Messages from Anglesea sparkle and shine

Anglesea resident, mother, businesswoman and author Ali Villani launched her first children’s book, Ali the Shiny Sparkly Unicorn, in Torquay on Saturday.

The story shares a powerful message of self awareness, being your true self and the impact bullying can have on others.

Based on Ali’s personal life, the book follows the story of a unicorn who was teased at school for being different, losing her sense of self and the things that made her smile; however, she quickly learning to be proud of who she is.

Ali, who wrote the book with her business partner Nic Cunningham, knew she was a bit different from the age of five when she started school.

“I loved to sing and dance, I could hear music inside of me and I saw everything in bright colours – then life happened,” Ali said.

“By the age of 30, I was working in a job where I was stuck behind a desk all day, analysing numbers, and confined to the rigid definitions of what was acceptable in the corporate world. I was coming home stressed, unsatisfied and exhausted – far from the person I was as a young child!

“After a life-changing incident in 2012, I decided it was time to take personal responsibility for everything that I had created in my life.

“Nic and I wrote the book to engage children with messages of self acceptance, self awareness, personal responsibility and being proud of who they are.

“Anxiety, depression and suicide are on the rise. If we can reach children at a younger age and help them understand that it’s okay to be who they are – and be proud of it – then maybe we can make a difference.”

Ali and Nic funded the book through a crowd funding campaign, raising more than $13,000 in 26 days.

For more information on the book, head to entrepreneurialbabes.com/product/ali-the-shiny-sparkly-unicorn.