Today we’d like to introduce you to Portia Smith.
Portia, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My love and passion for crisis counseling and family wellness led me to pursue my dreams of becoming a children’s book author. My desire is to help build self-confidence and self-esteem within children at an early age. I attended Fort Valley State University and obtained a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and Case Management. I am a Licensed Counselor, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, and a Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor. I have over 13 years of experience within the mental health field and specialize in crisis counseling and suicide prevention/intervention.
I have always enjoyed writing and creating stories since I first learned to put words together into sentences. When I was a little girl, I wrote everything: poems, songs, raps, movies, stories. However, it wasn’t until 2015, when I suddenly lost my husband, that I desired to put my stories into books. I begin to write about my feelings and used positive self-affirmations to get me through most days. From there, I begin jotting down notes for potential children’s books about affirmations. I strongly believe that learning positive self-talk at an early age can encourage children to develop a growth mindset, self-confidence, and coping skills to train their brains to think more positively. I took my desire to write more children’s books and created Imagine Me, Creative Book Publishing. Our website is www.imaginemecbp.com.
I am also the owner of Perfectly Payten, an online hair accessory store for little girls. We specialize in creating custom hair accessories to fit every need. Our website is www.perfectlypayten.com.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Nothing is perfect. I have definitely had my share of ups and downs along the way. The challenges of coping with the loss of a love one and raising two children with disabilities alone has been a struggle at times. However, I’m grateful for my support system. Without the love and support from my friends and family, I would have been unable to make it this far.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Imagine Me, Creative Book Publishing was created in 2019. Our mission is to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors diversity in the lives of all young people. We value our role in children’s lives, and we are committed to:
Publishing books featuring diverse characters, written by authors with diverse identities.
Produce valuable content that empowers, uplifts, inspires, and promotes confidence.
Support and encourage emerging authors.
Our dedication to our children and bringing their dreams to reality is a labor of love.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I honestly would not do anything differently. Every experience that I have had within my life has prepared me for this moment. I am grateful for all the ups and downs because it made me into the person I am today, and from those experiences, I created my brand.
Pricing:
- I Know Who I Am: The ABCs of Positive Self-Affirmations for Children, book, $17.99, available online at Amazon, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, and www.imaginemecbp.com
- Self-Affirming Children’s Planner Stickers starting at $2.99+
- Self-Affirming Children’s Bookmarks starting at $3.99
Contact Info:
- Website: www.imaginemecbp.com
- Email: imaginemecbp@gmail.com
- Instagram: @portias_bookshelf, @imagineme__cbp
Image Credit:
P. Lawrence
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