Dinner for Two
Arlene Evans
CVDbooks

The narrative opens as Gene Haynes puts the finishing touches on the cake he will deliver for a murder mystery dinner. Gene is pleased that the cake is basically black and white. His color blindness does black and white with little problem. It is other colors that pose a bit of difficulty for him. Chef Haynes is struggling to establish a café and catering business. His specialty is romantic Dinners for Two. Across town Misty Jones, teacher, floral artist, former Peace Corps worker faces her own determination to begin a business and gain independence for herself. When Misty gives Gene a rubber check to pay for her not so romantic dinner; the pair find themselves combining talents which soon begin to grow both the catering and designing businesses. Misty comes to the café to work as a ‘server’ until the bad check is paid off. Soon she brings some of her floral arrangement to offer for sale at the restaurant. Gene is not sure he like that plan, but he does go along with it. . Gene’s first major catering job with hundreds of patrons rather than two, ends in a near disaster. That disaster propels Gene and Misty into danger, near death and physical injury to both. The tale rollicks on to a satisfying conclusion.

‘Dinner for Two’ is a delightfully enjoyable read. The quixotic repartee between Author Evans’ characters add a sense of delightful fun to the work. Evans has taken two most improbable characters, tossed them together, woven a tale of lighthearted romance, mystery and mystery to perfection. Dialog is peppery, filled with angst and easily believable.

The feelings of uncertainty and lack of self confidence exhibited by each of the main characters is easily believable. Gene struggles with his color blindness and his family’s lack of marital stability; his mom has just entered marriage five, perhaps it is six, his siblings are divorced and engaged in relationships. Misty grapples with feelings of incertitude with respect to her burgeoning sense of fondness for Gene as well as her doubtfulness regarding what Gene’s feelings for her might be. The pair tiptoe all around their true feelings as shown with an adept use of italics to indicate thought as they settle into a comfortable routine catering and providing floral arrangements. The characters Lorna and Dave are less developed, however, I found them interesting and engaging. The character Raymond appears as a typical self centered rich kid who has a hard time understanding that long friendship does not mean carte blanche to do as one pleases.

‘Dinner for Two’ is a fun read. I particularly enjoyed the affable bantering carried on between the main characters and between the main characters and their friends. The trials and tribulations of the pair, lack of working capital, sexual tension a near disaster due to chicanery on the part of another person, threat of lawsuit and police activity, all move the tale forward to the predictable and satisfying conclusion.

Californians will enjoy reading and identifying Sacramento and adjacent Sierra Nevada locales. Descriptions of the foothill hiking areas is especially realistic.

Writer Evans, a Registered Nurse with many years dealing with youngsters who have CVD Color Vision Deficiency presents an excellent portrayal of a man who is secure in his skill and masculinity even as he remembers years of ridicule and distrust thrust upon him in the school setting. As Gene comes to grips with understanding that CVD need not be a stop to those who honestly admire and respect him; the reader is guided into a better understanding of what is needed to not only empathize but to really understand life as lived by others. (My husband also is color blind …. )

Conflict abounds. The problems created by a dishonest vendor are believable, his short sighted determination to hide his involvement in a serious incident sad to say is also believable. I have known more than one young, ‘jump on my horse and ride’ type over the years.

Enjoyed the read, happy to recommend especially if you like a touch of romance with your mystery.

Color is in the Eye of the Beholder
A Guide to Color Vision Deficiency and Colorblindness
Arlene Evans
Bud Pisarek
CVDbooks

Introduction

Chapter 1: Color vision deficiency and colorblindness: what they mean "People with color vision deficiency CVD have a range of both type and severity of their disorders. Those who are mildly affected may not notice any difficulty with activities that require typical color vision. Those with severe color deficiency may be challenged daily.

Chapter 2: Learning about color : 'Children can't learn to see more colors than they actually see and neither can adults."

Chapter 3: Adapting to a color coded world : 'everyday conversations are sprinkled with color words.'

