b'Publishingin a PandemicTwo local authors announce their newest worksBY ELLEN DONKERE ager to share the newsMatters Magazine spoke with both au- bornwithclubfoot,Houston-Vosswas like to walk without pain, and that of their just-publishedthors about their books. never knew anyone with the same con- was life-changing. So was wearing leg bookswithpublicHouston-Voss, who was born withdition until much later in life, whenbraces: It made her disability visible, launches, two Maple- the worst case of clubfoot that her pedi- Facebook enabled her to connect withand reshaped how she viewed herself. woodauthorshadatric orthopedic surgeon had ever seen,other clubfoot sojourners.theircarefully-laidmakesitclearthatshedoesntwantHouston-Vossgraduatedfrom plansdashedbythepeople to feel sorry for her. She simplyNew York Universitys Tisch School of rapid rise of COVID-19. But thankswants people to understand the handthe Arts, going on to perform in and to the internet, an online celebrationshe was dealt. (With her characteristicaround New York City for 20 years. has presented a fair substitute instead.wry humor, she says it was all clubs.)She married, started a career in non-Katharine Houston-Voss has writ- Growing up in Western Massachu- profitdonorrelationsandbecamea tenLovingEveryAwkwardStep,asetts, Houston-Voss longed to fit in.mom to Henry, who has just finished memoir of growing up with bilateralShe didnt wear leg braces, so her dis- first grade. clubfoot and metatarsus varus, whileability wasnt obvious. But there wereSowhywriteamemoirnow? MargoOrlandoLittellpennedThethe surgeries and casts and rehabilita- Houston-Vosssaysthatafewyears Distance From Four Pointsher sec- tion (five taxing episodes in all, overago, at the age of 42, she was fitted ondnovel,setinadecliningsmallthe years) that made her feel different.for a revolutionary type of leg brace.Katharine Houston-Voss recently published towninsouthwesternPennsylvania.And although one in 1,000 people areFor the first time, she learned what ither memoir, Loving Every Awkward Step.30/ matters magazine / summer 2020'