If you’d told me in my 20s that I’d end up writing books, I probably would have laughed. Honestly, even in my early 30s, it never crossed my mind. Becoming an author was just not something I thought I’d be capable of.
I’ve never considered myself “good with words.” Sometimes the way I talk doesn’t quite come out how I mean it. Add in dyslexia and ADHD, and the idea of writing a book felt pretty impossible.
So, how did I end up five books deep into self-publishing?
It All Started With My Son
The truth is, my son was the reason I started writing. He was six at the time and, like me, struggles with reading and writing. I was always looking for ways to help him with learning.
But here’s the thing—he has always loved my stories. Whether we were sitting in the car waiting for my husband, or winding down before bed, he’d ask me to tell him a story about… well, anything. His toys. Something he saw that day. A ladybird on a leaf. Whatever came to mind, he wanted a story for it.
And I could always come up with something. Storytelling felt natural to me. Honestly, I’ve always had a wild imagination.
That’s when I started thinking: if he was struggling with reading, surely other kids were too. Especially the athletes I’ve coached over the years—I’ve seen so many kids with different learning difficulties. So why not make books that combined both worlds: something fun to read and connected to their sport—cheerleading?
Looking for Books That Weren’t There
I went searching to see if anything like that already existed. Were there cheerleading picture books for kids around 5–8 years old? Something short, colourful, easy to read, that could double as a bedtime story?
The answer was no.
There are a couple of chapter books for older kids, but compared to other sports, cheerleading doesn’t have much at all. That made me want to do it even more.
So I thought—okay, I’ll just try one. Just write one book. Something fun, something a child would love because it was about their favourite sport, and maybe something that could even encourage a struggling reader to pick it up.
And that’s how it started.
From “Just One Book” to Five (and Counting)
I wrote the first story, read it to my son, and he loved it. He told me I should publish it. That gave me the push I needed. Fast-forward two years, and here I am with five published books and working on the next one.
I still wouldn’t call myself a “writer” in the traditional sense, I think story teller suits me better. I do have an editor, and an illustrator, and friends who read the drafts before I publish them. I also send stories to gym owners and young athletes to make sure they sound right for that age group. But the heart of it—the imagination, the stories—that part is mine.
Storytelling Runs in the Family
Looking back, I think storytelling is in my blood.
My granddad used to tell my cousin and me stories about “Little Tommy Tucker,” a boy who lived on a farm. He was endlessly creative—woodwork, drawings, building toys in his shed. My dad’s the same, dramatic and full of flair when he tells a story.
I even named a character “Eric” in one of my books as a little nod to my granddad.
Why It Matters to Me
For me, these books are about more than cheerleading. They’re about giving kids something fun to read, something they connect with, and maybe even something that makes reading feel less scary if they struggle like I did.
But it’s also about showing that you don’t have to put limits on yourself. Growing up, I was painfully shy. I struggled in school. I wasn’t the kid anyone would have picked to run businesses, coach teams, or publish books.
Yet here I am.
So if there’s something you feel like trying—even if it feels completely out of reach—I honestly think you should go for it. You never know where it will take you.
Thanks for sticking with me until the end of this chapter.
Allison xx
