Article: Pardon, is My Disability Showing? by Barbara Bates

[Dawn McClure]

You can view the page at http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/conte...ara-Bates&

[Nancy L Westaway]

You Rock Barbara!!!
Fantastic information. I'm saving this post and will be be watching for the others. In the series I'm writing I am planning for a special character with special needs and unique challenges and your information will help greatly. Excellent resource, thank you for that!!

Cheers!
Nanc

[Margaret Fieland]

Barbara, thanks for a very informative post. One of my best friends at college was blind from birth. Four of us shared an apartment senior year, and we had a blast. We took turns cooking, cleaning, etc. She had a guide dog -- a truly remarkable animal. The whole thing was a real eye-opener.
(yes, you can groan now.)

[Barbara Bates]

Nancy:
Let me know if there are any specific disabilities you want covered, especially if they're not in the outline. While I'm most familiar with blindness, being blind, I can research other conditions. Take care, Barbara

[Barbara Bates]

Margaret: Thanks for your response. Seeing the disabled as people who have to do some things a bit differently is how I'd like others to see us. As for guide dogs -- they have their own personalities and like children have their good and bad habits (Don't get me started). I've had two guide dogs, each had her own little quirks. They became part of the family. Take care, Barbara

[T L Sumner]

Barbara,
I really enjoyed your post. It's full of very useful information and I look forward to learning more throughout your series.

[Barbara Bates]

Tosha: Thanks. If there's anything in particular you'd like to know, let me know. Take care, Barbara

[Katie]

Hi Barbara

I've some disabilities and I would like it if you covered what happens when you meet readers. Do they avoid you? What about an agent or a publisher? Do you let them know you have a disability before hand?

This will be a great series. I've had these questions for a while but didn't know who to ask.

[Barbara Bates]

Katie: While I don't call attention to my disability, I will answer questions about mine. I often get comments like, "You don't act blind." How is a blind person supposed to act? I've submitted to agents without telling them I'm blind. If they show interest, that's when I tell them. This is to protect myself... if they ask me to do something I don't normally do, I don't want them surprised when I ask for an alternative. But I've found announcing myself as disabled before they get to "know" me, can be a put-off.