Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Catrina.
Dr. Catrina, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Visionary releases a children’s book about Family Healing and Growth Amid Global Pandemic and Nationwide Turmoil. I developed a love for storytelling from a young age. Fortunately, this affinity stayed with me through many challenging experiences as I grew older. Surviving these obstacles inspired me to encourage others to heal, discover purpose and create and honor the gift of legacy. This led me to pen a memoir titled “Breaking the Chains: From Hurting to Healing” at 39 years old. While I admit that I was a bit nervous to tell my story, I’m glad I did. It was liberating for both myself and the readers. I also produced a stage play, filmed a documentary and wrote a sequel based on the initial narrative. Since then, I’ve been created several literary works and started my own publishing company.
In the spirit of healing, the “Growing with Grace” children’s book series was born out of my efforts to help my youngest son deal the loss my grandparents. Little did I know, my own grief had not been processed. Losing my great-grandmother was hard, but I managed to adapt and survive that loss because I was focused on college at the time. Now that I’m older and the generation of family elders that raised me is starting to transition, like my grandparents and great-uncle, the losses hit me like a ton of bricks. Their passings were a large source of grief, close in proximity to one another, and much harder to deal with. I started writing “Growing With Grace” with the idea of providing my son the tools that he needed to cope with grief in a healthy way. It also became a cathartic exercise for me. I had no idea it would eventually become a series supporting grieving families during these unprecedented times.
Has it been a smooth road?
There have been a few bumps on our journey thus far. Grief is a painful topic, with few resources available to serve as a starting point. When we lost my grandfather, I started reflecting on how to have discussions about death and grieving with my youngest son. I searched for resources, like children’s books that dealt with the subject, and found next to nothing. Then we lost my grandmother and I knew I had to write this book. I initially thought I was writing it for him, but I eventually realized I was writing it for the hurting little girl in me that missed the woman that primarily raised her.
We originally planned to publish one book. However, there was so much to unpack as we started working through it, that we quickly realized it would need to be a series. This forced us to take a step back to identify how to portion and sequence the story in a way that not only made sense but also engaged readers as they journeyed through the grieving process with Grace. Wanting to do things right, my team delayed the project a couple of times with these factors in mind.
We’d love to hear more about Growing With Grace Enterprises.
Growing With Grace Enterprises was founded to support the development of the children’s book series, which follows the life of a young girl named Grace and her family as they endure the painful experience of losing a loved one. The intent of this series is to provide a common framework for children and adults to discuss coping mechanisms for grief, ultimately leading to healing in families. We hope Grace’s story opens the door for children to feel comfortable speaking with the adults in their lives about the grief they are suffering through, rather than acting out or slipping into depression. By providing tools that aren’t commonly accessible for children processing grief, we aspire to help them work through those feelings and properly integrate them into their lives for present and future circumstances.
The second and third volumes of the “Growing With Grace” series will be released in Fall 2020. In addition to the new books, we have some very exciting offerings on the horizon this year. We are proud to announce the addition of several new items to our “Growing With Grace” product line, including cosmetics, apparel, backpacks, luxury subscription boxes, technology, and much more. We’d also like to inform returning and prospective members of the Growing With Grace family that we proudly support the H.O.P.E. Legacy Foundation under the Center Of Empowerment For Families & Youth, Inc. with all book and product proceeds. The book is available in Spanish and English.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Dallas is a large metroplex, ripe with business opportunities across various markets. There is a rich culture here that supports the Arts in all of its forms, including literature. Aspiring authors have the opportunity to access some exceptional resources, but I believe that we could take things a step further by highlighting the Arts in schools, community programs, and governmental programs and policies. Of course, science, technology, engineering, and math are valuable areas of study. However, incorporating the Arts will not only add balance to these areas but also cultivate diversity in our upcoming leaders and entrepreneurs.
Pricing:
- Growing With Grace: The Importance Of Family Traditions Volume 1 – $12.99
Contact Info:
- Website: www.growingwithgrace.biz
- Phone: 225-308-1263
- Email: info@growingwithgrace.biz
- Instagram: @growingwithgrace05
- Facebook: @growingwithgrace
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