Kara is starting hospice care; she has a chronic illness and has decided to leave the hospital and spend her remaining time at home with her family. She says she'll check in on the forum soon, if you'd like to leave her a message in this thread.
I think most Librivoxers know Kara, but in case you're new: she's one of the founding members of LV and has made a huge contribution as a mod/MC over the years. She's also given us a wonderful collection of audiobooks!
Here's her LV catalog page: https://librivox.org/reader/19
And website: http://kayray.org/
I feel like we need a New Orleans jazz band and a memorial celebration parade
Kara was the first person I spoke to on the LV forum:
Welcome to librivox, Peter. Ask all the questions you like -- we're happy to help you in any way we can. Don't be shy about reading fiction for us either -- we don't all do "voices" anyway!
Happy reading!
Kara
I wish her a gentle passing. It's approaching quite a few of us soon ... and all of us in time.
Peter
"I think, therefore I am, I think." Solomon Cohen, in Terry Pratchett's Dodger
My fondest wishes, I hope things are as painless and as peaceful as possible for you.
Thank you so much for everything you've done for LibriVox. I once interviewed you for the 5th Anniversary Podcast and I remember you were very helpful and interesting.
I also remember listening to your recording of Poems Every Child Should Know back when I was working in the laundry of a Care Home. It certainly brightened up a few dull hours.
I hope you're happy to know you've left your mark on the world. This place won't be the same without you.
I wanted to thank you for all the hours of joy you have given me (and many others, but I'm speaking personally here). I have listened to The Adventures of Sally multiple times ... it is one of my favorites and never ceases to make me laugh. But when I look at your list of books, there are so many others! Heidi, Poems Every Child Should Know (that's where I finally made sense of my grandma saying she looked like the wreck of the Hesperis), The Secret Garden ...
Thank you for using your gifts to brighten the lives of others, including mine. I see from your blog that you are continuing to do this ... the lemon chiffon cake sounds terrific! And while I don't understand the new drawing software, it's clear that you are enjoying it immensely ... and using it to bring joy to others!
I have missed you seeing you around since you stepped back from the Admin role but I am so glad that you were blessed to have this time with your family and friends, doing what you loved, knitting and crafting, baking and gaming and reading.
May the journey ahead bring you safely to a place of rest and peace.
Kara
I was sorry to hear about your illness. Your intelligent and professional Librivox recordings gave me many, many hours of listening pleasure. I wish you all the best. You are in my prayers.
Dear Kara
I am so sorry to hear about your illness. I will keep you in my prayers. Love and Hugs. x
Michele When you're having what you feel like is a 'bad day' and then someone comes along out of nowhere and extends to you the simplest of kind gestures, you feel it so deeply within your heart.” ―Miya Yamanouchi
In addition to Kara’s LV contributions, I’ve enjoyed most particularly browsing her extraordinary output of knitted and other handcrafted items on Ravelry. I cannot count how many of her projects I’ve (overconfidently) marked to review and start ASAP. She so generously posts lots of pictures of her projects and then also includes many hugely helpful notes and hints and opinions about techniques and materials. Some people seem to be blessed with a special gift for sharing their talents and creativity so openly with the rest of us, thus bringing joy to all of us. Kara, thank you from an admiring fan of your multi-faceted work—I know that you touch lots of people in a most positive way. Lucretia B.
My heart goes out to her family. She had always been one of my favorite LibriVox narrators, and I have always been amazed how perfectly her warm, motherly voice suited Marmie in the dramatic audiobook Little Women. Not only was her reading style inspirational, but so was the amount of books she read and contributed to LV. Can you believe it?! She recorded forty-six solo audiobooks!
Even though we had never corresponded on LV, I couldn’t help but notice her positive influence on the forums and her contributions to the catalog that have shaped the LibriVox community in so many ways.
I too am saddened at her passing. May she rest in peace. Due to her many recordings many people can continue to enjoy the fruits of her labor for many years to come.
Although the duet didn't happen, I remember you taking a section in one of my first books, Joel Pepper:
