Meet five local authors whose stories reflect the heart, grit, and creativity of our community
From empowering self-help books to heartwarming children’s tales and striking photo essays, Windsor’s creative community continues to shine. These local authors are sharing stories that inspire growth, connection, and pride. Here are five Windsor-Essex writers whose work is transforming lives, one story at a time.
Nicole Stobbs
Personal Growth / Transformation
For Windsor writer and transformational coach Nicole Stobbs, creativity has always been her outlet—whether through drawing, dancing, photography, or design. After facing some of life’s toughest challenges, she discovered a deeper calling: helping others rewrite their own stories. “I believe our past never defines us, and with determination and self-belief, we can create a life we truly love,” she says. A devoted mother of three, Nicole credits her daughters as her greatest inspiration and the heart behind everything she does.
Her newest book, Transcend Your Life: A Personal Transformation & Guide to Heal Within, Find Your Purpose, & Manifest Abundance, was published this summer with Friesen Press. Part memoir, part guidebook, it blends her personal journey with tools rooted in neuroscience, energy work, and mindset transformation. The book serves as a road map for anyone ready to heal, rediscover purpose, and build the life they desire.
Nicole believes that supporting local writers, “is about celebrating the voices and experiences that come from within our communities. Each writer offers a unique perspective that can inspire, heal, and bring people together in powerful ways.”
Lora Crestan
Business / Leadership
Executive coach, author, and “reality checker” Lora Crestan has spent more than two decades helping professionals, from tech to healthcare, find balance in demanding careers. However, even she wasn’t immune to burnout. Her debut book, Work Is Not Your Life, grew out of her own experience with overwork and her drive to help others live more sustainably. “I never actually expected to become a writer,” she admits. “It was my husband, Don, who gave me the push to share what I’d been teaching for years.”
Published in August 2025 through her imprint, Bold Collective Press, Work Is Not Your Life is a practical, no-nonsense guide to breaking free from burnout culture. It blends personal stories with frameworks like “The Integrated Year” and “The Integrated Week,” helping readers move from exhaustion to clarity and calm. A companion workbook transforms reflection into action with exercises and real-life tools.
She believes that supporting local writers matters “because our voices shape the story of our communities. Every book that starts here carries our region’s grit, humour, and heart.”
Chris Cullen
Mindset / Motivation
Tecumseh-born Chris Cullen has always had a drive for performance—first as a professional baseball player, later as a leader in medical sales, and now as a two-time Ironman finisher, NCAA mental conditioning coach, and Global keynote speaker. After a decade leading sales teams and generating more than $100 million in revenue, Cullen turned his focus inward, exploring how language and perspective can shape success. “I believe deeply in training the mind like a muscle,” he says. His black Lab, Sammy—his “best coach ever”—often appears in his talks and writing as a reminder of the importance of gratitude and presence.
His latest book, I Get To: Change Your Words, Change Your Life, dives into how three simple words can transform how we see work, relationships, and challenges. Published earlier this year, it explores five core principles: Gratitude, Growth, Resilience, Identity, and Awareness of Time. “Writing this book was the hardest, yet most rewarding thing I’ve ever done,” Chris says.
He believes that every local author adds something vital to the region’s culture: “Supporting local writers helps build a community of reflection, authenticity, and creativity.”
Kaylee McCulloch
Children’s Literature
Before becoming the Business Manager at Head of the Class Education Centre, Kaylee McCulloch spent years working as a veterinary technician—so it’s no surprise that animals play a starring role in her storytelling. At the centre, she and her team focus on supporting the whole child: academically, emotionally, and socially. The heart of that mission is Stewart, a golden retriever known as the centre’s “Head of Pawsitivity.” “Even as a four-month-old pup, he had this calm, gentle way with kids,” she recalls. “He just knows how to meet students where they’re at.”
That same warmth and connection inspired her latest children’s book, Paw-sitively Stewart: The First Birthday Hat Caper. Based on a true story, it follows a student who overcomes her fear of dogs with Stewart’s help—and showing her gratitude, her mom crochets him a little birthday hat. “It’s playful and joyful,” says Kaylee, “but at its heart, it’s about kindness, courage, and connection.”
For her, supporting local authors is about showing young readers and writers what’s possible. “When students see someone from their own community publish a book, it shows them their voices matter too.”
Anthony Sheardown
Photography / Creative Arts
Photographer and visual storyteller Anthony Sheardown has spent the past 11 years capturing the world through his lens. “I live and breathe photography—it’s pretty much all I do,” he says. Between commercial projects, personal explorations, and collaborative art shows, Sheardown’s work reflects an eye for detail and a dedication to storytelling through images.
His newest release, California Gold, is a 144-page hardcover photo book, self-published after four trips to California over two years. Shot entirely on Kodak film, it documents the Golden State from coast to desert, north to south—an intricate portrait of contemporary California. “The book borders on different genres,” he explains, “but it’s rooted in documentary and contemporary photography.”
For Sheardown, local art isn’t just creative—it’s cultural. “Supporting local writers and artists is incredibly important for the culture of a city. Art is the core of entertainment, and when you can get it locally, it’s a great thing.”
Want a chance to bring one of these inspiring local books home? Follow The DRIVE on social media and enter our upcoming giveaway, where you could win a copy from one of these talented Windsor-Essex authors. Support local, read local, and discover the incredible voices growing right here in our own backyard.
