Sweet Comfitty Tea

About the Book

SWEET COMFITTY TEA is a light-hearted and whimsical novel about a deep and controversial subject: women and submission. Honey, a long devoted wife to Robert Graham, is now a widow. Because when they were married, Robert insisted that she change her name to Bee Graham rather than be called after a cracker, she is now known as Grandma Bee. Because of her devoted submission for so long, she is now without a clue as how to carry on. Already, she is faced with mounting problems and decisions she has never been prepared to make. But then, while taking her morning walk in the Palm City Mall, her mental pleas for help are answered by the appearance of a stranger touched with magic. At first, of course, it takes some convincing for Grandma Bee to accept the reality that this friendly woman could be her fairy godmother. Considering that her two grown children are way up north and she has no idea of how to deal with such things as income taxes or rapacious land developers, let alone a life grown suddenly boring and empty, she welcomes the support. Under Melliflor's gentle suggestions, she decides to take back her "real" name, Honey, and to recall her unfulfilled dreams. She even dares to ignore an encroaching developer and to turn some land that Robert has left her into a public garden emphasizing native flora and with a Teahouse. Of course, Robert's long time friend, Herbie, thinks her idea is preposterous but new friends enter her life—a lively Hispanic family, a surprising suitor and a most helpful Black Seminole neighbor. Her children, too, are drawn into new relationships with her in reaction to what's happening. Honey's road is rough, her presumptions not always correct and she doesn't always take Melliflor's advice or even use the magic herbs correctly. But humor and insight abound as Melliflor, with empathy and affection, uses Honey's experiences to help her regain her long repressed identity and independence. A story about dreams—told with laughter and joy.

About the Author

BETZI ABRAM writes in southwest Florida, looking out on her gumbo limbo tree and a tiny pond with a water lily. There, honey bees, cardinals and butterflies flit about and a small ‘possum wanders at will. Of course, her own fairy godmother looks over her shoulder as she muses and writes. She is noted for her prize-winning columns, The Passionate Gardener and With A Grain of Sea Salt and her creative writing workshops. Her hilarious spoof, The Absolutely Positively Perfect Book of Basic Gardening is selling briskly, and her book of light verse, Pieces of Gold, is in its second printing. A new novel currently in production is The Secret of Seahorse Key.