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Meet the Chocolate Muse™
Who's the Woman Behind Chocolate City?
Before there was Chocolate City, there was simply a little girl who believed there had to be more. More wonder. More kindness. More beauty. More meaning. She grew into a woman who never stopped asking questions, never stopped imagining what was possible, and never lost her belief that even the smallest moments could change a life.
I'm Sherry Hawkins, founder of Velah & Co., author of The Chronicles of Chocolate City, and the voice behind The Chocolate Muse. What began as a lifelong love of chocolate slowly grew into something much greater: a vision of a world where storytelling, handcrafted chocolate, botanical wisdom, and meaningful connection could exist together.
Chocolate City was born from that vision. It's a place where every truffle carries a story, every ingredient is chosen with intention, and every tradition reminds us to nourish our Mind, Body, and Soul. It's my vision for bringing together the things I love most: creativity, nature, learning, hospitality, and the quiet belief that we all deserve moments of beauty in our everyday lives.
One day, these hands will no longer make the chocolate, write the stories, or welcome guests to Chocolate City. But my hope is that the dreams planted here will continue to grow for generations to come.
My hope has never been simply to sell chocolate or write books. It has always been to create experiences that encourage people to slow down, gather around the table, share meaningful conversations, and remember that wonder still exists. Whether you're enjoying a handcrafted truffle, reading a chapter from Chocolate City, listening to A Moment with the Muse™, or opening The Chocolate Letter™, my hope is that you leave feeling a little lighter, a little more hopeful, and reminded that the light has always been within you.
May your table always have room for one more chair, your heart always remain open to wonder, and your journey always be guided by the Light.
From my heart to yours... Akuli Kamma
Welcome to Chocolate City. Welcome home.
Sherry Hawkins
The Chocolate Muse™
Becoming Velah Academy™
Every meaningful journey begins long before we ever recognize it. It begins with a dream that refuses to leave us, a quiet voice that whispers there is something more we are meant to create. Becoming Velah Academy™ was born from that belief.
Created by entrepreneur, author, and founder Sherry Hawkins, the Academy is a place where imagination meets practical action. Drawing from decades of business experience, creativity, resilience, and a lifelong commitment to learning, the Academy was designed to help dreamers, creators, and aspiring entrepreneurs transform meaningful ideas into purposeful businesses and lasting legacies.
Through immersive business simulations, thoughtful guidance, and real-world strategies, you'll learn not only how to build a business, but why it matters. Here, success is measured by more than profit. It is measured by the lives you touch, the value you create, and the courage to build something that reflects your heart.
Whether you're taking your very first step or beginning again with renewed purpose, Becoming Velah Academy is a place to learn, create, grow, and discover that the life you've imagined may be closer than you think.
Dream it. Learn it. Create it. Live it.
Here's what the Academy Offers
Invite The Chocolate Muse™
Whether you're planning a bookstore event, library program, corporate gathering, women's retreat, school visit, or private chocolate experience, I'd be honored to create a memorable event for your audience.
For speaking availability, custom experiences, and event information, please contact:
Button: Invite The Chocolate Muse™
Every gathering tells a story...
Whether I'm welcoming guests to a bookstore for an author talk, hosting a handcrafted chocolate tasting, leading a conversation about entrepreneurship through Becoming Velah Academy, or sharing the world of Chocolate City with readers of all ages, my hope is always the same: to create an experience that leaves people feeling inspired, connected, and reminded that wonder still exists.
From book signings and Chocolate City truffle tastings to libraries, schools, women's organizations, festivals, corporate events, and intimate community gatherings, each presentation is thoughtfully tailored to create meaningful conversation, shared discovery, and memorable moments around the table.
Water to Root
A Book Club Ceremony
An intimate, in-home ritual for women's book clubs and circles held in your living room, your backyard, wherever your women already gather.
"Water to Root" is not a reading. It's a release.
The Muse comes into your home. Your women sit in a circle. At the center sits a bowl of water. Each woman writes what she is ready to release: a burden, a grief, a fear, a season that has ended, onto water-soluble paper.
One by one, the paper goes into the bowl. The words dissolve. What was written in ink becomes water again.
Then the circle moves outside, and the water is poured into the dirt, carrying what was written back to the earth, where it returned, dissolved, no longer carrying power over you.
What's included:
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A short reflection from The Chocolate Muse.
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The Water to Root ceremony, guided in full
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Water-soluble paper and pens for every guest
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A truffle pairing selected for the evening
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Time for the circle to share, if they choose to
Setting: Your Home, comfortable clothes
Group Size: Best for 6 - 10
Duration: Approximately 90 minutes
What to bring: An open heart with a willingness to release something.
Because the most meaningful experiences aren't measured by the number of people in the room, they're measured by the hearts that leave just a little more hopeful than when they arrived.
Invite The Chocolate Muse™
sherry@velahco.com
Until We Meet...
Whether you're here to read a story, build a dream, share a truffle, or simply pause for a moment, I'm grateful our paths have crossed. Thank you for visiting my little corner of the Cocoverse™.
Until we meet again...
Follow the Light,
Sherry Hawkins
The Chocolate Muse™
