After all these years of milk and cookies, Santa might appreciate a Christmas donut for a change.

Ashley James, owner of Mini Dixie Donuts, launched her first children’s book Donuts for Santa on June 18th, 2021. “Christmas is such a joyous time,” she says excitedly. Like many, Ashley adores the celebrations of the most magical time of the year…it is no wonder. On a

 chilly winter night, who does not like to curl up by the fire with a warm blanket and a good book? This year, indulge in the festivities when you gather your children around to read Donuts for Santa.

    After achieving her dream of opening her own donut shop, Ashley decided to take another leap of faith when she sat down to write her first book. The children’s story was inspired by Ashley’s love of donuts combined with her enthusiasm for the holiday season. 

    “I’ve always had the idea of a children’s book,” she tells me. “And certainly a Christmas children’s book was the highlight.” Excited by the prospect of a unique holiday story, she set out to write Donuts for Santa. 

    The story follows Allie, an eager young girl who decides to surprise Santa with donuts on Christmas Eve. The playful twist to an old holiday tradition delights each reader, big and small. Children and adults alike enjoy the sparkling tale and beautiful illustrations found in the book.

     Ashley says she modeled the main character after her beloved niece, Allison. “It just naturally felt right,” she says. An aunt to many, Ashley loves children and reveled in the opportunity to represent them in this story. 

    Equally prevalent in the book is Ashley’s love of Christmas. “I am Christmas obsessed,” she says laughing. “I’m the girl that wears Christmas shirts in June.” Combining her passion for Christmas with her love of donuts, her beautiful story highlights the joys of giving during the holiday season.

    Writing a book is never simple, and getting it published can be even trickier. Luckily, Ashley’s strong presence in the community has allowed her to foster friendships with local business owners that are passionate about helping others.

    Ashley talks fondly of friends Victoria Hawkins and Jaimie Miller saying, “They own Between Friends Coffee Shop here in town. One of them is an author and one of them is a graphic designer.” Together, the duo collaborated beyond the coffee shop and founded Southern Willow Publishing Company along with Jennifer Duffey. They embraced Ashley’s holiday tale, and her dream of becoming a published author came true.

  Ashley talks about the publishing process with enthusiasm for how seamlessly it went. Her friends at Southern Willow Publishing exhibited support, encouragement and kindness that made every step of the way a joyous leap towards authorship. 

    Additionally, Ashley enjoyed the visually creative opportunities she experienced when publishing. “I had an idea of what I kind of wanted it to look like,” she says of the book’s graphics. “Victoria and I were able to collaborate and go from there.” It was a project that was both playful and exhilarating. 

    While Southern Willow Publishing turns manuscripts into published works, the authors are granted the full rights to advertisement. Ashley says of the company, “They are service providers, so unlike other traditional publishing companies. They give you all the rights to the book and you are in charge of whatever marketing campaigns you wish to try.”

    Every year, Southern Willow Publishing hosts an Indie Book Festival for authors from the Middle Georgia area. It is a wonderful opportunity for authors to gain exposure and share their treasured stories with the public. 

    For Ashley, this is an exciting opportunity to share her work with the customers of Mini Dixie Donuts. “I’m excited to use the donut shop as a way to promote it,” she says of Donuts for Santa. When customers enter the shop to purchase delicious mini donuts, they can easily buy a copy of Ashley’s new book. 

    To showcase her book while anticipating the Christmas season, Ashley decided to host a festive book reveal at Mini Dixie Donuts. Thrilled by the timing of the book’s publication, Ashley says, “We wanted to do a Christmas in July book launch and share the joy of Christmas more than anything.” 

    The community wholeheartedly embraced the children’s book and all the celebration that came along with it. Complete with Christmas-themed donuts and hot cocoa bombs, the unique book launch allowed customers to enjoy the holiday spirit in the middle of summer.

     Heavily involved in her community, Ashley uses her position as a local business owner to support and promote the work of her neighbors. “I truly just have a passion for the community,” she says sweetly. 

    Encouraging fellow entrepreneurs in their business endeavors, Ashley finds joy in sharing other companies’ exciting news and events on her social media platforms. She has also hosted several events at Mini Dixie Donuts and is on the Board of Directors for the Robins Regional Chamber. “I love using the donut shop as a platform to give back to the community,” she says. 

    Her efforts do not go unnoticed. Those who know Ashley appreciate the genuine care she has for other people and are inspired by the light they encounter in her presence. Her shining example gives the community hope for more generosity in a world full of greed.

    While Ashley thoroughly enjoyed writing her first book, becoming an author was not always part of her plan.  “I’ve always been a super avid reader,” she admits. But writing and publishing your first book can be a daunting task. Instead of giving in to the hesitations and fears all writers face early in their career, Ashley surged forward in this adventure and never looked back. Because of her dedication to the process, along with the invaluable help of those around her, Ashley achieved her dream of finding yet another way to share Christmas cheer with others. 

     “Every author has a reason they want their book published,” she says. For Ashley, publishing her story has allowed her to share her combined joy of donuts and the holidays in the form of the written word. This year, treat your children to a fresh holiday tale and let them decide which donuts they will leave out for Santa.