I started writing stories when I was about ten. In my teen
years, I had two poems and ten short stories published in magazines. Nine of
those short stories were published in DIALOGUE Magazine.
DIALOGUE has been running for 57 years. On the front cover, it
says, “A world of ideas for visually impaired people of all ages.”
It contains personal stories from blind and visually
impaired people, special equipment which might interest them, career information,
news tips, recipes, and more and more.
In the 70s, they published fiction short stories, and that’s
where I first was published.
Forty years later, I still remember one lesson I learned
about writing from DIALOGUE.
When they returned one of my short stories, they told me
that other people solved the main character’s problems, instead of her figuring
out any of it on her own. That is a story technique I have always remembered
and tried to use.
As I’ve said before, for 30 years, I almost never wrote,
because of work, school and family. I also stopped reading braille magazines.
Seven years ago, since I stopped working for health reasons,
I started reading and writing again, thank God.
I read Dialogue again, and they published eleven articles from
me, about being a blind Mom and wife and employee; about being a more mature
blind person than I used to be; about braille; about writing; about dealing
with new disabilities after brain injury.
As of June of this year, DIALOGUE Magazine is suspending publication
due to financial reasons. I will miss them. I thank God for them.