Today our featured Member of the Month is Jerelyn H. (I-F-Letty). Jerelyn was named our Member of the Month in June 2011.
How long have you been a PBS member?
I have been a member since 3-14-09
How did you find PBS?
I follow a blog, by one of the ladies in the historical fiction forum, it was either her talking about PBS or one of my fave authors talked about it on her blog, I don’t remember which. The funny thing is that same author requested a old out of print book from me. I didn’t realize it of course until I printed out the mailing label. I wrote a quick note telling her that I had her first 2 books, both had been self published. She kindly sent me 2 new autographed copies. Thank-you Susan Higginbotham! This is also an example of the *PBS nice* that is so prevalent in our community.
How has PBS impacted your life?
I went through a very serious illness, then I fell on the ice not once but twice and was injured rather badly. Needless to say I had a lot of time on my hands, I had to stop working, my life changed, friends fell away. I was desperately wanting to find new authors and talk books. PBS has been a God send! I met some amazing people, my friend Bonnie for one I think we were friends or sisters in our last life. Boss Lady, and all the friends on the Historical Fiction Forum have so enriched my life. It was wholly unexpected, and so welcome.
What does PBS mean to you?
I have a much wider view of the world. It has pulled me out of a fairly serious depression. When your used to being out working and doing then that comes to a screeching halt, to be reduced to just your house because it was just to difficult to go out, PBS became my window on the world. I have also been interviewing authors for the PBS Blog. I can’t believe how much fun this is! I feel like I am contributing to our community, it is a good feeling.
Did you read as a child?
Oh yes. I am the youngest of 5 children. I learned to read at 4 by playing school with my sister who is 3 years older than I. She taught me to read 
with the Dick and Jane books. I got my first library card at 6. My first book was My Friend Flicka. I have always been a history geek. I loved biographies. I remember reading Lady With The Lamp about Florence Nightingale.
What was your favorite book growing up?
That is hard to say, but I loved Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain Series. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, he lived down the street from us when I was very little. My eldest brother and sister both have a autographed 1st edition of his book.
I also loved Nancy Drew. My Mother would read them to us on trips to see our grandparents.
What book impacted you most as a child or young adult?
In 8th grade I had chickenpox, I read Gone With the Wind for the first time. It was my first grown-up novel, I was sneaking my elder sister romances very soon after that. Bond of Blood by Roberta Gellis, The Flame and The Flower , and The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Pretty racy stuff for a 14/15 year old.
What is your favorite or most meaningful book read as an adult?
I have to say it would be Sharon Penman’s novels. She is a master in her genre, authors respect her work her fans love her. Even college professors are using her novels to teach Medieval studies, she simply the best!
What are you reading now?
I am been reading The Sweet Smell Of Decay by Paul Lawrence, also Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn.
On deck are Before Versailles, the newest novel by Karleen Koen, The Daughter of Siena by Marina Fiorato, and The Virgin Widow by Anne O’Brien.
If you have any nominations for Member of the Month, submit them to us here. Your nomination will not “expire”–anyone you nominate will have a chance at getting Member of the Month if enough nominations accumulate over time. Each month the person who has the most votes accumulated when the Newsletter goes to press gets to be Member of the Month and gets a newsletter mention and a nifty MoM icon to wear on profile and forum posts with pride. So go for it! Tell us who’s helped you in the Forums, who’s been a great swapper, who in your opinion is a credit to PBS. We are keeping a list of all the nominated members. Who knows–one of them might be YOU!
Tags: Club Member of the Month
You are a strong lady, Letty! Anyone reading this mini biography should be inspired because you have shown how a person who has been limited in the ability to do things can overcome that and still get much enjoyment from life! Way to go!!!