The Rave Reviews Book Club and the entire Indie community lost during the holiday season a wonderful friend, Kathryn C. Treat. Kathryn was a dear online friend of mine, and we were chatting until the very day she fell ill. Her funeral is today, and I am hosting Nonnie Jules’ eulogy in honor of her. She will be missed by everyone who knew her.

Kathryn C. Treat

Hello, my name is Nonnie Jules.  I am a mother, a wife, an author, President of Rave Reviews Book Club and Kathryn C. Treat’s friend.  I wish I was there standing before you, introducing myself to you under better circumstances.  I live in the great state of Louisiana, so I’m not able to be with you today in the physical, but I am there with all of you in spirit and appreciating the person who is reading this in my stead.

I authored my first book, “THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE TO RAISING (ALMOST) PERFECT DAUGHTERS,” back in the early part of 2013.  One day, while on Twitter promoting my book, a lady with the Twitter handle @kathrynctreat said to me:  “@nonniejules, I just read your book and loved it!”  She went on to share with me in several tweets (because if you’re a tweeter, you know we’re only allowed conversation in 140 characters or less at one time), that she was also the mother of two (almost) perfect daughters.  And that began our virtual friendship!

I remember sending out a tweet not long after that, which read, “I hate Facebook and I need to establish an author page but I have no idea how.”  Kathryn, sensing my frustration being new to social media, immediately came into my private message on Twitter and said, “Nonnie, I can call you and help you set that page up.”  That was our very first phone conversation.

From that point on, I would see Kathryn every single day on Twitter, supporting everyone, but what stood out to me, was how she would take the time to read someone’s book and then she’d send them a tweet to let them know what she thought about the read.  What stood out about her most, was how supportive and kind she seemed.  I say “she seemed” that way, because mind you, virtually was the only way I knew Kathryn C. Treat.

In mid-December, 2013, I wanted to form a book club that would help to propel authors, and Kathryn was one of 3 key people that I knew I had to have by my side to make this venture a success.  I asked her and she immediately, without hesitation, said “Yes!”

Every day, from December, 2013 until October, 2014, Kathryn worked tirelessly as our Membership Director, helping to grow this club.  In the club’s first full month, we had around 50 members, today, in one year’s time, we have over 600 members, and 550 plus of those members we got under Kathryn’s leadership of our Membership Dept.

Kathryn loved this organization, and if at any time you visited her Twitter timeline, you would see the majority of her tweets were invitations to join our illustrious group.  Ironically, the day that I was informed Kathryn had passed away, we had a member to join and list Kathryn’s name as the referring source.  The day after that, we had another member to join, to also list her name as their referring source.  I’m sure, that for some time to come, there will still be new members joining, listing Kathryn’s name.  Honestly, I think she’s still recruiting for us from Heaven.  That’s Kathryn for ya!

The day that Kathy, as we knew her, lapsed into a coma, we were all in a virtual chat room, celebrating our club’s Christmas party.  Kathryn had called me that morning to ensure that I was going to open my Christmas presents she had sent to me by mail.  I said that I would and then we got off the phone and headed into the chat room.  Kathryn, just like everyone else in that chat room, was having a fabulously good time. During the course of our “virtual” celebration, she mentioned that she had to leave, because she wasn’t feeling very well.  That would be the last time I would hear her voice live over the phone, or virtually in a chat room.

If I was too quiet (from writing, running the club and a business, all at once), Kathryn would send out an email to the board and ask: “Has anyone heard from Nonnie?” It was obvious that she genuinely cared about everyone she knew, whether they were live and in person, or her many virtual friends around the world.

I have never met Kathryn C. Treat face to face.  I have never touched her hand, or sat side by side with her in a movie theater watching a chick flick, the way girlfriends do, but in spite of all that…I will forever be able to say that she was my friend.  We talked over the phone quite often, even sat in a Google chat forum together, as we all watched her try to manage our video conference while her grandson was sitting on her lap, being extra busy.  But, she juggled and she managed.

On December 31, 2014, RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB celebrated our 1^st Annual RAVE AWARDS and Kathryn was voted MOST SUPPORTIVE MEMBER OF THE YEAR in our club.  I’m sorry that she’s not here to know, that is what everyone felt about her, but I’m a believer, so I think she does know.  (Our awards video is posted on Youtube, if you’d all like to see it).

In honor of Kathryn, today as you all sit here in this service, we, her virtual family and friends, are celebrating her life with a Mass Blog Memorial & Tribute to her.  Many blogs today are featuring her photo, her bio, her book cover and more, in celebration of her life.  We can’t be there and sit next to you all as you celebrate her, but we have found a way, our way, to join in that celebration of such an awesome life.

January 1st, Kathryn’s book, ALLERGIC TO LIFE, went up as our BOOK OF THE MONTH selection, as we want her story to continue to be told.  If you’ve never read her book, I ask today that you do yourself a favor, and get a copy.

Several months ago, Kathryn suggested that we start a monthly book giveaway program.  This program would allow any of our members to be randomly selected to receive one free book from our incentives chest of books, gifted by our member-authors.  She called it simply, our “Monthly Book Giveaway.”  Today, in honor of Kathryn, that program has been renamed the KATHRYN C. TREAT MONTHLY BOOK GIVEAWAY.

Lastly, beginning December 21, 2015, the one year anniversary of Kathryn’s home-going, we, the members of the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB, will be celebrating our own holiday…The KATHRYN C. TREAT YOURSELF TO A READ Day.  Kathryn, like so many of us authors, loved to read and she loved books.  Because she was always so busy on social media supporting others, often she would say: “I have to get off this thing (her computer) and get back to my books.”  Because Kathryn can no longer read books, we will do it for her; in her name, in her stead and in her honor.  This holiday, we are asking all of you to please join us by staying away from social media, turning off your cell phones and televisions, and just taking the time to read a book, or two, or three.  Again, Kathryn can’t enjoy this pleasure anymore, but we can, and we will for her.

To her husband, Rick, her daughters Sarah and Laura, her adorable grandkids and mom…although we cannot feel YOUR pain, please believe that we are in pain, as well.  Not one day has gone by that I have not thought about her, talked about her or just sat and stared at her smile in a photo somewhere on our site.  She will be missed, and as selfish as it may sound that I wanted more time to have her teach me how to be a better person, how to be as understanding and forgiving as she was, my satisfaction is in knowing that now, my friend is ALLERGIC TO LIFE no more.

Kathryn will forever be an honorary life member of the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB and so we have erected an IN LOVING MEMORY OF KATHRYN C. TREAT page on our site where it will remain.  From the Governing Board and members of RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB, we all leave you with our deepest sympathy.

Nonnie Jules, Author

RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB President

www.RaveReviewsByNonnieJules.wordpress.com

Twitter:  @nonniejules