During Sabrina Runyon’s first year as a doctoral student, she attended a residency in Nashville, Tennessee where participants had to introduce themselves in a unique way. She chose to write a poem, which she called “The Little Girl Who Only Had One Book”.
“It was about my childhood. We were poor, and my mom said I didn’t have any books until someone gave her one for me,” Sabrina says. “I wrote the poem about my life, and ended it with ‘and now, stands before you, a doctor to be.’”
Dream Big, and Do Bigger!
After Sabrina introduced herself, she says, the room was silent for a moment, and multiple folks in attendance told her she needed to do something with what she’d written. She didn’t think too much about it, until she went to a West Virginia Reading Conference, where she talked to another West Virginia author, who encouraged her to reach out to a publisher. “I adapted my poem into a book, got an illustrator, and sent it to Headline Publishing, and they accepted. Both my illustrator and my publisher are women from West Virginia.”
Since the publication of Sabrina’s Book, she’s expanded into a series called The Sabrina Series. “The second book, Kindergarten Kapers, is about kindergarten. All of the content is true,” Sabrina says.
We’re happy to report her books have been a success! Sabrina’s Book won Creative Child Magazine’s Book of the Year Award in 2019, and she achieved a variety of other accolades. Kindergarten Kapers has also been a success, winning multiple awards, such as the Silver Mom’s Choice Award, and the Los Angeles Book Festival Winner for Sequels.
Sabrina loves getting to tell her story. “I enjoy telling my story and inspiring children and adults,” she says. “It doesn’t matter where you were born, or who your parents are, you determine your future. I want students to know they can be anything they want to be. If they can read about it, they can become it. My motto that I write to people who buy my books is -dream big and then DO BIGGER!”
Outside of being an author, Sabrina is a busy woman. She has a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership, and she’s the Director of Early Learning Programs for Mingo County, West Virginia Schools. She’s been in education for 30 years, and she’s also the CEO of her own small business called Health Coach Sabrina Runyon. She is also a wife, mother, and mamaw, and always makes sure to take the time to celebrate her Christian faith.
Want to check out Sabrina’s books for the kids in your life? Follow Sabrina Runyon Books on Facebook to check out what she has available and to keep up with the Sabrina series.
Photos from Sabrina Runyon Books Facebook page.