Sherrilyn Kenyon!!!!

I'm still rechecking the book "Devil May Cry" over and over to look at the writing/signing that Sherrilyn Kenyon did for me. It was wonderful to see her at the Borders the bookstore, and it was MUCH better with an interpreter. I cannot stress how much the staff helped ensure that I could have access at the reading and also at the signing. Stacy of Borders (at 104th and I-25 here in Northglenn) was very helpful. They reserved two chairs for me and the interpreter(Val in the white dress in one photo), and ensured that the interpreter would have a spot to sign while Sherrilyn Kenyon spoke and did a questions-and-answers section. At no point, did I feel left out. Sherrilyn Kenyon did look at me when she realized that I was deaf and so we talked a bit about sign language; that she couldn't sign much due to her hand being broken in the past. I did tell her that if she ever comes to DC, I'd be too happy to teach her sign language! I hope that bookstores can read this and realize how accessible (and simple)it can be for deaf readers/customers to participate in any signing/readings of amazing authors. Heck, even during the reading of tickets on who'd win stuff, the interpreter notified them of my number, and even when I went to the coffee section to get away from crowds (I confess, I feel uneasy in crowds), the wonderful assistant went down to give me a poster I won! They didn't HAVE to, but they did.

I cannot stress hard enough how I REALLY appreciated being an active participant in this event thatI will never forget! Here is the photos!

Shared Reading Project

As I said it in a comment at one blog tonight, there IS a program where hearing parents can interact with their deaf children and it will also help literacy. So I thought, why not write about it here on my blog? So... this program is provided by Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University- It's called Shared Reading Project. How it works is that mentors who are usually deaf and know ASL, will be sent to work with hearing families once a week or two. The goal for the mentors are to use children books, and teach parents how to sign from the books that would attract the deaf child, helping the deaf child developing the connection between printed word and sign..and ta da, we have LITERACY. It also will help the family develop a closer relationship with the deaf child(ren) as well. Here is the link:

http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/Literacy/srp/index.html

It's not limited to Washington DC. It is at many states from what I understand, including Colorado where I found out about this program.

Another idea for hearing parents on interacting with their deaf children.