Liberty Alumni Publishes a Book to Help Children Heal From Trauma

The “Buy Now” button finally appeared online next to the scarlet cover of “The Winter Elf” on Oct. 6. After years of writing, editing, promoting and waiting, Grace Anne is a published author. 

“Suddenly it just kind of hit me that this is a product,” Grace Anne said. “Someone I’ve never met before can buy this section of my soul and pour over it. It was kind of surreal.”

Grace Anne began writing at nine years old and at age 13 decided that she wanted to pursue her passion as a career. 

“That’s the ultimate person you answer to in terms of who you want to impress – I want to impress my childhood self,” Grace Anne said. “I’d be very excited and proud to see that if I was 10-year-old me looking at it.” 

Grace Anne, a recent graduate of Liberty’s psychology program, is the author of “The Winter Elf.” The book is both a fantasy story and a therapeutic tool, following a girl who is struggling in silence with her mother’s illness until an elf appears and teaches her the value of opening up about her pain. 

According to Grace Anne, the merging of psychology and fiction found within the pages of “The Winter Elf” is one of the most effective tools available for families and children.

“I’m grateful that a story that helps people process grief was able to be released during such a grievous time,” Grace Anne said.  

Grace Anne currently works as an applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapist, where she helps children with high functioning autism work on life-skills, particularly in the social and independency realm. She uses psychological practices to curb behavior to help the kids function better in society and deal with stressful situations, similar to what she does through her writing. 

The release of her book is not only a culmination of combing her love for psychology and writing, but a learning process of what it means to be a published author.

While Grace Anne already had years of writing experience under her belt, she needed to learn the business side of writing a book. 

“Write it, have fun, and if you want to publish it, are you sure? Because like I said, it’s all in,” Grace Anne said. “You don’t just sign over the book and wait to see how successful it is. If you don’t put in full time work every day on this, the results will let you know.”

But Grace Anne has a market eager for a book like hers. She said she has already heard back from counselors and grief facilities who have expressed excitement about the book.

And she has a few more stories up her sleeve.

“Right now I’m looking for a story that needs to be written, something that people need to hear,” Grace Anne said. “I think ABA is helping me discover a few of those things as I’m working with kids.” 

For now, Grace Anne is soaking in the delight of a childhood dream coming true. 

“It’s really exciting to be able to actually do it. Adulthood is the fulfillment of childhood in that as kids we spend our days pretending to be firefighters, teachers, etc., and as adults, we have the great blessing of being able to play real life,” Grace Anne said. “We don’t have to pretend that we’re anything anymore; we get to actually be those things. In my case, getting to play being a writer every day is a very unique blessing.” 

“The Winter Elf” can be purchased on Amazon by searching “The Winter Elf Grace Anne.”

More details about The Winter Elf can be found at thewinterelf.com.

Renee Farmer is a Feature Reporter. Follow her on Twitter at @reneefarmerr.