The Beginning of Saving Times Press

You can run…but you can’t hide. I’ve loved books and teaching all of my life. I feel sorry for the bears and dollies that were my first students. However, those benevolent listeners provided a captive audience and helped me hone my craft. After raising 3 caring, responsible, and creative children, I set off to fulfill my lifelong dream of teaching. I call myself a born again teacher because I came to the game late in life. However, I made hay while I had the chance and a captive audience. I ran a creative classroom based on my theory that hands on creation processes learning into a students long term memory. I and my students had some great times writing books, making movies, and learning how to do research. My students mastered their subjects and were very successful academically as well.

I have always loved libraries, but I never thought I would be a librarian. An unexpected life change led me to pursue a masters degree in library science and I was able to infect an entire school with my maker mentality. It was heaven and if life hadn’t intervened I would still be making a mess in the library and having a great time with my charges. Unfortunately, people grow old and that is what my parents did. They had retired to the West Indies after years of service in England, Canada, and the United States. So, when my parents both fell ill, it was time for me to assume the roll of caregiver. I knew it would come for me one day, so I had prepared. I had traveled the world, downsized my home, and visited them for longer time periods. Even so retirement came earlier than I thought it would by way of a call in the middle of the night.. So, I packed up my house and moved in with my folks in Jamaica. I guess my mom was just waiting for me to get home and she passed away within two weeks of my arrival.

So, I bet you are wondering what in the world does this have to do with coloring books. Well, I have been making books, and teaching others how to make books my whole life. I had a million ideas and self published with my kids for over 15 years. Finally, time and technology matched up. I now had the time and the technology made it possible for me to self produce my own storybooks and activity books. I always used coloring books in my library. Color time helped students learn to calm themselves as well as express themselves in color. I also love a good story. That is where Struggles the Bear and more characters have entered my creations pairing coloring with bookmaking. Saving Times Press is my way of creating materials and experiences that teach, inspire, delight, and sometimes heal.