Like many of you who enjoy reading, I belong to a book club which meets monthly. And like most book-lovers, I choose books in the genre most interesting to me, but when you’re in a book club, you might be required to read something you wouldn’t choose for yourself.

Today, the leader of our group announced that my book is now available on amazon, and she also announced that next month, we’ll be discussing my book, “Insight Out: One Blind Woman’s View of Her Life.” Now some of the women might not choose a memoir type book, but they all bought a paperback edition of my book from me and will be prepared with questions and comments next month. I can hardly wait.

This book is not just the story of my life but a narrative of what it’s like to be a blind person in a sighted world. I think it’s a fascinating topic, if I do say so myself. Just kidding. But I do believe that these women will say to themselves, “Hmm. I never thought of that.” In fact, I hope that all readers of this book will say that. The women in this book club all know that I have children and grandchildren, but have they ever thought of how I kept track of them when they first started walking? Or how I babysat my grandchildren? They all presume I graduated college, but have they considered how I got my assignments done, took notes in lectures, or typed my papers without being able to see them? They all know that I’m an active person, but have they ever heard the stories of my adventures in Norway as a cross-country skier? Who cares where I was born or where I went to school? But someone might care about how I survived dodgeball as a kid or how I rode a bike with limited vision. And I suspect that they don’t know how I became a pretty good ballroom dancer after missing my performing days.

I hope that while discussing this book, the women in this group will share their own experiences that might be just as surprising as my own.

And here’s a shameless plug. If you belong to a book club, I hope you will consider choosing this book to discuss. If you belong to a group that needs a speaker, please consider asking me to present. I have years of experience as a Toastmaster, and I love talking about my books. Think about it, and contact me at

mary.hiland

And thanks.

You can order my book from Amazon or at

dldbooks.com/maryhiland

Mary Hiland

Mary.hiland@wowway.com

www.seeingitmyway.com

Author of Insight Out: One Blind Woman’s View of Her Life and The Bumpy Road to Assisted Living A Daughter’s Memoir

Available at Amazon.com, dldbooks, and NLS Talking Books DB 91261