𝗔 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗰𝗵, 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝘅

From the mind of Miles Ash Fox, comes a motivational and inspiring speech by the eccentric Fox, himself! This was written because at the time, I learned that many people were going through hard, struggling, challenging times in their lives…And I want to let them know that they aren’t alone. Life, is completely unpredictable. And with that it also gives us challenges that aren’t meant to hurt you. No. They are simply there to make you much more stronger as a person. We all make mistakes in life, but that’s the beauty of it in the end isn’t it? That’s what makes us all human! Always have joy in the things that make you happy!

Credit to all of the Digital Artists, who illustrated these pieces of art and have allowed me to use their characters for this blog goes to: Moozen, for calling me to use your characters for fun!

In the far distance of the town, where the motion horizon and the sky meet, a long stretch of road ran right down in the middle and it seemed like it would stretch on forever into the distance.

Suddenly, there came a loud series of rattling and rumblings from the engine of a car. In that moment, what seemed like only a blur from the truck of the sunlight, a faint little red object was coming up close. And it started to get bigger…And bigger…and bigger. Until finally, the red blurry object was that of a 1958 four-door Plymouth Fury!

Its body was a brilliant, polished-red color, with solid, and rather whimsical (and yet rather playful in its appearance) red-and-white stripped roof, with white wall tires, and a white license plate; with red-and-white striped boarder, with the play name spelling out MR FOX’N’HAT.

The ‘58 fury’s dual twin headlights glowed a brilliant purple, and the ending rumbled stocky, as it drove closer. Its body radiated from the heat of the afternoon sun bathing down onto the red glistening front hood of the car.

The drivers side door swung open, and a faded, blackish brown boot came out from within—and rested upon, gently, onto the concrete.

A figure emerged from within the car, and it was a reddish-orange fox, with glistening blue eyes.

On his head was a black top on his head, a brilliant smile on his face, and brown leather goggles: with blue-colored lenses. The fox wore a beautiful and rather vibrant plum-colored velvet tailcoat, a huge chocolate-colored bow tie: with multicolored spots, a golden waistcoat; with a silver waistcoat chain, and on his hands were an elegant pair of pearly gray gloves. His pants were greenish-black, with faded brown boots that now looked black with age.

In one of the fox’s hands, he carried a black walking cane—and from within the glass, there were thousands of little pieces of colorful candy! What was extraordinary about this fox, was what he had not simply just one…but two tails!

The fox leaned on the top of his cane, extricating all of his weight, calmly, against the cane while having no a rather elegant, eccentric, and whimsical showman-like elegance to him. He reached up with his free hand, gripped the brim of his black top hat, and tipped it to the unseen invisible crowd who was watching him intently. He opened his mouth to speak….Suddenly, he forgot what he wanted to say. So, quick as the energetic fox he was, he reached back into the car.

He reached in through the window of the car door, while resting his left hand on the window as he searched for what he needed.

After a few moments of rummaging around in the car, he pulled himself back out with a clipboard in hand and began to quickly read over the contents of what was written over it, quickly.

Then, he tsk-tsked to himself. Suddenly, he threw away the clipboard as if he was annoyed with having to memorize something, when he had already knew what he had wanted to say at heart the whole time. He closed the car door shut, then turned back around to face the audience, with a smile. And yet, there was a sense of seriousness and understanding in those eyes of his.

It was as if what he wanted to say had heart, emotion, and a deep understanding.

“Hello…My name’s Miles Ash Fox. I am a writer, who often writes dark-fantasy children’s stories, with a whimsical sense of storytelling and imagination. Quite often, I hear a lot of people who praise my work as a writer and the ability to entertain those, who read the stories I tell.”

A smile grew deeply on the fox’s face, and his two tails began to swish softly.

“A very good friend of mine, whom you all know as, Moozen, is one of the curators of this app. I was talking to him one day, when he told me this: ‘Honestly, you're one of the best writers I’ve seen, I have a hard time finding a story I enjoy reading and yours have always been captivating! Its hell finding a book, so sometimes I wish that I could just slap ya post into a massive book i could read. I read on my tablet sometimes, so I have to open amino there for when i wanna read ya stories.’

