How did I come to create a colouring book?
I was actually bored watching TV one day when I wondered what I could do that would stand out.
"What about a coloring book?" I thought to myself. And why not? My wife and I bought colouring books as gag gifts in 2018 only to realize that colouring was actually very therapeutic. Since then, I loved colouring so much that I collected a bunch of them and finished most of them. So, why not create my own and share this with different audiences?
I had some help from Amazon's KDP website -- like I did with my previous four books -- and away I went.
I then compiled 20 different phrases familiar with the stuttering community -- some good; some unpleasant -- and then had an image made for each one (via AI).
Quote: “The world can wait. Just stutter.”
I have a soft spot for a few of the quotes, like “The world can wait. Just stutter.” That was from Danra Kazenski, who is a speech-language pathologist and co-leader of the NSA’s Vermont chapter. Danra’s quote is a solid reminder for us to slow down and take stock of what’s important, to have some perspective. The world’s not going anywhere, so stutter as much as you need to. That’s how I take it.
Another resonant quote is, “I stutter… Wait for my brilliance!”
That was said by one of my biggest inspirations in the stuttering community, Nina G. I just love the humour of the quote, which is fitting given how successful Nina is as a comedian and writer. I even bought a Covid mask with that quote on it. That’s how much I love the quote.
As for the creation process, it really was a lot of fun and something I hope resonates with those who discover my book.
I really do hope that children and adults alike will like my book, feel the same fun and relaxation that I do when I colour, and even feel inspired along the way.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me through this.
Ryan Cowley is a writer who lives in Toronto who has covered major sporting events for web and print publications. He is a graduate of Humber College’s Comedy Writing & Performance program. He has a website at the Big Salad. Ryan has also written and published numerous books, including: Quotable: The Stuttering Community Speaks (2024) ; Tongue-Tied & Bona Fide: Personal Poetry on Stuttering, Sports & Success (2023) ; Royal Reflections: Tales from the Throne of Tinseltown (2022) ; All the Right Words: My Journey as a Sportswriter Who Stutters (2021).