If books have ever saved you, keep reading!

My name is Samm, and books saved my life. Now I’m asking for help to save the dream they gave me.

I was adopted at a very young age, and although I grew up loved, I carried a deep fear of abandonment and not being enough. As a child, friends came and went, and I learned early what it felt like to be left behind. When I felt alone, I escaped into books. Books never left me. They gave me safety with worlds to disappear into. At just the age of 12, a dream to one day owning my own bookstore manifested.

My life, however, did not follow a straight or easy path.

As a teenager, I struggled deeply with my mental health and self worth. I fell into the wrong crowds, made unsafe choices, and ran away from home. I became a young mother while living in youth shelters, married too young, and moved far from everything I knew. Over time, I found myself trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship, afraid to speak up, afraid to say no, and terrified of disappointing anyone.

When I finally tried to leave to protect myself and my son, I didn’t understand how the system worked. I was overwhelmed, naive, and mentally unwell. I lost custody, then visitation, and eventually all contact with my son. A loss that broke me in ways I don’t have words for. I spiraled into a deep depression, addiction, and suicidal thoughts. There was a time when I truly did not believe I would survive.

What brought me back was help, hard work, and eventually meeting the man I now call my husband, Caleb. For the first time in my life, someone stayed. With his support, I entered treatment, was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and began the long process of healing. I rebuilt myself piece by piece.

Together, we built a quiet, loving life and welcomed our daughter, Hope. She is the reason I choose to live every day.

Even after years of therapy and stability, life tested us again. Toxic family dynamics, postpartum depression, and severe mental health triggers forced us to make impossible decisions, including selling our home to protect my safety and our family. I worked incredibly hard not to relapse. I didn’t turn back to drugs or alcohol. Instead, I turned back to books.

Once again, books became my refuge and my calling.

When my husband lost his job and we struggled financially, he encouraged me to finally chase the dream I had carried since childhood. I found a small business program, worked nonstop to learn everything I could, and in early 2025, Book Dragons Den was born.

For the first time in my life, I didn’t just survive, I built something.

Book Dragons Den isn’t just a bookstore. It’s a safe space. A place for people who feel different, lost, anxious, or unseen. A place for readers, creatives, and anyone who needs somewhere they belong. I bind books by hand, create custom editions, and dream of hosting inclusive events, author nights, and community gatherings.

But I did this fast, with limited resources, and while learning everything from scratch, I have made many mistakes. I’ve exhausted every loan, grant, and funding option available to me. I have no investors, no cosigner, and no safety net left.

That’s why I’m here.

I’m asking for $50,000 to secure two years of rent so I can keep the doors open without the constant fear of losing everything again. The remaining funds will help cover basic operating costs: utilities, supplies, inventory, events, and growth so this dream can survive and thrive. My bookstore is the only indie bookstore in Oshawa and Oshawa desperately needs to have Book Dragons Den.

I’ve spent my entire life fighting to stay alive, to heal, and to build something meaningful out of pain. This bookstore is more than a business. It’s proof that survival can turn into purpose and hopefully will become a legacy.

If you’re unable to donate, sharing this means just as much.

If you’ve ever found comfort in a book, felt saved by a story, or needed a place to belong, my safe haven is also yours.

Thank you for reading.

Thank you for believing.

Thank you for helping me keep this dream alive.

— Samm