Introducing Other Blind Authors and Speakers

Shortly after my blogging journey began five years ago, I learned of a handful of visually-impaired and blind bloggers.

Since, I’ve discovered a multitude. After publishing my first book, From Mishaps to Mission, this summer, I was introduced to a whole world of blind authors, of which I’d like to introduce some to you today.

I’ve been the only blind author my friends knew so I thought you might find it interesting to meet other blind and visually impaired authors. Each with their own gift and talent. I’ll share how we met or know each other, and why I admire their work. Here we go.

1. Amy Bovaird

Several years ago, Rebecca Thesman, who is now my writing coach, introduced me via email to Amy since we shared the same eye disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa. Amy also suffers hearing loss from a related condition, Ushers Syndrome. We’re the same age, but she has retained more vision than myself.

Much respect and admiration developed quickly. Not only did she blog, but she had already published her first book, a memoir about accepting this eye disease and mobility. It brought back so many memories for me. Her mobility instructor was top notch, making me fight jealousy.

Our friendship has blossomed as we call to encourage each other in our endeavors. We almost feel like neighbors, even though she lives in Northwest Pennsylvania, and I in Kansas. We’re both educators, are positive, and thrive on faith and humor. Since meeting, she has published two more books, lost her sister, and later her mother.

More facts about Amy:

• she was a world traveler, teaching English as a second language in the Middle East and abroad
• two of her books reached best-seller status
• she is an inspirational speaker to civic groups, schools, churches, and even nursing homes
• Amy earned her M.A. in Bicultural – Bilingual Studies from the  University of Texas at San Antonio and is a lifelong learner, whether it is vision, writing or language-related.

All of her memoirs involve faith and humor. Please check out her blog, books, and ways to follow or connect with her on Facebook.

2. Maribel Steel

At the end of an online blogging course for the blind, I emailed this lovely lady from Australia with a question, birthing a friendship.

Maribel Steel is an Australian freelance writer, blogger, and Indie author, who also writes for Vision Aware’s blog. She is the Co-Founder of  Speak 2 Inspire, an award-winning Toastmaster and a positive vision educator who is legally blind with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP).

As the mother of four, Maribel loves to be in nature, to travel, to share stories and to live life to the fullest with her life-partner, Harry and new guide dog, Dindi. When not outdoors, you can find her singing harmony with Harry in their studio, or recording songs she or others have composed.

In her book, Blindness for Beginners she wrote: “To live well with low vision means being able to bend and flex – to sway with change without it breaking your spirit”. She also pointed out, “Challenges are a part of everyone’s life, big or small, whether you are blind or sighted. The real challenge is not so much the situation that can completely halt you in your  tracks, but choosing a positive outlook to find an alternative route when it might be easier to  give up.”

Her other accomplishments include:

• being on Sydney TV and  several National radio broadcasts
• winning a few awards as a Toastmaster, where she is Vice-President
• giving 37 presentations on writing or blindness in various places

What I remember the most was her coordinating Vision Quest Challenge, an event for the community to explore their world through a simulated experience using a guide. It amazed me to see her accomplish such a feat. She continues to amaze me every time we speak. Please check out her links and book if you know someone newly diagnosed with vision loss.

3. Phyllis Campbell

Writing professionally since the sixties, I consider Phyllis to be a trailblazer for us blind and visually-impaired authors. Her works have been published in the US, The United Kingdom, and translated into Chinese. Three of her eight books have been chosen by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, where they were recorded for blind and visually-impaired patrons, like myself. In fact, that is how I read her novel, “Where Sheep May Safely Graze.”

Phyllis learned the craft of writing from courses studied at the Virginia School for the Blind, Lynchburg College, The Hadley Institute, Creative Writing Institute, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She currently writes two columns for National Braille Press Magazine. That is, when not playing the organ at Historic Faith Lutheran, trying out new recipes, or knitting.

She also has worked as a teacher, counselor, youth transition specialist, and organist.