And what such a beautiful thing he said. It made me feel absolutely delighted to hear, that he enjoyed my stories a lot, which is huge thing to hear in the writing world: when someone you know likes the work that you do!

According to another friend of mine, Moozen, when he said this: “I look up to Fran’s ability to create so many wonderful OC’s, and want to try my hardest, I look up to HappyBear’s and Miles Fox’s writing skills. And holly shit do I wanna write like them.” This just goes to show you, that when you are good at something, it can lead to inspiring a lot of people to want to follow in your footsteps and want to become as good of what you are able to do.

Such as if you see an artist or a creative individual—a really, really good artist for example, and they are able to create a really good work of art…or even a story for instance that leaves you enthralled. Chances are they will become inspired and motivated by them, to become an artist to lean how to draw, write, or film just like them. In their own unique, creative way!

One of my aspirations and goals, is to encourage people: children and adults, to grow a deep love for reading! Because, as Roald Dahl and Dr. Seuss once said, “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you. Because, the greatest secrets are always hidden, in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic, will never find it.” (Roald Dahl)

“To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world!” (Dr. Seuss)

Miles Fox turned to look around for a moment, then he turned his head back, facing the view of the sunset in the horizon.

“You know…it never really occurred to me,” Miles Fox said, “that as we are going through life: always with grace and a careful step by step, we never realize how short it really is. And I think, that that is the real beauty of life—that you were born with a purpose, your own destiny, dreams, and your own path for which you choose.”

He took a deep breath, cleared his throat. His eyes began to twinkle in the sun. A smile began to grow again on his face. As if whatever he was thinking about seemed very inspiring, motivational, and insightful popped into his mind.

“Always believe in yourself, when others don’t. You are capable of achieving many wondrous things,” Miles Fox said softly, and began to slowly pace around with his walking cane, “and it all comes down to having confidence in yourself. “When people say you that you can’t do it. It is often a result of that person, who gave up on their dreams. Because they were afraid of setbacks, and they were scared of being challenged.”

Miles then began to make a series of X-crossing motions with his arms, as if emphasizing his point about not having fear.

“Never fear failure. It’s what helps us grow as a person—to make us more stronger at what we believe is right. If you get a chance, take it!” Miles’s eyes glistened brightly, and he made a Can-Do fist with his hand. “If it changes your life, let it,” he said, and he made a final, sideways hand gesture next. “Nobody said that life would be easy….” He slowly shook his head, but then he looked back up, with a look of positivity, motivation, and hope: “They just promised that it would be worth it….!”

Miles turned his head to look at the enger side of his car, and noticed Gregory, whom was sitting patiently in the enger seat. He was busy playing games on his handheld console, and didn’t take the slightest notice of the fox, when Miles had called his name.

Without waiting for a response, Miles turned his head back to face the “invisible audience” that he was supposedly giving a pep talk, or a motivational, and inspiring speech to. In that moment, bored from his game, Gregory put down the game he’d had been playing—which was a Sonic the Hedgehog game—opened up the enger side door, stepped out, and walked up next to beside Miles Fox.

“Who are you talking to, Miles?” Gregory asked.

Miles looked down at Gregory, with a calm smile on his face. He then pointed a gloved hand at the direction he was looking at, “Why, I’m talking to the audience and people, who are seeing this post. I’m being recorded on camera, by a few friends of mine: Maxey Cottontail—whom you’ve already met, Moozen, and I have written out a scripted dialogue for this recording session!”

Then, swiftly, Miles added, “Another few people whom you may not know, are Cheddar Mouse and Rennick the Opposum,” he waved a hand at the yellow-colored mouse, and lightish-brown opossum, who were standing behind the camera and recording with Maxey Cottontail.

