened an office and bought a house). I immediately bonded with this honest, funny, effervescent woman who was clearly on a journey of her own. In fact, she was moving to Chattanooga with the love of her life. What would she do? The story unfolds in this new book.
This book is for you if you’re:
- considering options, thinking about a change, or are just plain fed up
- tackling piles of other people’s crap
- wondering how you ended up somewhere
- sitting at your desk each day wondering what else life can offer!
Cath’s dry wit and real and raw writing are a call to action, a gathering of community, and an invitation to share the journey. This funny, adventurous, and heartfelt journey is not to be missed. For groups or those reading solo, this book contains extras to put to use such as:
- links to join the Bees community, learn about activities stemming from this book, and more
- store discount code
- discussion questions for personal or group reflection
- group activity guide, ready for your book club, couple’s retreat, or women’s groups.
Buy the book: Click and start pedaling like Bees on a Bicycle.
Scroll down to read the introduction.
Introduction: Bees on a Bicycle, by Cath Shaw Truelove
Like those of approximately 50 percent of our population, my first marriage ended in divorce. I worked with my ex, and it make sense that he carry along with our business as the creative lead, so I was out of a job too. It was 2009. A lot of people were out of a job. I no longer had the company car, so I rode the bus.
I applied for one, then tens, then hundreds of jobs — and waited for my life to start over. I was desperately sad, in a pivotal part of my life, and fumbling badly. Gossip swirled around me about the choices I was making. I admit it, a few were a bit racy. Then, for good measure, things got worse. I lost my family, I got way over my head in a poor job choice. It was a big mess.
Fast forward a few years. Now, I hear a rather odd sentence come out of my mouth from time to time: “I own most of the block from 19th to 20th on Market Street in Chattanooga, TN.” I own a business, Bees on a Bicycle. I traded in my three-inch heels, camel-colored fully-lined pants, and black turtlenecks for a pair of foamy sandals, sun-protective shirts, and a big hat.
In between was a topsy-turvy adventure and heartache. I learned three major things:
- You can do much more with less.
- You are not in control.
- If you plan to have others join you, get your act together.