In 1995, I was also honored with the Ohio Governor’s Award, joining previous recipients that included Bob Hope, Gloria Steinem, and Erma Bombeck. It was a terrific honor, and its timing couldn’t have been better. In honoring my addressing of social issues such as teen pregnancy, dyslexia, and literacy, it validated the direction I was taking my work. I felt very strongly about the writing, but that didn’t mean there weren’t moments (the bluffing stuff, remember?). So, yeah, it put a cherry atop a successfully baked cake and gave me a pat on the back. A pat on the back can push you a very long way.
From The Complete Funky Winkerbean Volume 8
