Bulloch County native Sarah Taylor graduated from Southeast Bulloch High School and then attended Georgia Southern University, where she became a Double Eagle, earning both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. 

Now a licensed professional counselor, Taylor has been a practicing clinician since 2007 and has spent most of her career counseling active-duty members of the military and their families. 

As of this month, Taylor also is the author of a newly published children’s book.

Drawing heavily from her own childhood experiences, “King Zara,” released Jan. 4 by Rebel Queen publishing, follows the tale of Zara, a bright young girl destined to shine, whose crown emanates light to all in her kingdom. 

But when her classmates begin to tease and reject her, Zara locks away her crown — and her light — sending the kingdom into peril. As darkness spreads and fear consumes its people, Zara must decide whether to continue seeking the acceptance of her peers, or to embrace her light — her true self — and retake the kingdom.

With its full-color illustrations, the tale of triumph over darkness serves as a metaphor for the challenges kids — and adults — often face as they find their way toward self-acceptance, even under unrelenting pressure to conform.

“I wrote this book in the hopes of planting a seed in the minds of young children who may soon face the same struggles I did,” Taylor said. “My prayer is that they will remember their worth and accept themselves for who they were born to be, even if others don’t.”

 “King Zara” is available to purchase on Amazon, both in digital format and as a paperback. For more information, visit www.unbound-light.com.

Look for a more in-depth story about Sarah Taylor and her new book in the April/May issue of Discovering Bulloch.