We were lucky to catch up with Marlene Shipley Everhardt recently and have shared our conversation below.
Marlene, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?
I am a CODA (child of deaf adults). Growing up, I was the mouthpiece for my parents. I was their gateway to the hearing word. My published children’s books are stories of a deaf grandmother and her hearing grandsons. Included in my books are illustrations of American Sign Language (ASL). I hope to promote the love of reading and for my readers to learn basic sign language. American Sign Language is a language with its own set of rules and grammar, just like spoken languages.
Using hand shapes, gestures, facial expressions and body language, people using ASL are able to communicate with those who are deaf. Through my books awareness is raised for the inclusion of the deaf community.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
A few years ago I embarked on a journey to promote the learning of American Sign Language through a series of children’s books that I published about a deaf grandmother and her hearing grandsons. I call my series of children’s books the Signing Grandma series. The books also contain illustrations of American Sign Language as a way for the young readers to learn how to sign. As a CODA myself( child of deaf adults) sign language was my first language. Sign Language is a way for the deaf and hearing community to be able to communicate with each other and therefore creating inclusiveness.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an author is the people I meet and the interest they show in the stories I have written. I so enjoy talking about my books and giving the back story as to how the stories came to be.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My goal is to promote the love of reading and to raise awareness of the difficulty for the deaf community to communicate with those who are hearing. A hidden disability can make daily life more demanding for the deaf . The use of American Sign Language allows for inclusiveness between the deaf and hearing.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Signing Grandma – A Children’s Book Series
