CFCC Alumna and Author S. C. Porter Returns to Campus

When English professor Cheryl Saba opened an email from a local author last summer, it caught her attention immediately. The message came from S. C. Porter, a CFCC alumna, author, poet, and small-business owner, who wanted to connect with students.

“I love projects like this,” said Saba. “As a teacher, I’m always asking, what can I do for my students and my community? I want to support small businesses, especially female authors.”

That first email led to a conversation, then a coffee meeting, and eventually to an upcoming campus visit that brings Porter back to Cape Fear Community College.

A One-Bedroom Startup

Porter grew up in the area and graduated from New Hanover High School before enrolling at CFCC. She was the first in her family to attend college, and started at CFCC with a practical plan.

“I actually came for science,” she said. “Then I transferred to UNCW for biology.”

After college, Porter spent years working in mental health. Writing wasn’t part of the plan, and reading wasn’t even a lifelong passion.

“I really wanted to try to find something that was creative,” she said. “It’s kind of wild to think about now, because I can’t imagine not doing this.”

That shift began quietly, and a little unconventionally, after the birth of her first son. From her one-bedroom apartment, Porter started selling books. What began as a small side project grew through word of mouth and relationships with authors she was working with.

“I’ve had the bookshop about 11 years now,” she said. “It just grew and grew, and I built a lot of relationships with authors. One day someone said, ‘You should write a book,’ and I thought, yeah, I think I’m going to.”

Since then, Porter has published five books and is currently working on her sixth. Her work spans romance and poetry, including Rules for Dating a Bookshop Owner, In for the Long Haul, Simple Happy, My Thoughts Exactly, and How to Write a Murder.

“I started writing one day and realized I loved it,” Porter said.

“That’s one of the beautiful things about getting older. You learn what you like, what you want, and you grow into it if you’re ambitious enough.”

Backed by Community

Today, Porter Co. Book Shoppe operates inside Inlet Blue in Topsail Beach. The shop features her books alongside the work of other independent authors and serves as a space for signings and community events.

“I wouldn’t be able to do this without the community,” Porter shared. “So many of the shops I’m in are because another small business owner gave me a chance.”

As an indie author, support is not always guaranteed.

“When you’re not traditionally published, there are spaces where you’re dismissed or not taken seriously,” she said. “I’m lucky to live in a community that supports small businesses and creative work.”

That support showed up early. When Porter released her first book, the response surprised her.

“I had so many pre-orders,” she said. “People who had never read anything of mine were already that supportive.”

Finding Time

Porter balances writing with running a business and raising her family. She’s a mother of three and preparing to welcome her fourth. Writing time doesn’t come easily, she said.

“I schedule it for myself,” Porter said. “If you want something bad enough, you find the time. No one’s going to give it to you.”

That mindset is part of why Saba wanted students to meet Porter.

“These are the moments students remember,” Saba said. “It’s those small interactions that can push someone in a direction they didn’t expect.”

“One of the biggest reasons I really like S.C. as a person and an author is because she’s so humble,” Saba said. “Humility is one of the biggest catalysts for growth.”

Meet S. C. Porter

For Porter, returning to CFCC as an alumna carries personal meaning.

“I think it’s really cool to come back and share my story,” she said. “I hope it encourages someone to put themselves out there. Life gets in the way of the things we want to do, but if you really want something, you make it happen.”

S. C. Porter will visit CFCC on Wednesday, February 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Union Station Auditorium on the Downtown Campus for a discussion with students led by Professor Cheryl Saba. The event is free and open to the public.

To learn more about S. C. Porter and her work, visit scporter.co.