Standing next beside Maxey Cottontail, was a tall, brown monkey. He wore a brilliant green buttoned vest, a matching green bow tie, and a yellow towel hanging around his waist, and his eyes…His eyes were gleaming and shingling with a brilliant green color. In his hands were little, colorful martini umbrellas, and in the other hand, there was a plate with martini glasses with drinks being filled up from the tips of the monkey’s fingers.

His long brown tail helped the large plate, as he was filling up the drinks.

Miles Fox then took a moment to collect himself, before he began to speak a few words while still feeling very Singh, inspiring, and above all motivational. “Life is a delicate, precious, and fleeting moment,” Miles Fox began calmly, “and you should make the most of it: by surrounding yourself with the people who love, , and embrace you for who you are.

“There will be resilience in the face of challenges that come your way, and everything that happens to you has always has a reason—even if it may not make sense in the moment.”

He leaned elegantly on his cane, as he spoke calmly with the speech memorized by heart. “Ultimately, you should be brave—because, being brave does not mean that you aren’t scared. You should face the difficult times with courage, and to embrace change as an opportunity for growth, and self-improvement. It all reminds us that life is precious, and that we should cherish the moments we have with the people we love us for who we are and will continue to us through our journeys.

“And I often think, that when you make the most of your life, by following your dreams—you should also embrace what makes you both unique, different, and interesting. Because…why should people who were born to stand out, be forced to stand in? It’s better to stand out—and to be far more unique, interesting, and creative than to stand it with the rest of the normal crowd. Being different is ok. You should embrace what makes you different and unique and hold it with all your heart. Those who mind what you say, don’t matter. But those who matter to you, don’t mind.”

The yellow-colored mouse standing behind the camera, was named Cheddar Mouse. His nickname was “Checkers,” which was given to him by his boyfriend named Rennick the Opossum. Cheddar’s fur was yellow-colored, on the white part of his face there were light pink freckles, and on the yellow parts of his body.

They were orange-colored, with red swirls on his cheeks! He stood about eight-feet tall!

Cheddar’s hair was messy—but often fluffy orange hair—and a big, orange nose with three black whiskers on each side of his muzzle.

The mouse’s eyes were big, crimson red eyes, and a perpetual big smile on his face.

Cheddar has no claws neither on his hands, nor on his feet. His build consisted of a triangular build: average toned, with a long, worm-like mouse’s tail.

“Cheddar, here,” Miles Fox said, introducing Gregory to the mouse, “is a rather fantastic mechanic, who owns a 1989 Honda Civic Si, and his love for his car stems to his mechanic and engineering outfit. Which just goes to show you, Gregory,” Miles Fox continued. “You never will stop learning new things even once you do finish school and graduate on the top of your class!”

Cheddar Mouse’s outfit consisted of faded, reddish-brown work pants, with leather brown belt straps along the legs with gold buckles, and a pair of dark brown ankle-high boots, with two buckle belt straps, with gold buckles.

Along his waist was a dark-brown belt with a gold buckle, and one long, singular, brown suspender strap on his left shoulder—which is seen to be holding up his work pants.

Tied around his neck, neatly, was a beautiful white-and-black checkered racing flag bandana! On the bottom of his boots, there were what appeared to be steel-claw toed boots, with his paw print on the bottom soul of the boots!

On his head, he wore a racing flag white-and-black checkered bandana cap turned backwards on his head. On his ears there were gold earrings on his two ears, and on his right hand: on his ring finger, there was a beautiful wedding ring.

It had small, blue-colored diamonds around it. Around his neck there was a red-colored collar around his neck, along with his bandana, with a gold tag; with a heart in the middle!

As Miles Fox was talking to Gregory, he happened to look closer at the bandana, and noticed a transgender flag as a part of the pattern detailing on the racing checkered bandana.

Cheddar had lots of lightish-pink and orange freckles, that were spread around his body.

On the mouse’s yellow cheeks; there were large, red-colored swirls that gave a playful, whimsical detail. But, something unbeknownst to Gregory, was that across the mouse’s back—which was kept hidden by the clothing that he wore—were five huge orange-colored stars cross markings across the rodent’s back.

