Star Wars
If you are like me, you never think of Star Wars being a movie with disability in it.  A friend recently pointed out that Darth Vader is so bad-ass that you never think about him being a vent-dependent triple-amputee! I love that.  He is disabled, but so powerful that no one crosses him. It would be  a problem to me if the movie suggested that he became a psychotic bad guy trying to take over the world because he was bitter about the disability.  Many writers would go that direction with it. Star Wars doesn’t go there.  The disability is completely in the background and not used as part of the plot, except for the way his suit makes him look and sound super scary. That’s a win.  Congratulations, Star Wars, I know you were just waiting for my approval!...
Read MoreMillion Dollar Baby
I have never watched Million Dollar Baby. It won awards, people were talking about it, it was a big deal. I considered watching it until I heard about the ending. I am so tired of every movie with a quadriplegic character in it being about how that character wants to die. It is so trite and so ignorant. It’s lazy on the part of the writers. From what I’ve heard the depiction of quadriplegia is over dramatic and unrealistic. I should watch it for the sake of completeness in my “research” of disability in the media, but I’d rather keep my sanity. The only thing watching that movie is going to do for me is raise my blood...
Read MoreIntroduction
Disability issues are something that I am passionate about. Â Here you’ll find my many opinions about disability rights and also reviews and suggestions of romances and other books you might enjoy that feature main characters who have physical disabilities. Check out the Current Fiction page to see my own contributions to the genre! Come on in and enjoy...
Read MorePC Language
I don’t think that we are ever going to find a perfect way to refer to people with disabilities, unfortunately. There are a lot of kooky attempts to find politically correct language. As with all minorities and subgroups, different members will have different feelings about it and everyone should be respectful of that. There may be those who like the phrase “differently abled.” To me it sounds ridiculously, over-the-top cutesy and condescending. The phrase “handicappable” makes me want to throw up. But as usual, my opinion isn’t really the one that matters. Here’s an essay I like: “Differently-abled” There is no good word to use for this, there really isn’t. I resonate with the idea that society is what...
Read MoreA YouTube Video
Not my usual fare, but I ran across this on YouTube: I’m glad that the people in this video are happy with the program, I just don’t really understand it. Being able to walk doesn’t make you any less paralyzed. A wheelchair is such a terrible symbol that you would rather move in this painstakingly slow and difficult manner than use one? I think it’s the image of a wheelchair that needs changing. I don’t think people should feel the need to do absolutely everything they can to stay out of one, when it might be the most convienient and safe option for someone. It’s a chair and it has wheels on it. That’s all. It’s a useful, practical, and efficient mode of transportation for many people. It allows freedom and...
Read MoreProgress Trackers
At proofreaders; available for pre-order
What Is Meant To Be
Second draft
Homework & Homicide (working title)
Second Draft
Book Montage
RFW winner October 7, 2011
