Upcoming Appearance on the Paula Gloria Show in NYC

Hi all,

I've been meaning to post this for some time, but tasks and projects have kept me from making it here...

I wanted to let you know ~ in case you don't already ~ that I will be going to New York City April 20 - 22 to do an appearance on the Paula Gloria Show.  Paula has a YouTube channel with over 900 videos, over 4,000 subscribers and over 3 million views.  Paula is working with Ken Kish, author of Despised Things, to put together a show featuring three authors of sex offender related books.  I have been invited to appear along with Derek Logue, author of Once Fallen.

I am excited about the trip but must cover my own travel and meal expenses.  My flight is $443.20 on Southwest Airlines (where they herd you in like cattle) and my motel is $236.06 for two nights in a Super 8 motel.  Lavish and luxurious it's not, but as long as there is a bed ~ and hopefully with clean sheets ~ I'll be okay.

Fortunately, Derek has booked a room at the same motel so that we can commute back and forth to the studio and also do some sight seeing together.  I have never been to NYC and admit to feeling intimidated.  My 23 year old daughter has been twice, but both times with a group of people.  She says not to carry a purse.  Wow.  Coming from such a rural area where people leave their doors unlocked at night and going to such a crime riddled big city where one has to leave their purse at home will likely be a bit of a shock to my senses.

Still, I am willing to go.  I am hoping to get to promote my book, after all, the show will be focused on a panel of three authors, so there is a good chance, but I'm also hoping to raise awareness to the sex offender issues and tell viewers that organizations like SOSEN exist to offer support for families of sex offenders.

I have put out a call on the SOSEN forum asking for donations for the trip from over 200 members.  So far, I'm sad to report, only a very small handful of people have contributed towards my travel expenses, and of those, four donations came from board members themselves.  This is unbelievable to me because so many people complain that there aren't enough people doing anything about the laws and here I am trying to do something good and very few seem to care.

Everyone is there chiming in with their big ideas on what should be done, but when they see that it takes money to accomplish these lofty goals, they shut and keep their wallets closed.  I know that the economy is not doing that great, I know that folks are struggling but I suspect that if folks can afford a computer and internet connection they should be able to cough up even five bucks for a good cause.

After all, I'm not doing this for me or my family.  My life is pretty good. My family's life is pretty good. No one harrasses us, no one bullies my child, the local law enforcement agency treats us well. They never do check ups on my hubby, they never even did community notifications (no, I was proactive, and did it FOR them). The principal at school knows him and knows he is not a threat, so he is welcome to come to school, even alone, to pick up our daughter and such. Truly, at this time, the only affect the registry has on us at this moment is that he is stuck with the job he has. But, at least he IS employed and we are making ends meet, but barely.

We live in a trailer, not some big fancy mansion.  I am self employed and work long hours for little pay.  We rarely eat out and do a lot of our shopping at Savers or Goodwill.  We have a small TV and old cars.  We grow a garden to save money on food.  When we want to do landscaping, we go out into the woods in search of plants to dig up.  This is our life.

$700+ to blow on a 2 day trip is a lot of money for me.  But, if I need to foot the entire bill, I will.  But so far, SOSEN members have contributed a whopping $200 towards my travel expenses and for that I am eternally grateful.

Won't you consider adding to the pot?  Please, use the Paypal button on the SOSEN home page at www.sosen.org to make your TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation.  Even $5 would help, but if you donate $50 or more, I will personally send you an autographed copy of my book.  Okeedokee?