BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Depew native now has bragging rights for winning a global award for her first book.
Author, Cheryl Slebioda, recently won the "2021 Global Living Now Award" for her book Just Words Unless... A Kid's Guide to Creating a Kinder World.
Slebioda out-beat thousands of other global applicants.
She told 7ABC's Pheben Kassahun the award-winning book is meant to be an inspirational one for kids ages 8 up to young teens. She hopes readers and their parents can set a foundation of kindness and love in their homes, after reading the book.
"I would love to see parents, like at the end of the evening when they're tucking them into bed, how did you apply the message today or have you thought about it- or let's pick a new one and maybe work on that for a week or try to apply it for a week and stay focused on it. It's really simple. Some are just simple as be kind to the new kid at school. Some get a little deeper for the older age group," Slebioda said.
She said writing the book was inspired by a dear friend's son who struggles with self-confidence.
"My very dear friends. I have known then for 11 years. They had a son that I adored and his birthday was coming up; his 9th birthday. I started thinking- so they love homemade gifts. I started to write down some things because he struggles a little bit with self-confidence and things like that," she explained. "So, I just started writing down little things, and before you know it, I would be on a run and when I thought of something else, I would jot it down, and jot it down. It became this several page of things and just thoughts, inspirations and encouraging words."
Slebioda, who now resides in Charlotte, said she is still in shock at how successful the book has become in such short time.
"It's one of this things. I come from humble beginnings- the little village of Depew out there. The people of Buffalo, New York are amazing. I never thought of doing anything like this to be quite honest. It almost accidentally happened. So, I guess, anything for anybody, regardless of what it is. You know, if you're making your secrete recipe bread or you're doing a book or you're trying something- don't stop yourself from doing it. Just put feelers out. Find avenues to make something happen and they first little catch you're kind of hooked. It's fun, and exciting and invigorating. It's a wonderful feeling to know that something I did is getting out there."
Another notable person from this year's winners is well-known anthropologist and primatologist, Jane Goodall.
"To be in that same company for a book that I created that was such a strange start, it meant the world," she said.
Just Words Unless...A Kid's Guide to Creating a Kinder World can be bought on several online platforms and bookstores, like Warren Publishing, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
