Samantha Cabrera is a creative soul. She’s a loving wife and mother of three kids as well as an author and book publisher. She knows what it’s like to patiently wait for a dream to come to fruition. After running Calla Press as a literary journal for seven years, Samantha took a leap of faith in launching Calla Press Publishing, LLC, which is set to release its 11th title this year.

Continue reading to hear how Samantha’s passion for book publishing was ignited at a young age, how Christian fiction books kindled her faith and how she has gained strength and freedom in the midst of her struggle with mental illness.

QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT

There’s much more to food than palate and preference. How does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind the web bio?

I grew up in the DFW area and moved around six times, so I can’t say I have a favorite hometown restaurant. However, the most memorable is where I live with my husband and children. Stephenville is a relatively small town, so there are very few restaurants around. I think the most memorable would be a southern home-cooking restaurant here. It’s where we first dined when we visited Stephenville from Waco, Texas, to potentially move. I looked at my husband after a few bites of our meal and said, “This is our home. I feel it.”

He smiled. He’d be the first provider in the area after a while of not having an OB-GYN. Stephenville, Texas, has become the best place I have ever called home. Some would think such a small town has nothing to offer, but, for me, it has everything I need; it’s where our children will grow up, where we will have birthed our third child and where we have established a home sweet home. It’s also where I began Calla Press Publishing, LLC.

paints and brushes — Fallon Michael: Unsplash

QUESTION #2: REVEAL

We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So, what are yours? What so-called “nonspiritual” activities do you love and help you find spiritual renewal?

With two children, ages four and nearly three, I don’t have a lot of free time. I don’t mind it because I love my children, but before we ever had these little ones making sacred noise in our house, I loved to paint. I’d paint for hours at a time. I was a realist oil painter and often painted portraits. One was called “My Inner Mona Lisa” (which was sadly given away), but if you were to look at that painting — that is all of me in a nutshell. I’m very passionate about using our creativity for the glory of Christ Jesus.

While having children stopped me from painting in the meantime, it didn’t stop my love for literature and the book publishing industry. I grew up reading books by Jannette Oke and Catherine Palmer. When I was in high school and attending a nearby church, one Sunday, I was looking at the stack of books on the wall. “Which book are you looking at?” It was the pastor behind me. I looked back and told him I was looking at “Sunrise Song” by Catherine Palmer. He took it down and gave it to me, and, just like that, my passion for reading was ignited even more. There was seldom a week that I did not finish a book. I fell in love with books and writing my own short stories. I wrote a letter to my Nana (who is like a mother to me) in the 9th grade of my aspirations that I was going to start a Christian book publishing company. It wasn’t until 2023 that this dream happened after seven years of running as a literary journal — “Calla Press.” I love publishing others’ work because I know their hearts are in it and they desire to encourage others. Words bring life, just like they brought me solace, joy and peace during my upbringing.

QUESTION #3: CONFESS

Every superhero has a weakness. Every human too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re broken and in this thing together. So, what’s your kryptonite and how do you hide it?

My kryptonite would have to be my mental illness; I was diagnosed with MDD and symptomatic BPD a year into our marriage. I wrote a book about it called “The Doctor’s Wife: Battling Mental Illness in Marriage and Motherhood.”

Some would say it’s not a weakness — that it just makes us stronger. While some of that may be true, that’s only applicable if we truly confess and grow from our mistakes, not cover them up like they never happened. If I were to have just brushed everything under the rug, I’d very much be divorced by now, I’d probably not have our beautiful children, and I would be an addict. I succumbed to alcohol and smoking cigars for nearly four years (two of those years while married). Some would look at me now and simply not believe what I have gone through, but that is part of my testimony. I am grateful to share it, not hide it.

The good news of Jesus Christ is that he wants to set us free, to set us apart and to give us the life he’s desired for us. I am living in a dream every day alongside my husband, Omar, and our beautiful and incredible children. My greatest desire on earth was to have an incredible, tender and loving marriage — like the ones I read about in Janette Oke books growing up — and I’m literally living that life now. Despite having taken 200mg of Sertraline every night for years, I’m now medication-free, and I am held by his grace during this pregnancy. It’s not that perhaps I won’t start up my medication again, but it’s that I know I’m not dependent on it to thrive. It’s the kryptonite that seeps up every now and then, but I’m learning that not every single day needs to look joyous and perfect. I can carry his steady peace despite how I’m feeling, and that keeps me secure and held. This is a miracle I don’t take for granted.

QUESTION #4: FIRE UP

Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your obsession? And why should it be ours?

I love publishing other people’s work, and I have been since 2017 at Calla Press. It has grown into a ministry I didn’t see coming; we’re now on track to publish multiple books this year from incredible authors across the world.

