My last blog post was in September, so as you can see by this post I am starting to get back in the mode or should I say mood, to share once again.

First of all, I received a letter in the mail today from the Ohioana Library Association. This organization was founded in 1929 to recognize the work of Ohio writers, as well as books about Ohio. They hold an annual program and reception to honor the year's Hamilton County authors. The letter requested my presence at the 2005-2006 event which will be held on Sunday November 12th at the Cincinnati Public Library, in downtown Cincinnati. On this day the organization will recognize authors, illustrators, composers and publishers. I will be receiving recognition as author of I AM AFRAID:The Affairs of my Heart.

I am excited and nervous. Friends and family are welcome also, so if you have read any of my stories written here, you know what a large family I am part of. Oldest of nine.

They also asked me if I would like to donate a book to them, which of course I will do. Autographed properly also. There is a funny kind of a story that goes along with this honor. After my book was published I tried to interest people in reading it. I really felt that it would help anyone who had gone through surgeries like me to know that they weren't alone in maybe the way they felt or acted afterwards. Of course my book sold well at my Beauty Shop because everybody there was reading chapter after chapter as I was writing it and getting opinions. Most of them I considered good friends after so many years. My local library, also read some of the chapters. So after the book was published, I autographed a couple, and gave them to them. Someone there asked me why I didn't get in touch with the downtown branch as they would have the authority to buy it for people to read. Well, let me tell you, after contacting the head honcho or should I say the head honchess(?)and her requesting an autographed copy be sent to her attention, I heard nothing back from her.
Of course after a couple of months went by, I called her back, and she still hadn't read it, and said it was still gathering dust on her desk..she was really too busy to get to it, and she would CALL ME back. I heard nothing. At my local branch, the two copies I had given them were being read by patrons, by word of mouth, from someone who had read it. After 6 months time, I reluctantly called the Honcess back, well, talk about rudeness..She still hadn't read it, really had other more important things that had to come first, and she really felt, maybe it wasn't something she would be interested in, etc...I told her thank you and goodbye. Never have heard from her..Sure would like to get that copy back to give to someone else..

I am rambling again, but I just want to get everything out of me, as it really bothered me more than I thought. Sure my book isn't a 300 page book. It isn't hardback. It is 110 pages of from the heart words. It only costs $12.95 and the cover is weird looking, but a lot of people liked the weird looking book and told me it was so easy to slip in their purses, and a couple said they read it in the bathtub, while relaxing, and the water splashed on the covers just wiped right off, no spoting.I have talked so much I probably do not have any room left here to share the 2nd happening with you. So, I will come back in a day or two and put the 2nd happening on another blog post. If anyone would like to heave comments, I would really appreciate them. Maybe, hopefully there are other humans out there who like to ramble also. Bye for now....

Barbara Sue

10-26-06