Good morning.  I recently found out news about two authors I’ve always admired. One is Octavia Butler. Ms. Butler was an African-American science fiction writer, and the author of such wonderful books as Kindred, Lilith’s Blood and the Parable series. As the L. A. Times (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2009/10/octavia-butler.html) said, she shattered stereotypes. Ms. Butler died a few years ago, but it has recently been announced that her papers will be added to the collection at the Huntington Library in San Mateo, California. The collection includes the works of others such great writers like Jack London and Christopher Isherwood. I’m just happy that in her death, Ms. Butler is still getting the recognition she deserves.

The second author I want to talk about was much less known. In her lifetime, she published one book. Her name was Sarah E. Wright, the book is called This Child’s Gonna Live, and she recently died at the age of 80. The book was first published in 1969 and is still in print. It was one of the first books to focus on race, sex and class and it was written from and African-American woman’s perspective.  It takes place during the Depression in a Maryland fishing town. I remember having read the book at the age of twenty and being amazed at the pain and fear that the author so easily conveyed. Find out more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/books/04wright.html?_r=2

There are many people who come and go in our lives and make an impact, however small. I just wanted to share two of my “impacts” with you.

Have a good day!

Lisa