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Terence L. Anderson
Dog Talk and Different Shades of Hardness
NOW AVAILABLE ON BARD!
About the author
Blindness distorts reality, I know, having ultimately lost my lifelong struggle with eye disease. Fortunately life has improved for the blind, accessible technology making most of the difference; that is, except with respect to the cane. Though now made from modern materials, little else has changed. For most, cane travel remains an arduous, off-putting, and dangerous task, its proper use incredibly difficult to master. No one ever wanted to pet my cane.
It seemed everyone wanted to pet Kirby. Kirby liked airports, escalators, and crowded sidewalks. He liked steep trails, and restaurants, all of these things making my life immeasurably better. The nature of our extraordinary bond, enabling us to work together as one, and wondering, “What if?” led me to write the story I had to tell. Dog Talk arose from the loss of my sight, entwined with a little distortion of my own.
I lost Kirby to lymphoma in October of 2019. He never quit. He fought it, working up to the last day of his life. Kirby never failed to harness up. We sensed when the other was tired, and made allowance, and so many many other things. The time writing was long, but seldom lonely, Kirby often asleep at my feet. He lives in my heart, a companion forever.
In August of 2020 Cruiser entered my life; huge good fortune, securing a guide dog sometimes taking years. We bonded instantly, another big yellow lab: intelligent, insistent, a personality all his own. Like Kirby, he loves to work; traversing streets or trails with equal skill. I have regained the freedom of walking without use of the cane. Once again, people engage, blindness not viewed as contagious.
The sequel, Different Shades of Hardness is now available. Dave and Ezra have evolved, more prescient, healing others when they can: swift, silent, and ever more deadly.
You can now visit his website at terencelanderson.com
Don’t miss a single snarl!
Paul Martz
Solve It!: The Only Speedsolving Guide for Blind Cubers
You’re blind. You interact with a sighted world by touch. Everything you do requires memory, agility, and concentration. Despite new challenges each day, you persevere and succeed. You’re a problem solver.
If that’s you, then you already possess the skills to solve the tactile Rubik’s Cube™.
Solve It! is written for you—the blind cuber, solving a tactile cube by touch. It contains no illustrations or diagrams. Whether you read it with screen reading software or a braille display, Solve It! explains every step with 100% accessible plain text.
If you’re new to the cube, this book features a solution that is easy to learn and master. But Solve It! goes beyond basic information. It includes a speedcubing method that will dramatically reduce your solution time. After you read this book, you’ll be ready to solve competitively—something most blind cubers never attempt.
Stop ignoring that dusty tactile cube—get ready to Solve It!
“A crucial aspect of blind culture is information sharing. Blind people have always shared information using available technology. The braille code traveled from finger to finger across schools in the nineteenth century. Blind inventors also used Morse code to telegraph accessible electronics diagrams. Solve It! continues this tradition. It offers a friendly and precise expert’s guide. Dive into the fun and fascinating world of tactile cubing. This book will appeal to both the aspiring speed-cuber and the novice who’s never touched a tactile cube before. Highly recommended.”—Andrew Leland, author of The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight
“This unique guide puts an accessible twist on a classic puzzle, taking blind cubers from their first solve to their first speedcubing competition.”—Kristina Lim, teacher and speedcuber
About the author
Paul is a science fiction author, technology blogger, and former punk rock drummer. His short fiction appears online and in multiple anthologies. His non-fiction includes some really boring programming books.
Originally from Flint, MI, Paul resides in Colorado, where he tries to avoid reliving his punk rock days. He is still trying to teach his cat to play drums.
Elyse Draper
Freewill: A New Adult Paranormal Romance and Fantasy Adventure
(Book One of the Freewill Trilogy)
Book Club Edition
What if the voice in your head wasn’t yours—but someone else’s soul calling out for help?
Seventeen-year-old Ellie Tickle wants nothing more than to escape the suffocating grief of war-torn London. She is sent to spend the summer on her uncle’s farm in the English countryside. There, she discovers more than peace. She finds a hidden world of ancient magic. There are fractured souls and forbidden connections that defy time and death.
About the author
A native of Colorado, Elyse Draper is an accomplished author, editor, and creative force with a uniquely evocative voice. Known for her poignant, melodious writing style, Elyse’s work spans genres and media. It ranges from dark fiction and poetry to nonfiction and editorial contributions. Her notable works include Autism: The Beautiful Mind, Freewill, and Lay Me Down. She has edited over 50 indie publications. As a journalist, she has also contributed more than 600 articles across a broad spectrum of topics. Industry professionals have widely praised her nonfiction for its clarity, insight, and emotional resonance.
Elyse’s journey as a writer took a transformative turn after she started losing her eyesight 14 years ago. Undeterred, she adapted by “painting with words,” cultivating a storytelling style rich in visual imagery and emotional depth. Her resilience and adaptability are evident throughout her work. She blends lived experience with imagination. This combination captivates and inspires.
To find out more about Elyse Draper, visit: elysedraper.com/ or ipubcloud.org/collections/elyse-draper
Ann Chiappetta
Navigating Sight Loss, Embracing Life’s Rich Tapestry
This unique collection features “Follow Your Dog” and “Words of Life.” It offers profound insights into the experience of living with vision loss. The books creatively illustrate both the challenges and the journey of self-acceptance. These books powerfully convey the message. While vision loss is a part of one’s identity, it does not define it.
Follow Your Dog: This book is an essential resource for individuals, families, and professionals seeking to understand the realities of blindness and the intricate process of guide dog training. Readers will gain invaluable knowledge and a compassionate perspective on navigating life with a visual impairment, showcasing the remarkable partnership between humans and their canine companions.
Words of Life: This evocative collection of poetry and essays will resonate deeply with readers who appreciate rich imagery and profound emotion. Spanning themes from the beauty of nature to the complexities of relationships, marriage, loss, and identity, “Words of Life” offers a moving and insightful exploration of the human experience through a unique lens.
About the author
Ann is an artist and often refers to her love of words as a natural compensation after losing her vision in 1993. Ann was once a designer of acrylic displays and furniture. She trained her creative senses to flow from the visual to the literary arts. Years later, she has become a poet and author, honing her talent in various mediums, including web content for nonprofits, regular bylines for online literary publications, poetry, anthologies and guest editing in online literary journals.
Ann possesses a master of science in Marriage and family therapy from Iona College and an undergraduate degree from the College of New Rochelle, both located in Westchester County, New York. A guide dog handler and advocate, Ann volunteers her time representing people with visual impairments and guide dog users on various National, State and local boards of directors. A consultant and guest presenter, Ann visits schools promoting awareness and equality for people with disabilities. She is the 2015 recipient of the WDOM Spirit of Independence award and the 2019 GDUI Lieberg-Metz award for excellence in writing.
For more information about Ann or to read her blog, thought-wheel or to listen to audio and video clips, visit http://www.annchiappetta.com/
