What's Tara Chevrestt's Favorite Book?

My favorite book? I've read so many books in my lifetime, I cannot possibly choose one, but I did manage to narrow it down to three titles. But each title has something in common: the heroine is afflicted with something that makes her different from mainstream society, and she struggles above it, doesn't let herself be beaten down. These stories touch the deepest part of me because I have been there. I'm a hearing "impaired" woman who grew up in a hearing society. So these stories touched my soul. I understood, laughed with the characters, cried with them. And when they met their HEA, I felt deep inside, "There's a HEA for me too. I just have to find it."

And I did find it: I'm home thanks to my wonderful, generous husband, pursuing my dreams of writing, with three gorgeous little dogs by my chair.

But back to the books:

The Tailor's Daughter by Janice Graham. Victorian England, a girl deafened by illness. She dresses as a man, takes over a tailor shop, fights society with silent refusal to back down. And she doesn't give up on finding love either.

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin. She was a mere two foot, eight inches, but the heroine has a big heart. She hurts when people make fun of her, look at her funny, ostracize her, and most of all, as a "disabled" person, I understood her feelings of discomfort around "her own" kind. It's possible to be judged by "your own" as well and to be put off by stereotypes. But it's up to you if you fit in the stereotype or not.

Molokai by Alan Brennert. The heroine has leprosy and is exiled to an island full of others with affliction. It's a life of heartache and pain, but you know what? She finds happiness, true love, and in the end; would she change it all for anything the mainland has to offer?

All were beautiful stories that touched me deeply. Are you different? Do you have a "disability?" Are you impaired? Who cares. There's a HEA for you too.

And I tried to show this in a book of my own, as well. In A Facebook Affair, I have a young woman, hearing "impaired," looking for love despite the fact she's slightly scarred by her past. People haven't always been kind to her. I hope that Kelly's story opens up some eyes and minds to the plight of those suffering disabilities.

It can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/A-Facebook-Affair-ebook/dp/B006KM5UBQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1339520884&sr=1-1

What book has touched you?

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Tara Chevrestt is a deaf woman, former aviation mechanic, writer, and an editor. She is most passionate about planes, motorcycles, dogs, and above all, reading. That led to her love of writing. Between her writing and her editing, which allows her to be home with her little canine kids, she believes she has the greatest job in the world. She is very happily married.

Tara also writes as Sonia Hightower. Sonia writes the racy stuff and argues that she was here first. She just wasn't allowed to be unleashed until the last year.

While Tara and Sonia continue to fight over the laptop and debate who writes the next book, you can find buy links, blurbs, and other fun bits on their website: http://tarachevrestt.weebly.com/index.html or their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Chevrestt-Sonia-Hightower/218383211513877.