“BETTY, IT’S SHOWTIME!!” by Lydia Y Pope Burden is now available for purchase
“Even with all the loneliness as a child, Betty is grateful for her Grandmother taking her in and caring for her as best she could. Th ere is no where else to go and no one else to turn to. With all the strain inflicted on both of them, they loved each other dearly and will always love each other. Betty’s relationship with her Grandmother and her desire to reach her dreams was all she had and all she wanted.”
– an excerpt from the book
AR Press is honored to publish “BETTY, IT’S SHOWTIME!!” by Lydia Y Pope Burden. The book is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the ARPress website.
Lydia Y Pope Burden’s mission as an author and public speaker is to be the voice to encourage while speaking the truth and to focus on those topics that inspire and uplift. She considers herself an abled veteran, not a disabled one.
She learned all too well the value of living life to its fullest while sitting on dialysis, struggling for over 30 years with renal failure. While in that space, searching for the most impactful way to make a contribution to society, she decided to not let her condition define who she is.
Being an army veteran, she already knew how to move forward while still being fearful, so she opted in this case to step out on faith herself and see how far it took her. So here she is on the second leg of the journey, continuing to step out.
Who is Betty?
Betty Marie Stone is an enthusiastic, overweight young singer with the desire to one day see her name in the lights. Although she was always complimented as a child because her voice was strong and adult, like in church, no one ever said anything to her regarding her looks, smarts, or personality.
For some reason, they only focused on her voice. The elder women would say, “Chile you got a gift from God just like your mother,” or they would say, “If you don’t do anything else, you ought to sing.” Raised by a strong Southern Baptist grandmother in the middle of one of the largest northern cities, it was a struggle all in itself.
The city lights called to her in a way much different than her counterparts because they had never experienced the darkness of the South. Betty remembered seeing miles and miles of darkness when she was a child. Although they moved to Michigan when she was twelve, she still remembered the dark roads and fields.
For some reason, she always felt that the lights made her feel safe and looked after. She thought that as long as there were lights, she would never feel the sadness of darkness, nor would she feel alone. Those long, dark southern roads seem to escalate the long-suffering she endured being alone and forced to care for her mother when she needed care and attention herself.
After years had passed and the city started to quiet down a bit, Betty really started to focus on her future. She was sure that singing would make her happy, but she was unsure if her desired path was even possible. The pain she endured while trying to pursue her dream as a NON-Gospel singer begins almost immediately. Southern gospel was the ONLY music permitted in Grandma’s house. Grandma seemed to only care about her church and her relationship with her Bible. After the death of her mother, Betty thought she’d never sing again. Somehow, after those feelings died a bit, the fire and desire to perform still burned brightly in her soul.
Now that she is in her early twenties, she reflects on her feelings as a child, and it still saddens her to admit that she really did feel alone, even in the lights. Betty now feels that God’s love is enough to help her through any rough patch. After all the ups and downs she endured, Betty finally found someone worth singing for herself. NOW nothing can stop her, not even fear or loneliness.
Now it’s time to get the game face on. Betty, it’s showtime!
“BETTY, IT’S SHOWTIME!!” by Lydia Y Pope Burden is now available for purchase via ARPress Bookstore: https://authorreputationpress.com/bookstore/betty-its-showtime/.