Blind from birth, and dependent on braille provided enough challenges. Being a woman during the sixties and seventies added more hardship to break into the industry. However, Phyllis would write in braille, before meticulously typing her manuscript on a manual typewriter. She told me, “I didn’t have a proofreader, so it goes without saying, that I had to type carefully. There were few market listings in an accessible format, so often submitting material  was guesswork.”

Regardless of a mound of obstacles, she persevered and didn’t expect a free ride. Not once did she mention to a publisher she was blind, unless they inquired where her knowledge came from for the blind character. One publisher even told her no one would want to buy a book with a blind protagonist. Fortunately, for Phyllis and her many readers, another publishing house disagreed. They published her first two books.

“Often, we have to work harder,” she says. “We often have to prove ourselves, and that requires more work, but I consider it worth it.”

As a co-pastor who is blind, I could relate to many of the elements in her novel, “Where Sheep May Safely Graze.” This novel delicately touched on tough issues involving the church, blindness, and the unloved in such an honest, yet unoffensive manner. It sounds like it’s sequel, “Going Home” involving a mass murderer might do the same. After all, fifty years passed before the penal system sent the main character home to die. I’m ready to read this one now. If you’re interested in this, or any of her other titles, You can do so in the links below.

To learn more about Phyllis, visit her website, connect with her on Facebook, and buy her books on Amazon 

4. Christine McDonald

The best way to describe Christine is to say she’s an overcomer on steroids who understands grace better than most of us ever will. While I haven’t met her personally, our books were published by the same business, DLD Self-Publishing, and Editing Services. On top of that, my oldest daughter heard her speak in Joplin, MO last year for a college class and raved on and on.

Christine is an international speaker, an advocate for the invisible and too often forgotten populations, and calls Missouri her home. Her memoirs explain why. In her first, Cry Purple, she shares her painful journey through homelessness, crack addiction, and prison, to blindness, motherhood, and happiness. Her second book, The Same Kind of Human, sees the marginalized and exploited through the eyes of grace. This is the attitude my husband and I adopt in our ministry.

Christine has presented over 150 Keynote speeches, facilitated 50 workshops, given 50 testimonies on legislative floors and shared more than 100 inspirational and faith presentations. Her life experiences, coupled with her entertaining and educational training abilities, provide her the perfect insight to help others see beneath the surface of our society’s otherwise ‘invisible’  populations.

Read on to check out a few of her accomplishments below (sure puts me to shame), or click this link to learn more about her and her books now.

• Consulted with Dignity Healthcare to better identify human trafficking victims in the national  health care system
• Trained local, state and federal law enforcement on the complexities around human trafficking and  providing a victim-centered response
• Consulted with substance abuse programs and facilities to help them better understand human  trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, the role addiction plays and the harms involved in  those environments and the challenges of self-identifying as a “victim” versus a “prostitute”
• Engaged communities and faith communities about the humans behind criminal behavior, substance  abuse, and prostitution
• Educates, consults, and aids in policy changes with the formerly incarcerated. Offers individuals in centers, programs, jails and prisons tools to navigate services when they face barriers, promoting individual responsibility.

Christine encourages professionals to leave labels behind and see each individual’s path to the present moment. Light a spark of hope, instead of stomping out an ember in their life.

More About Blind Talent

Every blind author’s sight journey is different. Authors Amy, Maribel, and I have all dealt with knowing sight and watching it fade gradually. Phyllis knew nothing other than blindness, but Christine was sighted then went blind (eyes surgically removed) in a day. According to my daughter, Christine was pregnant and in prison when something went wrong with her eyes. She chose blindness over losing her unborn child.

Once free, she encountered blind services that wouldn’t help felons, and Programs for Felons wouldn’t accept her because she was blind. It’s no wonder she fights legislature and offers tools and resources to those in prison.

Many blind and visually-impaired advocate for rights, teach others in their community, but those authors I introduced today are trailblazers making a way when there is no way. However, many more of the blind and visually-impaired start their own businesses, are bloggers, podcasters, and much more. You can look through this holiday gift catalog if you wish (I’m in there) to learn of such products, books, and services.

May God bless you this Christmas as you thank Him for your sight. I hope these authors not only inspired you, but inspired you into action for 2020.

© 2019 – 2022, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.