Literacy by Linda Winwood
I am a motivational speaker for all readers and writers. As a young girl, I could not read or tell time. Even at the age of 37, I still did not know how to use a library.
My story is how I overcame
illiteracy and how I 
sought help from others. Today, I
am a nationally and internationally published children's author.
During my speaking engagements, people will learn of my struggles and how I found help as a child
and as an adult. The
fears and insecurities that I have had since a child prevented me from publishing the first book I wrote. The book, "Mommy, Why Don't We Celebrate Halloween?"
stayed in a drawer for three years before going public! I now boldly speak on how
I self-published my first book.
That Halloween book sold l3,000 copies the first season and was on the publishers top ten best sellers list in the fall of 1994. The book was also the beginning of a series of books called Mommy Why? series. Currently, the "Mommy, Why Don't We Celebrate Halloween?" book has sold over 400,000 copies and in December 2002 it came up as #7 on CBA's Best Sellers List! Not bad for a kid who could not read!
My presentation is informative, humorous, motivating and will stroke the hearts of everyone who struggles with learning issues today. Our children need to see and hear from adults who are not afraid to come forward and tell of their own personal struggles as a child. Even as adults we still encounter those same insecurities and challenges, but we build even bigger barriers.
Everyone needs encouragement and I feel that my experiences show real life victory in spite of the obstacles we can encounter.
Adults may look like they have all the answers. The truth is we are bigger, better pretenders and we should know where to get help and always encourage others to do so. Children and adults need to start early and not wait until they are forty as I did!
A local newspaper, "The Murrysville Star", ran a story about my Halloween book and motivational speaking. The article mentioned how one teacher made a difference in my life. I sent the teacher, "Mrs. Cooper", the article, my book and a "thank you" letter telling her that she was the teacher mentioned in the article.
Mrs. Cooper is a retired resident of Greensburg, Pennsylvania where she taught school all her life. I was not sure I would get a response from the letter I wrote. I thought she would not remember me. She later showed up at a book signing I was conducting at the Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. She introduced herself and said, "I just had to come to thank you for your beautiful letter. My name is Mrs. Cooper."
Mrs. Cooper explained to me that a former teacher friend, also retired, asked her, "Do you think we ever made a difference in a child's life?" Mrs. Cooper responded, "I'd like to think that we have. Maybe some day the Lord will tell us." The next day my letter came in her mail. Now we both had tears in our eyes along with the others there that day.
I have now added Mrs. Cooper's story to my motivational talks. It touches and encourages so many people. You never know what God is going to do or how He will use you when we are submissive and obedient to Him.