(Entertainment-NewsWire.com, May 30, 2014 ) Manchester, United Kingdom -- After a turbulent beginning to her life, Kelly Walsh of Manchester, United Kingdom, is striving to make things better for all the world’s children.
Her new book, The Adventures of Positivity Princess, teaches children that “regardless of their differences, color, creed, gender, abilities or orientations they are all truly special, beautiful and amazing.”
Walsh, 38, had a difficult time embracing that concept as a child. Her father suffered a nervous breakdown when she was 10 and a few years later, she was unmercifully bullied at school. “This is really when my problems started,” Walsh recalled.
“I went from being a confident child to an isolated girl who felt like a complete misfit. This is when insecurities about my body and looks really kicked in.”
One of her few fond childhood memories was cutting school at age 16 and meeting Princess Diana at the opening of a local hospice. Walsh says “it was such an honor to shake hands with the beautiful Princess and it’s ironic to think that during her short life she also suffered at times with low self-esteem issues.”
As an adult, Walsh was able to mask her problems, hold down a job and cope with her life but her anxieties persisted. At age 33, she made an unsuccessful suicide attempt, swallowing more than 50 pain pills. It wasn’t until her release from the hospital that she began to turn things around.
“I realized that this continued lack of self love negatively impacted so many areas of my life and the lives of people I loved,” Walsh said. “I vowed to help others avoid this path.”
That’s the concept behind Positivity Princess. “Princess Georgia is the lead character,” said Walsh. “She has come to tell children about the importance of loving themselves, loving all others, caring for themselves, caring for all others and sharing all that is beautiful and kind in the world.”
The budget for writing, editing, printing, illustrating, distributing and marketing the book is 12,000 English pounds (about $20,000). In order to raise this capital, Walsh has launched a Kickstarter campaign, which can be viewed at the Kickstarter site. So far, more than $4,000 has been contributed to the project.
Donations of any amount are welcome. Backers who contribute $42 or more are eligible for perks, such as copies of Positivity Princess, souvenir mugs, T-shirts, art prints and an in-person speaking engagement for a group or organization.
There is another compelling reason why this book is so close to Walsh’s heart. The lead character was named for a dear friend of hers, Georgia Louise Murray, who died from a rare heart condition at age 19.
“She truly was a loving, caring, sharing Princess who shone Positivity into the world,” Walsh said.
For additional information, visit the Kickstarter project page; the Positivity Princess official website; or twitter pos_princess. You can also visit the Positivity Princess Facebook page.
Walsh can be reached directly at kelly@positivityprincess.com.