Standing next beside the mouse, there was a six-foot tall male opossum. Its fur was light brown, with wavy kept lightish pink hair, brown ears (which resembled those of a mix between a mouse and the opossum’s), and a long worm-like tail with pink stripes running along its full length.

His paws were matching brown, with a circular blue paw pad, blue nails and toenails.

On his shoulders and body were dark brown freckles scattered about, and on his cream-white chest were light pink freckles, as well on his cheeks, a large pink nose, light blue eyes.

And, most astonishing of all…there were star-shaped markings on his thighs and on his back. They were both animatronics, but also sentient robots that could eat, breathe, and have human emotions just like the Glamrock animatronics! His name was Rennick the Opossum!

Behind them parked in the corner, sitting beside them silently, was a 1989 Honda Civic Si.

It was a beautiful red-colored Honda, with two doors, a small rectangular sunroof window, and hanging from the rear view mirror—there are a couple of stuffed red-and-white spotted playing dice hanging below as a neat decoration.

The license plate was a New York, Empire State, license plate: with blue-and-yellow, with blue lettering: MUF.2001 Empire State.

On back of the car, located on the rear windshield, there are several stickers which are furry trans-flag paw, a Nonbinary flag paw, a sticker of Cheddar Mouse and his husband Jasper Fox aka Fennick the Opossum and the flag of Australia! Which was where the mouse and opossum were created in.

Both Cheddar Mouse and Fennick Opossum were a happy, little married couple.

“One of my aspirations and goals,” Miles Fox said calmly, the camera, “is to encourage people to grow a deep love for reading! Because reading shouldn’t be a boring, frivolous, daunting task. No. It should be something fun, entertaining, imaginative, and enjoyable for the reader!”

Both Cheddar, Rennick, Moozen, and Maxey nodded their heads in a silent agreement to this.

“I look up to you as a writer,” Moozen spoke up at this statement about reading. “I’ve always loved writing and I look up to you a lot, you're an amazing, fun, sweet writer, make incredible captivating stories that never seize to amaze me.

You definitely inspire people to love reading with each and every one of your stories!”

Miles Fox nodded slowly, listening with contempt. “Exactly! Because, like what Dr. Seuss once said, ‘You can find magic wherever you look. So sit back and relax, all you need is a book.’”

“What Moozen had told me when we were chatting a day or two ago, he told me that my stories felt readable. Like that the writing is just right for everyone and anyone who wants to read them. His mom according to Moozen—struggles with english…she was able to read my stories without hassle and loves them, too!”

“Both me and Moozen believe, and we both agree, that people often have made reading feel more like a chore, instead of it being fun. When it should always be for fun,enjoyment, and should also be able to entertain you: by taking you to other whimsical, imaginative, and fun world.

That, more than anything, is what made Moozen fall in love with my writing: because he felt like he was somewhere else entirely. An escape from reality, it’s something so beautiful!”

Miles Fox smiled at the heartfelt message, that which Moozen had told to him. Then, the fox smiled. “Many authors have entertained a lot of children over the years, “Miles Fox explained. “And not quite so many of them, have left an impression and a lasting mark on children than what Dr. Seuss had done for the literary world.

He changed the way how children's books were written, and he wanted to encourage people—children specially, to love reading.

“Roald Dahl; Neil Gaiman; James Howe; Henry Selick; Tim Burton—Well, he wasn’t a writer, but he was a filmmaker so that’s till counts as being a writer, Wes Anderson and many others agreed with the sentiment about reading for children, and all ages alike to all grow to love it…than to hate it.”

Rennick the Opossum held the microphone close to his mouth, and said, “Where do you get your idea for your stores, and why do you think that it is ever more crucial and important for people—especially children to love reading more?” Rennick took a breath, then added. “Is there a certain market that you write stories for, or do you go off on a complete whim, with what you want?”

Miles Fox pondered on what he had asked him.

It was a whole three or for minutes, before he finally gave an answer. “I believe that there is no ‘market’ for writing’” Miles Fox stated, “there is only you at the desk when you are writing. The only voice that you have when you’re writing; is only your voice at first.” Miles Fox continued, taking a breath. “But, when you begin editing your work, it is genuinely helpful to have that door open.

