Nationwide — There are many things in life people are known to “flip,” such as houses and property for an increased value. However, meet Dr. Linda J.M. Holloway, a Professor and Counselor Educator at Alabama State University who has found great pleasure in taking her journal article publications and flipping them into award-winning children’s books.This all started as a result of her academic research in the area of Black women’s mental wellness. In the midst of researching and learning knowledge concerning various topics, Dr. Holloway’s heart became very troubled as she pondered ideas of how to make an impact in young Black girls’ lives prior to them becoming an adult. This led her down the path of publishing children’s books as a way of speaking to young Black girls concerning many of the topics she had previously published academically including topics such as hair bullying, counseling, Sickle Cell Disease, sexual assault, and colorism.
Considering all the trauma surrounding these topics, Dr. Holloway wanted to make her books fun and very interactive. As a Counselor Educator, she knew all too well how painful and challenging it can be to address such topics. She is always interested in creating safe and brave places to have compassionate conversations surrounding difficult subjects.
In addition, Dr. Holloway also became inspired when she read the alarming statistics that 1 out of 3 children cannot read. By understanding the impact of mental health on children, coupled with the alarming statistics related to childhood literacy, she felt even more compelled to get her books out into the community, schools, and other youth organizations.
Dr. Holloway has published five books at this time, and she is in the process of completing three additional books. The title of her books includes: I Love My Happy Hair, Little Miss Linda Goes to Counseling, Little Miss Linda Speaks Out About Sickle Cell Disease, Little Miss Linda Speaks About Rape, and Little Miss Linda Speaks Out About Diversity.
All of her books are available for purchase on Amazon
About the author:
Dr. Linda J. M. Holloway is a Counselor Educator with 30 years of teaching experience in higher education. She is a retired Colonel of the United States Army Medical Services Corp where she served 27 years and completed 4 combat tours. Dr. Holloway has now embarked on a new phase of her life where she is an award-winning children’s book author. She refers to herself as a Story Activist that tells stories to give voice to the voiceless, the underserved and marginalized, and to inspire others to make a difference.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading a good book, watching a good movie, and doing absolutely nothing. Dr. Holloway’s philosophy on life is “Dream Your Own Dreams.” She says this because if you are not willing to dream your own dreams then nobody else can.
For press inquiries, contact lindahollowayspeak@gmail.com