For as long as Portia Clare remembers, she has enjoyed writing.
“It felt good to write my thoughts in story form. It felt good to make someone laugh or to feel like he or she was right there having a conversation with you or experiencing a moment in time with you.”
In her first-ever children’s book, Best Friends Forever: A Puppy’s Tale, Portia demonstrates the magical qualities of writing that she describes.
Best Friends Forever: A Puppy’s Tale is the true story of how Portia (Scoopie) found her forever best friend — her first puppy, Sandy.
In this heartwarming story about love, loss, and eternal friendship, Portia shows readers that they can always learn to love again.
This message was particularly important to Portia not only because it’s based off her own life experiences, but because she recognizes the importance of teaching children how to cope with life’s emotionally challenging events.
Best Friends Forever: A Puppy's Tale has since been awarded the Reader's Favorite 5-Star Ranking.
During her writing process, Portia encountered challenges of her own.
“My biggest challenge was letting go of the details. I wanted to write all the details, but I learned that the story could still be told well without all the details. The illustrations also helped to replace many of the words.”
But these challenges also taught her very important lessons.
“The biggest lesson that I learned is the power of doing it NOW! I heard my Daddy’s voice throughout this entire process encouraging me to keep moving forward and to do my best NOW. NOW is the acceptable time. TODAY is the day of salvation.”
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Now, with a published children’s book on her roster of achievements, Portia offers this advice to the aspiring children’s book authors who find themselves in the shoes she wore only a year ago.
“The one piece of advice that I would share is to keep moving forward beyond your fear. There were many firsts for me throughout this entire process. I was presented with many things that took me out of my comfort zone. But I am grateful that I had help with every one of those things.”
To learn more about Portia and the real-life experiences that inspired Best Friends Forever: A Puppy’s Tale, you can visit her website www.portiayclare.com or join her on Facebook. Purchase your copy of Best Friends Forever: A Puppy’s Tale on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, or your local Amazon Marketplace.
Portia Clare
Portia Yvette Clare has been privileged to serve in developing the minds and character of children for over thirty years as a graduate of Duke University and Regent University. Simply put, Portia teaches because she values children. Creative writing has always brought her joy and writing children’s books has been her passion since childhood.