“To a few of your friends whom you trust a lot, to read over what you wrote. And so they can give helpful tips and pointers, to see if the message that you talked about, is both clear and understanding for the readers.”

Miles Ash Fox then began to slowly pace around his car, while coming up with his second answer to where he gets his ideas from. When, until finally, he hand an answer. “I get ideas for my books by either reading other author’s works, movies that I’ve seen which inspired me, or simply things that I see in my personal life…And…I even get ideas and inspiration from dreams that I have.” Miles Fox pondered a little bit, before continuing on. “Being a writer means that you allow yourself to go beyond the boundaries of imagination, and you allow yourself to go full-on crazy with any crazy, imagine or even whimsical ideas that make you chuckle, laugh, or even catch your attention.

“A great writer named Roald Dahl, Tim Burton, Neil Gaiman, and Dr. Seuss once said their ideas about writing and how they get their ideas.”

Miles Fox walked around his car, and then rested a pearly gray gloved hand against the hood of his car. “I think that being a writer; means that you write stories about things you feel, and you write stories with what you—as the creative individual—want to see.” The two-tailed Fox continued his speech. “And, if I may be quite honest to all of you, it is this simple fact that should be taken deeply with honesty and seriousness.

“Children’s books aren’t what adults view them as. They are far more adult than what they are willing to give credit for,” Miles explained calmly. “They are stories that children and adults, often read even to this day. They are the stories that stick with us for far, far longer when others slowly begin to fade away from our memories. We will never ever forget them—even if we tried our best to try and attempt to forget about them, even when those attempts would be futile. And for good reason!”

Cheddar Mouse; Rennick Opossum; Maxi Cottontail; Moozen, and Gregory all watched in amazement as Miles began to speak with such heartfelt emotion, dedication, knowledge, and ion about the importance of children’s books and early childhood literature.

“What’s so important about children’s books, is that they are capable of teaching children tough lessons about life: how it is scary, dark, and when they are constantly reading those things that make them uncomfortable; it makes them more stronger and more prepared for what life has prepared to throw at them later in their lives.”

He then began to do a series of air quotes with his fingers, emphasizing the point with “simple kids books,” as he said, “The job of children’s books is to help shape those child’s childhoods—through well thought out writing, imaginative illustrations, and above all…endearing morals. While also being filled with whimsical, fun, and imaginative entertainment for all ages!”

Miles Fox turned to look down at Gregory, then back at Cheddar Mouse; Rennick; Moozen; and the other people in the camera. “Reading shouldn’t be something that bores the children! It should be something fun, entertaining, imaginative, and sometimes even downright scary. So that it can teach them real life moral lessons; so that when they are grown up, it makes it a much more harder of a challenge for society to chew them up and to be spat back out. “Knowing that hard struggles exist by learning about them through reading children’s books that are dark and scary, helps prepare them so that when they inevitably slip and fall.

It won’t hurt them as harsh as it normally would, so that they are able to help pick themselves back up again. I don’t write stories to bore children.

I write stories that both entertain them, and so that they can have fun with loving to read books again! Good art doesn’t come from uptight men in suits, and focus groups….,” Miles Fox shook his head. “It comes from people who share how they see things, in their own unique way…!” He then placed a hand to his chest, when he said how good art comes from people who have a unique way of seeing things in their own way.

Reading should be a fun, imaginative, entertaining, and whimsical and magical experience! And that, more than anything, makes it worth while to know that your stories have influenced and inspired people to follow in your footsteps.” When Miles Fox finally finished his long speech about writing, they all cheered and clapped at the brilliant speech that had come straight from the eccentric Fox’s heart.

“That is the truest, sweetest thing I’ve ever heard,” Moozen said, smiling with tears in his eyes.

Rennick the Opossum looked up from the camera, then asked, “Is there anything else that we should like to know about what you’re working on next, Mr. Miles Fox?”

