The anthology, "Behind Our Eyes: Stories, Poems and Essays by Writers with Disabilities," Edited by Marilyn Brandt Smith was released in December, and is avaialable on www.iuniverse.com/bookstore. Disabled people, in most ways, are just like everyone else. So it should come as no surprise that the stories, essays, and poems in Behind Our Eyes deal with situations and emotions that confront all of us: family and marriage, love and heartbreak, discord, appreciation of nature, and the desire to engage in the world more fully.

VSA author and artist Heather J. Kirk, one of the few authors included in the book who is not blind, assisted in the final editing of the cover and book layout that required sight. Yet the vast majority of the planning, writing and editing was done by the other authors, using a wide variety of technological tools available to assist the blind with writing, reading and computer access. Kirk wrote a humorous personal essay about life with Attention Deficit Disorder, titled "Telling the Truth," and an article reevaluating the role of the blind men in a folk tale as they encounter an elephant. She has also written for Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul, and has published a book of poetry titled "We...a spirit seeking harmony for a world that’s out of sync," which can be found on her web site http://www.photographicartistry.citymax.com/Books.html

Sanford Rosenthal, Executive Director of Behind Our Eyes, Inc. says, "Whenever I met people from all walks of life it became apparent, sometimes early on, and at other times later on, that everyone had stories to tell. The workshop (that ultimately created the anthology) was an inspiration I had that formalized when I was asked to attend the delegates assembly of the National Writers Union in September of 2005. My way to motivate others to write was to form a series of weekly teleconferences in which we could fellowship for support, and hone our craft by practicing writing exercises and speaking to successful authors." Consider visiting our Sunday-night conferences to blend your thoughts and experiences with ours. To join the list, send a blank message to:

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A real and candid portrait of life with disability as well as an entertaining foray into the minds and hearts of a beautifully diverse group of people, Behind Our Eyes urges and inspires us to meet even our loftiest goals, embrace our individual vulnerabilities, and let our own imaginations soar.

is available as a hardback, paperback, and a PDF download that can be listened to with several screen readers and the newest versions of Acrobat and JAWS.

Literary Collections / General

Trade Paperback

Publication Date: Dec-2007

Price: $17.95

Size: 6 x 9

Author: Edited by Marilyn Brandt Smith

Sanford Rosenthal

Executive Director

Behind Our Eyes, Inc.

ISBN: 0-595-46493-9

218 Pages

On Demand Printing

Available from, and from iUniverse, Inc., to order call 1-800-AUTHORS, www.iuniverse.com/bookstore

Behind Our Eyes