We had the good fortune of connecting with Casi Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Casi, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Sam Corley Publishings was basically started out of inconvenience.

I am a pediatric speech therapist by trade and when I first entered the workforce, I accepted a job in the school system. While I learned so many foundational skills for working with children experiencing language delays, the one aspect of my time there that I wish I could have done without were all of the meetings! I found myself in school meetings for a large portion of my day and week. This took away from the time I was able to work with the students that were already on my caseload.

So, I decided that to make the most of the limited time I had with my students, I needed to develop an activity that was not only engaging and fun, but also able to target all of the language goals that each child had.

So, I started writing children’s books.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Sam Corley Publishings is unique in that it provides literary products and resources to a niche group of people: families navigating speech and language delays in children.

The vast majority of children’s books are written and marketed to typically developing and neurotypical children. This means that the vast majority of children’s literature neglects a growing population of children who process words and information in books differently. Books are equally beneficial to language development in both typically and atypically developing children because of the language rich experience they provide.

So, I decided to develop a series of children’s books that not only features diverse characters, but also provides the necessary visual and tactile prompts to make reading digestible and fun for all children.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have lived in Atlanta for a little over 5 years and slowly but surely it has become my home. I’m not an army brat, but I moved around considerably as a child, which means I don’t have “roots” anywhere. Here in Atlanta, however, I have found everything I need to live a good life, whether it be good restaurants, good fun, or even good people.

Food is king when I travel. So, whenever I have friends or family come to town for a visit, we place extra emphasis on the food. What’s a good time without good food, right?

Some of my favorite eateries include Two Urban Licks, Mediterranea Bakery, Vegreen, Tasalli’s Raw Reality. Of course, everyone who comes to visit me will eat Chick-fil-A at least once a day because you can’t come to the Chick-fil-A capitol and not partake!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like recognize the undying support of my family and friends throughout this entire publishing process. I decided to venture into a field in which I had no formal training or education and I have had spiritual, emotional, and financial support every step of the way. I believe it is rare to have built-in mentorship, love, encouragement, and support from not only one’s biological family, but also friends-turned-sisters. I am very blessed!

Website: samcorleypublishings.com

Instagram: @samcorleypublishings

Twitter: @scpublishings

Facebook: Sam Corley Publishings

Youtube: Sam Corley Publishings

Image Credits
Morgan Crutchfield Photography

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