The two-tailed fox, Miles, turned to look over his shoulder at the brown opossum, then he answered, “Well, there is a story that I’ve been working on for some time. It’s called Button Eyes. It’s a story about a little girl named Susie Davies, who moves into this huge, old mansion—which had been turned into apartments, and there are odd, strange neighbors who live in the apartments in the basement and attic as well.” Miles then walked over to the drivers side door of his 1958 Plymouth Fury, opened the door, and reached inside for something.

It wasn’t too long when he came back out, holding a plushie that was exactly like Miles Fox: black top hat, plum-colored velvet tailcoat, pearly gray gloves, black greenish pants, longish tails that curled up at the ends, and a walking cane. However, the most peculiar thing, was that there were blue-colored buttons for eyes!

“If you aren’t aware,” Miles Fox stated, “is that in the story Button Eyes—which is based on Neil Gaiman’s book Coraline, and Henry Selick’s film adaptation of the same name, there is a doll that was stitched and created by the Other Mother. Which she uses to spy on Susie’s life.”

He then put down the glass jar, which was filled to the brim with black buttons, and held up the plushie doll of himself for everyone to see. “I’ve been doing some reading,” Miles said calmly. “That there is a word…for fear of buttons.

“It is called Koumpounophobia—Which is a word for fear of buttons. The word may sound strange to you,” Miles Ash Fox explained. “Because, it’s not a very common fear for people. It’s a word that does not get used that much, cause that type of phobia isn’t common.”

Miles Fox then carefully gave the stuffed doll plushie to Gregory, then he turned around, picked up the jar of buttons, the turned back around. “I mean buttons aren’t that scary. They are simply little plastic discs, with holes drilled into them, so that they can be sewn and attached onto a piece of clothing so that they wouldn’t open, or be used as a pair of eyes for dolls.”

Cheddar Mouse and Rennick Opossum looked down at the stuffed doll that Gregory was now holding in his hands, had blue-colored buttons for the dolls eyes instead of plastic beady eyes. Somehow, the idea for buttons being used for eyes didn’t entirely scare them…but it did certainly leave a chill down both of their spines.

“Buttons aren’t everywhere,” Miles Fox stated.

He then he held up a part of his plum-colored velvet tailcoat, showing one of the buttons on it. “Look, there’s a few buttons on my coat! People who are afraid of buttons—that I at least assume—must be living terrible, frightening lives. Because you can never truly get away from them. Buttons and button-eyed things are everywhere.”

Miles—as he was still holding the jar of buttons—carefully poured out a handful of black buttons into his paw, and he inspected them, closely. “When children are very little, they are often given dolls with buttons for eyes back many, many years ago. And they would use black buttons for eyes. So, what’s to be so frightened about it? Well, perhaps the reason is that maybe when those tiny handful of Koumpounophobes out there see buttons…They get a horrible, frighting sensation. And a chill down their backs.”

Miles then put the black buttons back into the jar, held only two in his hand, and he carefully set the glass jar back down on the hood of the car safely.

Then, he held up the two back buttons: one in each hand as he examined them up, closely.

He then calmly chuckled to himself, as if it was nothing more than a simple game to him….

“And that would be irrational, isn’t it,” Miles Fox asked, as he held up the two black buttons in his eyes. Then, as he began to speak; he held the buttons up—and what seemed to scare them all—was that the buttons had entirely hidden Miles Fox’s own eyes. What they saw had sent chills down their spines.

Miles Fox’s REAL eyes were GONE! And in their place, were a pair of big, black buttons! “And that’s irrational, isn’t it? To be scared…of buttons?” A big, sinister-looking smile then grew upon the fox’s face, as the big, black button eyes stared directly at them. Suddenly, the clouds above them in the sky seemed to grow ominous and dark, and as if it was waiting to do so, a series of rumbling thunder and lighting crackled and rumbled in the distance!

Gregory; Cheddar Mouse; Moozen; and Rennick were all startled by the thunder, but were even more frightened at the sight of the black, polished, black buttons that hovered—covering in darkness and blackness—over Miles’s face!