West Columbia, SC – A new business has announced their opening in the West Columbia area of Lexington County. Vestra Lingua Publishing, a trade publishing house that invests in local talent, has just had their grand opening.
This new innovative publisher has already made a splash with the release of their first book While Mommy Was Fast Asleep. That book was written by the founder of Vestra Lingua, Lisa Cole. “While exploring ways to get my book published, it became clear that our community needed a caring partner for local writers and artists. I hope Vestra Lingua inspires many new authors to bring their own story to life,” said Cole.
It was clear from the turnout at their recent Ribbon Cutting that Vestra Lingua is already connecting people and organizations from across South Carolina. While Mommy Was Fast Asleep has even been translated to Braille for the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind Library, helping both blind and sighted children understand compassion and kindness. Weslie Higdon, Director of Development for the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind Foundation, hosted the interactive Braille station at the event. “Our school serves families all over South Carolina and we work hard to improve literacy skills,” said Higdon. “We were excited that Mrs. Cole invited us to share in this message of inclusivity with the Midlands community.” Always looking for ways to give back, Cole is donating a portion of the event’s proceeds to the school’s braille book club which helps students build home libraries.
The event’s highlight was a wonderful story time led by Lexington School District 4 teacher Brady Howard. “This was so much fun,” said Howard. “The children really loved this book.” Participants also enjoyed free massages by Erin Plottfrom Massage Mechanics of South Carolina. “Being a mom is a time-consuming, under-appreciated, isolating job. But, moms impact kids’ futures,” said Plott, “Lisa and I met in a local playgroup years ago, so when she approached me about giving back to mothers at this event, I felt honored. I love helping others feel great, especially tired Mamas who make our world go round.”
Vestra Lingua, which means “Your Words” in Latin, publishes high quality picture books for children and adults, fiction series for middle schoolers, and inspirational books for parents. Four new book projects from local talent are already under contract and they anticipate many more. “We are looking for aspiring authors and illustrators who want to use their talents to make a positive impact on our community, state and world,” said Cole. “As a no-cost traditional publishing house, we are excited to make the entire publishing process easy and fun.”
For query submission guidelines, visit www.vestralingua.com.To read more about While Mommy Was Fast Asleep and its message of inclusivity and kindness, visit www.whilemommywasfastasleep.com.
