Local children’s book author speaks at luncheon

Riley Williams, a Calera author of the new children’s book, “Richard’s Friends,” spoke during a recent brown bag luncheon at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center & Library.

She was inspired to write the book by having a son, Reese, with Down syndrome and wanting him to be appreciated by others for his positive qualities rather than for any limitation.

As an author, Williams is passionate about promoting literacy and education. That is why she recently donated 547 copies of “Richard’s Friends” so that each public school district in the state of Oklahoma would have a copy.

She says she is thrilled to be able to give back to her community in that way.

“If you’re passionate about child advocacy and promoting diversity and inclusion in children’s literature, then you’ll love my works,” she said on her website, storiesbyriley. com. “Join me in my mission to make the world a better place, one book at a time.”

Williams says she has always had a drive to do her part to make the world a better place.

“I’ve always been an advocate for education, but I never thought that I would become an advocate for inclusion,” she wrote. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always known inclusion was important and I’ve always tried my best to be inclusive. At the same time, I had never really been around anyone who was different from me. I was ignorant.

“In 2021, I was given the opportunity to become immersed in the Down syndrome community upon the birth of my son. If I’m being honest, my greatest fear when Reese was born was that he would feel rejected by society. As I learned more, I came to the realization that all children, no matter their ability, want what we all want. They want to feel loved. They want to feel included. They want to play.”

The book is about Richard’s account of friendship, play and innocence.

Williams has been married for more than nine years to her husband, Ryan, and is a of mother of two, Rebecca and Reese. Together, they enjoy hiking, swimming, and playing on their farm. From exploring the waterfalls of Icelandic back country to sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, she describes her family as thrill-seeking adventurers.

Williams is a Harvard University alumnus and proudly follows the Crimson tennis program. She also has a Doctorate of Education through Trevecca Nazarene University from which she specialized in Environmental Literacy through Outdoor Adventure Education.