The Blog Team here at Lulu doesn’t usually have the opportunity to share such a story with our readers, but when Lisa Haneberg sent us her account of helping our elders become published authors we knew we had to share it. It is truly remarkable how much one person can make a difference in the lives of others, and I hope that Lisa’s story will inpsire others to follow in her path.
We here at the Lulu Blog team commend Lisa for taking the time to help Ruth, Mike, Carol, and Marwayne publish their books on Lulu.
Coming to Fruition: A Manifesto
By Lisa Haneberg
Five months ago, Ruth, Mike, Carol, and Marwayne were senior writers, and tonight they became book authors, too. If I had not shown them my father’s book, my mother’s book, and one of my books—all done in the same way we planned to do theirs—they would not have believed the dream could come true for them. I assured them we could get past any barriers they might encounter with the technology. I told them we would recruit volunteers to help and I asked them to allow me to guide them through the process to create their own books. Although they did not understand how it would all happen, they placed their faith in me and the process that I had outlined for them. I promised them we would cap off our successful work together with a group reading event.
The reading at the West Seattle Senior Center ended two hours ago. It was scheduled for 4:00 pm so that the seniors in attendance would not have to drive home in the dark. Over 50 people came to hear the four new authors read and to celebrate their achievements. I was the proud emcee. As the authors sat up at the head table in the front of the room, their smiles and sparkly eyes beamed and told me that it was worth all the work. This day—this triumph—was a big deal for them and the audience responded warmly. It was a big deal for me, too, and I am sure I will remember this experience as one of my best of 2008.
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