It’s so funny how my name means “listener” and I get to do what I do now; growing up listening to other stories gave me hope. In college, I planned on becoming a journalist and majored in journalism and mass communication and minored in studio art. I interviewed so many people, including Tom Lutz from the LA Review of Books (when I lived in California for two years), George Gutierrez (maker of “The Book of Life” movie), Jack Sacco (nominated for the Pulitzer Prize) and so many other people.

Somehow, the creativity aspect of being an art minor took over, and I ended up getting my MFA in writing from Lindenwood University, became a contributing writer for various publications and eventually became a certified teacher of English (7-12) and taught for two years until COVID shut the world down. Then I had our first-born son. I ran a literary journal, “Calla Press,” for seven years, until it became what it is now.

Starting Calla Press Publishing, LLC, was a leap of faith after writing my own memoir and getting so many exciting inquiries asking if I’d ever consider publishing books. I’m so grateful that I did!

QUESTION #5: BOOST

Cashiers, CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?

For my own writing and creativity endeavors, I always listen to worship music. This just calms my heart and makes me ready for the task at hand.

One day, when I was in college, I remember putting on my music, opening my laptop, praying and just completing the manuscript I was currently working on. It was called “150 Balloons” — reflections on each of the Psalms of the Bible. It was around 50,000 words long, and I considered it my most infused work of the Holy Spirit. Writing it, at least back then, was an act of obedience and I remember crying as I wrote my last reflection on Psalm 150.

Being a creative, I started to design my own book cover, and this is the crazy thing that happened that I’ll never forget. I went to iStock photos and typed in balloons so I could gather an image. When I scrolled to the bottom, I saw a figure holding up a bunch of balloons and clicked on it; I about fell off my seat when I read the caption of the image! It read, “A young woman holding 150 balloons” — no joke! I started crying and remember calling my twin sister to tell her how crazy it was. It felt like God was telling me this was what I was meant to do.

So that book has not seen the light of day, but I think it was a matter of obedience and growing me in Christ because I was in the Word of God every day. I grew so close to him during that time. I think when we truly surrender our work up into his hands, his will will be done with it.

QUESTION #6: inspire

Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied actions that open our hearts to the presence of God. So, spill it, which spiritual practice is workin' best for you right now?

I tend to start my mornings reading the latest articles from Ligonier Ministries on my phone and drinking my coffee. Then I get the Bible verse out for that day and teach it to my children with movements; not only does it help them, but it helps me.

I tend to have more quiet time with my husband at night to read the Word together. Otherwise, when my children nap, and if I’m not napping, I work, read and pray. I serve every other Sunday in the children’s ministry. I just help cater to the children, but it allows me time to serve and be amongst other littles learning about Christ and one of my friends who is the Children’s Director and leads the children’s ministry.

QUESTION #7: FOCUS

Our email subscribers get free ebooks featuring our favorite resources — lots of things that have truly impacted our faith lives. But you know about some really great stuff, too. What are some resources that have impacted you?

I would say that Christian fiction books spurred me most to my faith in Christ. It gave me the hope that even though these characters are going through hard things, their lives were Christ’s at the end and it always worked out well.

My faith was majorly sculpted during high school and college when I would read alone and didn’t have access to podcasts or anything quite techy at the time.

Now, my second resource would be the First 5 app because it allows me to read his Word and articles to strengthen my faith, while also being a busy mother. I also use it to read the Bible while at church.

Another resource I love is the Ligonier Ministries app, especially because they have a lot of R.C. Sproul articles I enjoy reading.

We all have things we cling to to survive (or thrive) in tough times. Name one resource you’ve found indispensable in this current season — and tell us what it's done for you.

I enjoy free apps, so I really enjoy the First 5 app because it is growing me spiritually and has great reading plans. There was a period where I was strictly opposed to apps because it was just more screen time, but this app is really helpful and useful when I do read it!

QUESTION #8: dream

God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So, give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?

Right now, Calla Press Publishing is working on its 11th title to be out this year. So we’ll have a handful of new books out soon before Christmas, and that is very exciting for us.

For me, I will have my third child this October. My husband and I are very excited, and I can’t wait to just see her and spend time with all my children. Being a wife and mama is one of my greatest joys in life, and it’s one reason we hired Madison to help run CPP. She has done an incredible job. God knew we needed her.

I have another children’s book in the works, but that will likely not come out until next year. My first children’s book, “A Child’s First Book of Bible Words” (illustrated by Codi Bear), is already out!

Samantha openly shares parts of her journey with mental illness, and she’s observed that some people like to say that struggle makes us stronger. She points out that it’s not necessarily the struggle that strengthens us, but it’s how we handle the struggle. Samantha believes we can become stronger, “if we truly confess and grow from our mistakes, not cover them up like they never happened.” Admitting her weaknesses allowed her to deal with them in a way that brought health and growth. What does the Bible have to say about confession, humility and weakness? Read 2 Corinthians 12:9. When we recognize and confess our weaknesses, it paves the way for his strength and grace to infuse our lives in new ways.

Samantha Cabrera