From a Hospital Bed to the Library Stacks

4 days ago

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I’ve been in the hospital since September 5, after a fall on my already damaged spine. Hospitals have a way of swallowing time — the endless vital checks, the sterile hallways, the waiting for answers that never come fast enough. It’s not where I expected to spend the week leading up to the ReadLocal Author Fair.

And honestly, I don’t know yet if I’ll be discharged in time to attend.

But even from this hospital bed, I can’t stop thinking about the event — because it means more than just another line on my author calendar.

Libraries saved me.

When I was a kid, life was messy and often unsafe. But my adoptive mom, a first grade teacher, showed me the magic of classrooms and libraries. I’d tag along while she graded papers, and I’d lose myself in the stacks. In those quiet aisles, I found friends in stories when I didn’t have them in real life. Libraries became my safe place.

That’s why being invited to sit on the other side of the table at the ReadLocal Author Fair feels so surreal.

And this year, I’m not the only one showing up with a story of resilience. The library’s featured author, Jason B. Dutton, is a Columbus writer who also lives with health challenges. Different diagnoses, different journeys — but the same truth: creating despite the struggle.

It’s a reminder that stories don’t stop, even when life tries to.

So whether I’m there in person or cheering from my hospital bed, I hope you’ll show up to celebrate our library and the incredible authors who call Ohio home.