In September, Author Bette Lee Crosby, made a personal appearance at the First Annual Meeting of the Temple Beth El Israel Sisterhood, the women’s group involved in numerous charitable endeavors. The luncheon meeting was held at the Temple on Bethany Drive in Saint Lucie West.

Crosby, who is well-known for her sensitive portrayals of family relationships, spoke in depth about her latest release, Cracks in the Sidewalk, the novel that received the 2009 Royal Palm Literary Award from the Florida Writer’s Association. “This story,” Crosby told the audience, “is taken from a tragic incident that happened in the life of a dear friend. The loss of this woman’s grandchildren was such a moving tale that, once told to me, it stayed in my mind for nearly ten years before I summoned the courage to actually write about it. Yes, in some ways this is a sad story, but in the end it’s life affirming. It’s the type of story that proves just how much a single person can change the lives of so many others.”

Crosby has two more completed novels that are currently awaiting publication – What Matters Most and Spare Change, the manuscript that is currently a finalist in the 2010 Royal Palm Literary Award Competition. A prolific writer who spends a good part of every day at the computer, she is currently focusing on an autobiography of Lani Verner Deauville, the planet’s longest living quadriplegic. “Working with Lani,” Crosby says, “is a truly wonderful experience. Her attitude and outlook on life is so inspiring that it a story begging to be told.”

Crosby went on to explain, “Lani believes in the moment of IS—it’s the reality of right here and right now. According to Lani, you can’t do anything about the past, but you can do something about the future—she has not only done more than most people every dream of doing, but she’s done it from a wheelchair! It is little wonder,” Crosby asks, “that I am enthralled to be working with such a woman?”

In 2007 Crosby’s first release Girl Child received the National League of American Pen Women Award for Fiction. For speaking engagements please contact Bette through her “Let's Connect” page or visit her on Facebook or Goodreads.

Photo Caption:

(L-R) Program Chair Linda Chasen is shown with Bette Lee Crosby