The Forest of Aisling (The Willow Series) by D.S. Elstad

The Forest of Aisling (The Willow Series) by D.S. Elstad

Publication Date: April 22, 2013

Per the author, one of the main characters named Bram is a Deaf, Irish boy. Look for a review of this book in the following months. 

Book Description
Celtic Mythology, Gods of the Tuatha De Danaan, Balor of the Evil Eye, a Druid Mist...and shapeshifting?
Recurring dreams of a mysterious forest and a pack of wolves haunt Willow Whelan. Her mom explains that it might be her Native American vision quest...meaning the supernatural world is trying to tell her something. But what?  When her father receives word that his mother in Ireland has died, Willow is expected to accompany him to Killarney for the funeral of a grandmother she never met. There, she's introduced to second-cousins who confide in her that her grandmother may have died under suspicious circumstances.  Along with the question surrounding her grandmother's death, Willow wrestles with her own physical changes that manifest themselves the minute she sets foot on the Emerald Isle.  But the thing that confuses Willow the most is the emotional connection she develops, almost immediately, to the Deaf, Irish boy, Bram, who gives her a crash course in Celtic Mythology and a past that will unite them forever.

Tone Deaf (2013) by Olivia Rivers

Thanks to my former student Lisa for tipping me off about Tone Deaf, a (forthcoming ?) publication by Olivia Rivers, who, from her blog reveals, is "a high school student, a literary agent intern, and an obsessive-compulsive reader. She has a slight obsession with Kootenai County in Idaho, and she’s pretty sure life will always be awesome as long as Irish accents exist. She lives with dysautonomia, a chronic medical condition affecting her nervous system. Portions of proceeds from her “Tortured Elements” series go toward supporting youth with dysautonomia." (http://oliviarivers.blogspot.ca/) I write "forthcoming" publication hesitantly because the text is already available to readers on the internet on Wattpad.com. If you're interested in checking it out, you can find Tone Deaf here.
Rivers' last book was published by Red Sparrow Press and available through Amazon as an eBook.

One Goodreads, she explained, "I have to be honest: "Tone Deaf" was never intended to be read by others. I wrote the story out of frustration, when I was unable to find a book that featured a realistic main character with disabilities.

One day, on a whim, I posted the first chapter of “Tone Deaf” on Wattpad.com. The response I received was absolutely amazing and humbling. Apparently, I wasn’t the only reader frustrated by the lack of disabled main characters. “Tone Deaf” received over 1,000 hits within a week of being posted, and to this date, has over 750,000 hits.

Some readers have ventured to call “Tone Deaf” a “diverse” book, but I have another word for it: Realistic. In reality, not every person is perfectly healthy or functional. And not every person is white, straight, and good-looking. And, honestly, who would want that? The world would so boring without the diversity it presents us.

I truly hope "Tone Deaf" presents this diversity and reality in a way that readers can relate to. And, most importantly, I hope readers enjoy the characters and love-story within the book!" http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/637547093

For more information about the book, you can follow posts on the Tone Deaf Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tonedeafanovel

Strong Deaf selected as a White Raven Outstanding International Book for Children and Young Adults

Congratulations Lynn McElfresh!  Strong Deaf has been selected as a White Raven Outstanding International Book for Children and Young Adults. The White Raven label is given to books that deserve worldwide attention because of their universal themes and/or their exceptional and often innovative artistic and literary style and design. Look for my upcoming interview with the author!

New Publication: Strong Deaf by Lynn McElfresh

Albeit a month behind, I have had contact with Lynn McElfresh, author of Can You Feel the Thunder?(1999), about her publication Strong Deaf for a little over two years now. I'm am very excited to see it published!

Strong Deaf, Lynn McElfresh  

Hardcover: 130 pages

Publisher: namelos (December 1, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1608981266

ISBN-13: 978-1608981267

Book Description

Jade is the only hearing member in her family. Her older sister gets to go to the school for the deaf headed by her grandfather Gilbert, but Jade feels left out. Marla thinks her little sister is a pest and a brat. When they end up on the same softball team for the summer, neither is happy about it. Jade, the smallest player on the team, is assigned to be the catcher. It looks like it’s going to be a long season. As sisters, they are often at loggerheads, but as team mates Jade and Marla have to find ways to get along. In spite of their differences, they soon discover that each has a lot to offer the other.