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<p class="MsoNormal">From Donna Hill:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Fellow Federationists,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It’s Meet the Blind Month & a perfect time to celebrate blind authors. We come from every race, religion, ethnic, social, age and economic group. To open the minds of the next generation, we need to get our young adult novels & autobiographies
into the classroom, where books can enlighten young minds about the abilities and common humanity of people with vision loss.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have been working on this issue all of my adult life, using music, classroom visits and school assemblies. For five years, I was a volunteer publicist for NFB’s Performing Arts and Writers’ Divisions, as well as for the Pennsylvania
affiliate. Now, I’m doing book reviews of the best blind authors I can find and promoting them, along with my educator-recommended novel The Heart of Applebutter Hill. You may have read my review of fellow Federationist Amy Krout-Horn’s autobiographical novel
My Father’s Blood in Future Reflections’ Fall 2019 issue. And, there are more to come!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Earlier this month, The Heart of Applebutter Hill was chosen for the AllAuthor Cover of the Month Competition, and it has made it into round two – the top 100 vote-getters. It’s currently at #21.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I need your help to get into the third and fourth rounds. Below is the link to the page to vote for The Heart of Applebutter Hill. I am also including instructions about voting for those using Jaws.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you have any way to help me promote this, including through your social media pages or direct mailings, I would be forever grateful. Use this letter or reach out to me for blurbs suitable for Twitter, FB & LinkedIn. If you would like
to read a sample of the book before deciding whether or not to vote, it’s on Bookshare, Learning Ally, Kindle Preview, and I have selections posted to Facebook, LinkedIn and my blog. Find all of these links at:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnawhill.com%2F&data=02%7C01%7CJoe.Drenth%40jbtc.com%7C55cece82d2774121335208d74d8a44d9%7C91c2207902ce47e8bb5bc93a3d5f1a78%7C0%7C0%7C637063128589411505&sdata=f3UNmX5K9Oy9MolFZYQBZwe1rIydzOGGUEsnZgUOuZ0%3D&reserved=0">http://DonnaWHill.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am continuing my work to open minds through literature. It’s worked before for other minorities, and I believe it can help people with vision loss and blindness. We have the authors; we have the books; let’s try to get the public’s attention!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Information about the AllAuthor Cover of the Month Competition<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The cover of The Heart of Applebutter Hill shows a cave scene – stalactites reflected in an underground lake & in the bottom right, a hand holds the blue, heart-shaped Heartstone of Arden-Goth. Photos by Rich Hill; cover design by Bob Lizza,
Lizza Studios.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Vote at:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fallauthor.com%2Fcover-of-the-month%2F5725%2F&data=02%7C01%7CJoe.Drenth%40jbtc.com%7C55cece82d2774121335208d74d8a44d9%7C91c2207902ce47e8bb5bc93a3d5f1a78%7C0%7C0%7C637063128589421496&sdata=IB5qN%2BkH0f2UfeZMDhwWM77112Jn%2F0VOU%2FprLlp3Ko0%3D&reserved=0">https://allauthor.com/cover-of-the-month/5725/</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What to do when you get there:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Page title: "Vote for The Heart of Applebutter Hill"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">From the top of the page, use 'h to next heading which is the book title The Heart of Applebutter Hill.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Down arrow past author & genre till you hear a number followed by "Vote button." At this writing I have 124 votes, so it should say, "124 Vote Button."
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next: Enter. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You may be prompted to sign up to the site; choose ‘author or ‘reader. Give your email and sign up. You've just voted<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks so much,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Donna W. Hill<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=applebutterhill%40gmail.com&data=02%7C01%7CJoe.Drenth%40jbtc.com%7C55cece82d2774121335208d74d8a44d9%7C91c2207902ce47e8bb5bc93a3d5f1a78%7C0%7C0%7C637063128589421496&sdata=0vVxYvqY%2FUtvXB%2Fwg8%2FB5yTcErF5%2B0N05tM8LGzwyYc%3D&reserved=0">applebutterhill@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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