By Laura Miller, student writer
When Allyson Dodds’ son, Drayke, was stillborn, she began journaling to get through the darker days. Those journal entries eventually grew into three books, the newest one being co-written by her daughter who grew up watching her mother heal.
Dodds, a three-time Harding University graduate, is an elementary school counselor at Harding Academy, where she is in her fifth year. Previously working in the Lonoke and Beebe school districts, Dodds has spent nearly 10 years as a school counselor, drawing on her professional experience as she pursues her work as an author.
After Drayke’s death, Dodds started journaling extensively to help process her grief. Eventually, she created an online support group for local mothers called “Vilomah,” meaning someone who has lost a child, and she wrote for various blogs after a friend encouraged her to write more publicly. Following her blogging experiences, Dodds wanted to create something more substantial to help others walking on the same road.
“I put together my journal entries and the knowledge and insight I gained from immersing myself into podcasts, books and other outlets through my grief journey,” Dodds said.
The combination of candid journal entries and hard-earned insight became the foundation of her first book, “Hurting, Yet Healing: How I Found Peace and Strength After Losing My Child – A Grief Journal.”
The book was written to be a resource guide for parents grieving the loss of a child, an experience that Dodds knows personally.
“My purpose has been strongly geared toward helping other bereaved parents,” Dodds said. “My experience with grief pushes me to help others in their grief. Hopefully my resource guide can help parents as they walk the very hard road after miscarriage or stillbirth.”
Her first book developed directly from her journey with loss, and her second grew out of her career.
“Good SELections: A Collection of Social-Emotional Stories” is a children’s book built around social-emotional learning, or SEL. It includes stories about self-esteem, self-control, friendship and problem solving, which are topics that Dodds addresses daily with her elementary students.
“I talk a lot about social-emotional growth every day with the kids I work with,” Dodds said. “I love these topics and think it is fun that I get to incorporate things I teach kids through a book I wrote!”
Dodds’ second book let her channel her professional work into writing, but her third book brought her writing back to Drayke.
“All Boy, All the Time” imagines what Drayke’s life would have looked like had he lived. Having always wanted to write a children’s book, but wanting to steer clear from writing about grief, this format of honoring Drayke’s life seemed fitting.
“It felt right to author a book about what I think Drayke would have been like had I mothered him on this side of heaven,” Dodds said.
The proceeds from this book will go to support the Miscarriage and Infant Loss Memorial Walk on Saturday, Oct.17, at Beaty Park.
What sets “All Boy, All the Time,” apart from her other two books is her co-author, Avyn Dodds, her daughter.
Since Avyn Dodds loves to draw, her mother thought it would be sweet to have her illustrate the book. But when the story grew too long for that idea to work, her daughter wrote the second half of the book instead. In doing so, she found a way to process her own grief over losing her brother.
“Avyn was three when Drayke passed,” Dodds said. “She was affected by the sudden loss of her brother, so I think helping me create this book was another way for her to process her thoughts and feelings.”
Writing this third book has become more of a project for Dodds, but a shared act of healing between her and her daughter, and one more way to ensure Drayke is never forgotten.
Dodds’ books can be purchased through Amazon here.
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