Diversity and Acceptance Celebrated in “Honeycake: A Family of Spices” by Author Medea Kalantar

We’re excited to interview author Medea Kalantar about her new book. In her first book, Medea introduces readers to a diverse, multicultural family that is full of
love. The grandmother explains why she calls her grandchildren “Honeycakes” while she teaches her granddaughter how to bake a honey cake. Through imagination, the
grandmother details how each delicious ingredient represents a different family member and his or her unique ethnic background. Check out the interview below.

Hi, Medea! Thank you for granting the interview. Congrats on the release of Honeycake: A Family of Spices, which is the first installment of your brand-new children’s book series Honeycake. What should the readers expect?

Firstly, I would like to say thank you for featuring me on Occhi Magazine. I’m so honored and grateful to be given this platform to discuss the importance and the valuable lessons my books will give families around the world.

The valuable lesson that readers can expect from my first book Honeycake: A Family of Spices, is a strong message about diversity and acceptance. Caregivers can teach their children that even though we look different and come from different places, we are all part of one race…THE HUMAN RACE. In this beautiful world, we live in, WE ARE ALL ONE.

 It is our pleasure to do so! Tell us about Honeycake. I understand that the stories are all based on your family.

Yes, that is correct. My stories are all based on my own family, whose members come from diverse ethnic backgrounds. I was born in Georgia U.S.S.R and came to Canada when I was 4 years old and my husband Esfandiar was born in Iran and immigrated to Canada in 1987. Our children Shanaz and Jean-Diar both have partners that have diverse ethnic backgrounds, Brandon and Reilly. My husband and I are proud grandparents as our daughter Shanaz and future son-in-law Brandon just welcomed our first grandchild, his name is Lukenzo Kal Correia. Our beautiful little Honeycake has a mix of Georgian, Persian, Jamaican and Guyanese. This unique mix is a perfect recipe, and it’s the reason why I call my grandchildren my little Honeycakes.

Book 1:

Honeycake – A Family of Spices introduces readers to a diverse, multi-cultural family that is full of love.

A grandmother explains why she calls her grandchildren “Honeycakes” while she teaches her granddaughter, Nala, how to bake a honey cake.

Through imagination, the grandmother details how each delicious ingredient represents a different family member and his or her unique ethnic background.

What are some of the adventures in the series?

With more lovely stories to tell, Honeycake will be followed by a series of books. Each one tells valuable life lessons and gives caregivers and children the tools to overcome obstacles in their everyday lives. These books will help caregivers teach their children how to do random acts of kindness, have honest and open communication, and practice gratitude. Children will even discover how to meditate and manage their emotions when things don’t go their way.

Was it a challenge to write the book?

The financial cost of independently publishing my books has been the greatest challenge. But I’m a strong believer in the law of attraction. These stories came through me for a reason. So, the money to continue to independently publish my books will manifest because I believe in my books and the valuable lessons that these stories tell. I feel that the positive messages that my books share are exactly what our world needs right now.

Do you have a favorite character?

They are all my favorite characters since they are all based on my own family. The only fictional character is Nala.

The subject matter of the series is heartfelt. How does this children’s book bring something new children’s stories?

With all the negativity around diversity in this day and age, I feel it’s very important to create books with positive messages that showcase a diverse multicultural loving family. The idea of a common human bond through the blending of culture and national origins is beautifully represented as mixtures of exotic spices in a manner that children can easily understand. My hope is that if we instill these valuable lessons to our youth at an early age, we can shift the universe into a positive direction.

What is going to surprise people about the series?

Honeycake will be understood by all ages and truly is a refreshing approach to human life with its joy, blessing and special qualities. While Honeycake has been written as a children’s book series, it has a charm which will delight people of all ages. I feel these books will be enjoyed by parents, grandparents, and children alike and I expect the timeless positive messages in the series to resonate for ages.

When looking back on writing this first book, what resonated with you the most and why?

When I found out I was going to be a Grandma it was a full circle moment for me, so I started to bake a honey cake in honor of my Grandmother. My Bebi taught me how to bake a honey cake when I was a little girl. As I was making the cake, I realized all the different spices the cake had, like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, brown sugar, and honey. It made me think of all the different ethnic mixes my new grandbaby would have and how they would be just like this honey cake I was baking. That’s where the title of the series came from and the idea for the first book that would introduce the readers to our entire family. Hence, Honeycake: A Family of Spices. The words and stories started to pour out of me. I wrote 5 books in 4 days.

In your opinion, what part of the first book is going to delight people the most and why?

This charming book will delight readers because it also includes a recipe, and step-by-step instructions, on how to bake your own delicious batch of honey cake with your Honeycakes! I strongly believe that cooking with your children is a great bonding experience which provides practical and essential skills such as reading, following directions and measuring. Getting involved in cooking also helps children to develop fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and even early concepts of math and science. This is more than just a recipe to share with families, there are ingredients here for life!

Do you have anything else you would like to share about the book series?

Here is a little sneak peek of the next books!

Book 2:

Honeycake – “Help I Swallowed A Butterfly”

This book will be about how to deal with nerves, anxiety and those pesky butterflies in their tummies through meditation, mindfulness and setting their intention for a positive outcome.

Book 3:

Honeycake – Special Magical Powers

This book will be all about compassion and sprinkling a little magic by random acts of kindness wherever we go.

Book 4:

Honeycake – A Circle of Trust

This book will be about teaching your kids about honesty and open communication.

Book 5:

Honeycake – Counting All my Blessings

This book will be about how to focus on all the wonderful things we do have in our lives and that being grateful can make those icky feelings of jealousy from the “Green-Eyed Monster” go away.

Do you have anything else you would like to share about your career?

Outside of writing my Honeycake Books, I’m also a Reiki Master and Practitioner with a home-based studio. When I got the calling to change my career path to step out of the corporate world, and to become a certified Reiki Master and Practitioner, I knew that this is what I was put on earth to do. As a Reiki Master, I pledge to honor and embody the Reiki Ideals. Because of my Reiki training I am committed to my personal growth, healing and living my best life and to inspire others to do the same. This is what I teach my clients on a daily basis. So, transitioning into a writer and sharing the same lessons and tools to children was seamless for me.

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