Talking Book Services Patron Becomes Published Author

by Shellie Zeigler, Talking Book Services

Mississippi Talking Book Services patron Karen Brown has released a moving memoir through Mississippi's Nautilus Publishing Company. Sandpiper: My Journey with Sight and Blindness is about her progression from a slow loss of sight in her early 20s to complete blindness by age 30. Ms. Brown has strong roots here in the Jackson area. She lived in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Louisiana before making her way back to Mississippi for good. She became the director of the Addie McBryde Rehabilitation Center in 2002 and led that organization for seven years.

In her book, Ms. Brown shares the path her life took over the years: from marrying her husband in Germany, to raising their son, to having three different guide dogs, to teaching English in Florida. Karen's book should be categorized as an inspirational autobiography, if only for her strong faith in God and her optimistic attitude that helped guide her through the struggles she faced. Now a patron for 43 years, Ms. Brown stated that one of the first services she received as a visually impaired person was the Talking Book Services at the Mississippi Library Commission. She stated, "Reading has always been such a treasure for me. I never lost that. I started with the record players that the service provided." That service has changed over the years, but we still have the same goal: no one should ever lose the ability to read, regardless of any impairments. Sandpiper is currently being recorded as part of our ongoing effort to make books by Mississippi authors available to our Talking Book Services patrons.

Karen Brown will be giving a reading and book signing tomorrow, Friday, September 9, 2016, at Lemuria Books in Jackson, MS at 5 p.m. Her book can also be purchased at amazon.com.