The Better Side

I was given the honor of speaking to a group of kids about my book, The Price of Safety.

But these weren’t ordinary kids.

Dan Crisologo, a friend of mine, is a fan of my debut novel, and his thirteen-year-old son devoured the story. Dan has a friend in Austin, Texas who has established a great organization: the Central Texas Table of Grace (CTTOG), which is an emergency shelter for children ages 6 to 17 in the foster care system. (If you have a minute, check them out: https://centraltexastableofgrace.org/). After seeing how much his son enjoyed my book, Dan thought the kids at CTTOG might enjoy reading it as well. He checked with the owner of the shelter, and after she agreed to his suggestion, he generously bought almost a dozen of my books, shipped them to me to autograph, and then I sent them to the shelter.

A short time after the shelter received the books, I jumped on a Zoom call with the group.

I told the children and adults who attended a little about myself, my writing process, and my inspiration for the book, and then I answered the children’s questions. They had some fantastic questions, everything from how the cover was designed, to my Dedication to my mom, to events that happen in the story. Most of the kids received their copy just before our call, so they hadn’t had a chance to read it, although a couple admitted they’d already started reading the story, and during the call, I saw a couple others opening the book repeatedly as if saying “OK we got it, let us read it already”. Even so, at the adults’ request, I read the first chapter aloud to the group, and we concluded the call with a promise to speak again after the group finishes reading the book.

The conversation we had, and the kids’ enthusiasm for the story, was beyond my expectations. You never know how others will react to something you create, whether it be a novel, a painting, or some other form of art. I was touched that these kids would be interested in the story—which is an adult novel and is dark in spots—and I was honored to be involved in such a selfless gesture as this. I don’t deserve credit for the gesture, though. That was my friend Dan, and those at CCTOG who are helping these kids and making a difference in others’ lives. I applaud them. They are the better side of our humanity.

Thank you, Dan and CCTOG, for thinking of me and setting up such a special event. It has meant more to me than you know.