Chapter 4: Inherited and acquired color vision deficiency and colorblindness: 'color vision is dependent upon light'

Chapter 5: the working World: some jobs are dependent upon color recognition, others are not.

Chapter 6: Identification and treatment: various testing methods are noted, 'no treatment is available today that will enable those with CVD to see color as others do.

Afterword

Glossary

Bibliography

Index

School nurse turned writer Evans saw a need for a clearly enunciated narrative for parents, teachers and students concerning the subject of Color Blindness and Color Vision Deficiency. A registered nurse Evans could find nothing for children on the subject and the first book Seeing Color: It's My Rainbow Too was born. From that beginning came "Color is in the Eye of the Beholder".

Eight percent, or one in 12 males world wide have some degree of color vision deficiency or CVD, as do 0.5 or one in 200 females. Few if any of us have not come into contact with at least one person who has some color problem. Written in a nice readable style "Color is in the eye of the Beholder" is a reference book suitable for the school and home library. Parents of children who have the condition and teachers alike are sure to turn to the work often. Writer Evans explains that the person who has CVD does not live in a colorless world, they live in a world colored not as fully as is seen by most of the population.

Evans notes Those suffering from CVD learn to adapt. She then goes on to suggest some coping methods for dealing with the problem by taking along someone to help when they shop for clothing, buy one color socks to eliminate the need for matching, let someone else do the decorating, and the like. Most CVD is genetic, only very rarely is it caused by trauma.

This book is sure to fit the needs of many in both the school and medical professions as they care for children and others having CVD.

Seeing Color
It's My Rainbow, Too
Arlene Evans
CVDbooks

Gratifying Read … Recommended … 5 stars

This is a small work of 52 text pages, offered in 9 chapters. Joey Knight explains a little of what a child who has Color Vision Deficiency might face as they begin learning our world, enter school, and decide a life occupation. Writer Evans, a Registered Nurse who served as a school nurse for over two decades, offers an explanation of color and rainbows, how we see shape and color, as well as the importance of cones on the retina. Genetic traits which can be passed from one generation to another, and how Color Vision Deficiency carried by the x chromosome is passed from parent to child is explained in depth. A variety of testing methods are used to detect the condition. CVD is not correctable as is near sightedness or similar eye problems. People who have Color Vision Deficiency cannot explain completely to those of us who do not also have the condition exactly how they see. Evans goes on to point out that Color Vision Deficiency need not be thought of as 'the end of the world.' There are lots of jobs to be had for those who cannot see color, living in a color coded world is doable even for those who cannot really see the color. Evans relates that shopping for a person having Color Vision Deficiency may necessitate a little extra care. Dressing for the day is made easier when the color blind buy and wear same color socks for instance … all brown, etc, or have their non color blind spouse, parent or room mate mark tags with the color word.

Writer Evans has produced an excellent, well written, easily read book in "Seeing Color It's My Rainbow, Too". The causes for Color Vision Deficiency as well as some of the variants of the condition are explained in enough 'kid friendly' depth that much of the uncertainty facing those who have color blindness should be resolved. "Seeing Color It's My Rainbow", Too is meant to aid parents, teachers as well as youngsters themselves who may have the condition. "Seeing Color It's My Rainbow, Too" is
presented in short; easily digested chapters written in plain English, embellished with simple line drawings and a sample of common color blindness tests commonly used in the school setting.

"Seeing Color It's My Rainbow, Too" helps children with the condition realize they are not strange or insufficient, nor are they alone. Strategies for sustaining the child who may have CVD are offered so that parents and teachers can help these kids begin to see the colors around them in a different way and begin to adapt their environment to meet their very unique situation.

"Seeing Color It's My Rainbow, Too" should prove to be an excellent resource/teaching tool for teachers and parents alike as they guide youngsters into an understanding of what CVD is and is not. The book is a read to for younger kids 5-11. Pre Teens and Teens alike will be able to read, understand and verbalize what they have learned.