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Harpenela Publishing came to life in 2021. It is founded by Caryn and named for her dog (Har)per, cat (Pen)ny, and daughter (Ela)ina, who inspired My Scar is Beautiful. Founded by author and mom Caryn Shender, Harpenela Publishing is an independent publishing company dedicated to creating books that inspire joy, confidence, kindness, and positive messages for readers of all ages. Through heartfelt storytelling, the company aims to share books that empower readers to embrace their authentic selves, celebrate their uniqueness, and become the very best version of themselves.

We invite you all, no matter what age, to go on new adventures with us, and let’s explore the magical world of books together. 

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Giving Back in the Community

A portion of proceeds from Harpenela Publishing books will be donated to organizations making a meaningful impact in the community.


Here are some of our favorite organizations doing incredible work to support and uplift others.

The Children's Heart Foundation

Our family participates in their annual walk to raise money for CHD research. A portion of book sales through this link will support the Children's Heart Foundation's CHD research working to save, extend and improve the lives of individuals living with CHDs.

Thank you! 

Believe in Tomorrow Children's Foundation at John's Hopkins Baltimore

It provides overnight accommodations, meals and a shower, free of charge, to families of children receiving critical care treatment at John's Hopkins. Amazingly 95% of every $1 goes to support Believe in Tomorrow services. It is because of this organization that we were able to be with our daughter at all times while she recovered from heart surgery at Johns Hopkins. We stayed at this house for over two months.

Buy a Book - Support CHF

Caryn Shender

Caryn Shender is a proud mom whose daughter was born with ALCAPA, an extremely rare CHD that affects 1:300,000 births. Caryn personally understands the emotional impact a scar can have. She lives with her husband, daughter, cat and dog, all of whom give her inspiration and joy. Making a difference has always been a driving force for Caryn. She hopes My Scar is Beautiful serves as a positive resource for anyone with a beautiful scar. ​

Upon returning home from the hospital, even after everything she'd been through, her daughter was still the best baby. Rarely fussy, always smiling and happy. So when she would cry, Caryn didn't know if it was heart was still in pain or if it was nightmares of what she'd been through, or if she was now just a normal 6 month old. She'd stay up just watching the monitor to make sure she was breathing. She dove into reading everything about sleep and she quickly realized the impact getting better sleep had on her and her daughter. She was inspired to help others, becoming a certified international baby and child sleep consultant and owner of Sleep Tight Tonight. As a mother of a heart warrior, she understands firsthand the emotional impact scars can carry and hopes to empower readers to celebrate their own stories with pride.

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