Media Interest in Maribel Steel’s Blindness for Beginners
*April 2021: Please note that the Audio version of “Blindness for Beginners” is now available. See https://briansteel.wordpress.com/2021/04/16/the-audio-version-of-blindness-for-beginners-now-available/
Since the 8 January blog announcing the publication of my daughter’s simpático handbook, interesting things have happened – especially in the past hyperactive week.
Book Launch
Writers Victoria, Melbourne, 26 April 2019
Media Appearances
April 10 & 16, 2019
ABC RN, Life Matters:
‘Blind Inside a Tactile Kitchen’ Cooking demo with Michael McKenzie (in 2 parts)
30 April: ABC Radio 774, Writs and Cures, Steve Ellen and Bill O’Shea: Interview
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/evenings/evenings/11041028
*Choose 30 April session in this group and slide timer to c 1:27:50. Till about 1:50 [14 mins.]
2 May: Studio 10 TV, Sydney, 2 May: Blind cooking demo. Huevos a la flamenca (10 mins) This url seems OK for a month from 2 May 2019
*
More Details:
The Launch of Blindness for Beginners on 26 April took place at the Melbourne offices of Writers Victoria, under the guidance of resident Writeability specialist and editor, Lyndel Caffrey.
In addition to more detail about Maribel’s life, career and work, elicited by a probing interview by Lyndel, we were given an audio recital of a few pages by Alice Hermans, who is at present completing the audio version of Blindness for Beginners with sound engineer and recordist Harry Williamson (Maribel’s partner).
The TWO blind cooking programs speak for themselves:
ABC RN, Life Matters:
‘Blind Inside a Tactile Kitchen’ Cooking demo with Michael McKenzie (in 2 parts)
Michael, with his blindfold on, was very brave, and completely empathetic!
2 days ago, we were treated to a 10 minute visual presentation of Maribel’s blind cooking on the popular morning program Studio 10 TV, Sydney. She prepared the ingredients for Huevos a la flamenca (in memory of her Mum): https://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/studio-10/extra/season-2019/in-the-kitchen-with-blind-cook-maribel-steel
Of special interest (for me at least) was the understandable look of fear and horror on the faces of the two glamorous Studio 10 presenters as they watched visually-impaired Maribel cutting up onions, with a large knife and a high degree of nonchalance. That image alone shows how Maribel’s depiction of her 40 years of learning to cope with practical life (including bringing up – and cooking for – 4 kids) may be of inspiration to many other people. That is her hope and ambition. But please spare a moment of sympathy for Maribel’s new guide dog, sleek and beautiful Dindi, who had to endure an uncomfortable flight to and from Sydney with her owner.
The interview on 30 April (ABC Radio 774 [Victoria]), Writs and Cures, with Steve Ellen and Bill O’Shea, touched very empathetically on various aspects of blindness and Maribel’s 40 years of coping and triumphing over the odds.
Maribel is now gearing up for more interviews and lectures, as is her indefatigable partner, Harry Williamson, sound engineer, recordist, photographer and polymath. Together, they have a great life. That makes me happy too!
Apology: Some of the URLs given will not work outside of Australia. And others may not last for long. But Harry will soon fix the latter! And maybe even the former.
For Maribel’ s other writings and activities, see https://maribelsteel.com
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