Local author showcase Thursday

Local authors will kick off the inaugural International Literacy Day Author Showcase from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday in the Betty Absheer Memorial Altrusa Room in the Twin Towers, 508 Bartlett St..

A panel discussion will feature authors Kati Wylie Ray, Jodi Powell, Mason Dakota and Mary Cambron-Collard.

Ray’s books are about the Poplar Bluff Tornado: May 9, 1927.

Powell is the author of a children’s book called “A Smell Of A Tail.”

Dakota writes dystopian fiction, which is a futuristic kind of apocalyptic fiction.

Cameron-Collard writes various types of books, mostly romance novels, but she also has her series, the Bigfoot Tales. She has several published books.

Books by the authors will be raffled and the public is invited.

Altrusa Service Committee Chairperson Corretta Bishop said, “all the authors agreed to do this, because they all have a vested interest in literacy and getting people, especially the youth in this generation into reading more.

“Our ultimate goal is to reach out, let people know, if you have that thought in the back of your mind that you can put it on paper, and you can change someone’s entire world, way of life, and different things like that. Our focus is sometimes putting a pen to paper can be the most magical thing you can ever do.”

She challenges anyone with the mindset to want to write a book, but who believes “... it’s going to be too difficult. Just try. It doesn’t have to be a book. It doesn’t have to be a novel, it can be a poem, it can be spoken word, so many different things. Literacy plays an important part in your life at all levels, stages, ages and groups.”

“One big thing is we have a very poor literacy, here in this area,” said Bishop. “We have gotten involved in several partnerships and programs to try to improve the literacy here. We are having the kickoff for International Literacy Day for the first time on the actual International Literacy Day. It’s to showcase these four authors, who all write in very different genres.”

Bishop said the club hopes the schools, community and educators will become involved in the literacy projects and activities.

Literacy is the one thing that does apply to everyone, Bishop said.

There’s always something for someone in regards to reading, in regards to the type of books in tales, short stories, or, poems, historical literature.

Bishop recalls, “I have been an avid reader for many years. So that’s one of the reasons I joined Altrusa, because I noticed nowadays, it’s very hard to get someone, especially a child to sit down and want to read a book.

“My grandmother used to read to me, and she made me read to her. It was ingrained in me and it’s a passion I do have, even with the scope of me losing my vision partially, I still found ways to enjoy the world of books.”

She explained even if the blind don’t read braille, there are library services for the them and the disabled.

“There’s still ways you can get around, for people who say, ‘I can’t read a book, I don’t know braille,’” she said. “There’s still ways you can get that literacy and to get that knowledge to hear that spoken word. Find out whatever it is and enjoy whatever world or fantasy or genre or fiction or history, whatever it is you want to get into. There’s always a way to get there.”