From cashier to children’s book author

Within the span of five years, Franceta Lopez suffered a stillbirth, her home was robbed, she lost her family savings in a bank scam, and she had to deal with the grief of losing two close relatives.

During this tumultuous time, she found solace in writing, a childhood hobby that she revived.

“I just broke down and was just crying to God, asking Him what is going on in my life, and I need Him to help me, and I felt the inspiration to write,” Lopez told The Gleaner.

And that’s what she did.

At first, it was uplifting messages and poems about her experiences that she shared online. She soon developed a community that motivated her to publish her first book, Mother You Can Make It – From Struggles to Blessings.

This was the first of four self-help books that Lopez wrote targeting mothers and exploring issues of parenting and self-care.

She would distribute her books, which were self-published, to local bookstores, sell them at various book events, and at church.

STORIES FROM CHILDHOOD

In 2024, she returned to her first love of writing children’s stories. Summoning memories of growing up in Westmoreland, Lopez wrote her first children’s book, The Girl From Westmoreland, a heartwarming story that invites readers to experience the adventures of growing up in rural Jamaica.

The mother of five said she would share these escapades with her children, and it was they who pushed her to record them in a book.

“I was telling them about my childhood, and they were like, ‘Mommy, I love that story’, and I say, ‘Alright then, I can turn it into a book’,” she said.

This book was followed by God Made Boys, the first of what is now a successful series, which she wrote to affirm her young son who was being bullied in school.

“I wanted to let him know that he is wonderfully made by God,” she said.

Lopez, who is also a motivational speaker, said the positive reactions after self-publishing that book encouraged her to write another in the series titled God Made Girls.

“They have been doing very well, so that’s why I decided to expand the series,” she said, adding that additional books will be coming to the stores next month.

Only her first book was published through a publishing house, Lopez noted.

However, though she initially preferred to not have to publish the books herself, she said the costs she was being quoted from publishing houses were too high.

TRAGEDY STRIKES

She eventually decided to register and launch her own publishing company in April last year. But seven months later, she faced another tragedy when her home in Portmore, St Catherine, burned down and her family lost everything.

“I was on my way to my sister-in-law’s funeral and we got the call that our house was on fire. By the time we came back, we only saw ashes.”

At the time, she said she had just purchased additional books to restock the stores.

“It was hard losing everything and starting from scratch once more,” she said. Luckily, she had the support of her church family, her children’ s school, and even her business associates.

Reflecting on her successes, and the challenges she has had to overcome, Lopez noted that it all started with her writing and sharing stories with her siblings; and she is a long way off from her years working as a cashier in a pharmacy.

Out of the numerous catastrophes that she endured, she has realised a once-dormant dream and is getting more children to read.

“I’m adding purpose and value, impacting the next generation,” she said with pride.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com