Feeling the energy
I host author events for the Tattered Cover. I’ve learned that amazingly talented authors are also just people. They’ve got their own belief systems and quirks, just like you and me. When I started I had them on a pedestal. They were like movie stars to me. They’re people, and listening to how they came to be writers and how they focus on their characters or their subject matter, that’s what’s most interesting.
You see their passion, and that feeds the audience.
Celebrate reading
My other job is at Douglas County Libraries, so reading is obviously huge for me.
I bring authors to the library, too. This year we had Chris Bohjalian and Brad Meltzer in one week. I’m so thankful I landed in jobs where I can celebrate reading every day. It’s a dream come true.
Remembering for those who can’t
I write memoirs. My dad was a WWII veteran, and he was at Guadalcanal. He ended up with Alzheimer’s. In the last part of his life, he thought he was in Guadalcanal. He thought I was his colonel, named George.
My mom is 93 now. She also suffers Alzheimer’s. I’ve lived at home taking care of my parents since 2001. It’s not where I thought I’d be at this age, but it’s more common now that adults are taking care of their parents. I’m devoted to them.
‘There’s humor, too’
With Alzheimer’s, it’s not all sadness. There’s humor, too. When my mom was 85, I came home to find her up on a ladder with a chainsaw, about to start pruning a tree. I had to take the chainsaw away from her because she was so crazy about using it.
I started writing emails to friends about our lives, and friends told me I should write it all down. Working two jobs and taking care of a 93-year-old, I find writing time when I can. I don’t know if it’ll turn into a book, but I’m compelled to tell stories.
David Gilbert can be reached at dgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com.