Terry Galloway is the author of Mean Little deaf Queer: A Memoir. In 1959, the year Galloway turned nine, the voices of everyone she loved began to disappear. No one yet knew that an experimental antibiotic given to her mother had wreaked havoc on her fetal nervous system, eventually causing her to go deaf. As a self-proclaimed "child freak," she acted out her fury with her boxy hearing aids and Coke-bottle glasses by faking her own drowning at a camp for crippled children. Ever since that first real-life performance, Galloway has used theater, whether onstage or off, to defy and transcend her reality. With disarming candor, she writes about her mental breakdowns, her queer identity, and living in a silent, quirky world populated by unforgettable characters. What could have been a bitter litany of complaint is instead an unexpectedly hilarious and affecting take on life.
A few months ago, Galloway underwent cochlear implant surgery to restore her hearing. Prior to the surgery, we spoke to her about her hopes and fears about cochlear implants. We'll be giving away copies of the book on Facebook and Twitter this week. Fan and Follow, and we'll choose the winner at random at the end of the week from all entries.
Beacon Broadside 
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