Warning: I need your opinion.
I've read every book on autism available through my local public library. Then, I had the public library order the books available through all the other city libraries. At this point, I've read everything in my city. What I really want to read is books by other people with autim, like Temple Grandin's books, but when I ran out of those I start stretching...
So I turned to online. There are a few active online communities, but the only one that caters to people with autism is Wrongplanet, and I find it frustratingly negative and often very, very confusing. The people on there can be terrible toward one another. I stay away from that site, for the most people.
I'm wondering, are there are people out there like me? Do other people feel that need for community but just can't find it? I find that community with others when I read about them. Reading Temple Grandin's books, then, is right up my alley. Would that help someone else?
Should I write a book?
I have some (uh, massive) organizational problems, so I would not be able to set out from the start and write the book. I would need help with the structure. Leigh and I were talking a while back, and we think the best way to do that is to do question/answer style. If someone else writes the questions, I can answer them. Anyway, the other day, she wrote 30-some questions down for me.
Now that you've read my post, your task is 3-fold.
1. Leave a comment: what do you think?
2. What is one question about autism (autism and me specifically, or autism in general, or something very specific about autism... or "why do you do x"... up to you) that you have?
3. Tell someone you know to read this post so that they have to leave a question. I need questions from all kinds of people for my book!
That's a great idea . I 've wanted to write a book for a while too. Question and answer is a good format. You would just need enough questions. If you want a list of lots of books written by people with As besides temple go to my website, I've read and reviewed about 40 about autism alltogether: www.freewebs.com/aspiefrommaine
ReplyDeleteExcellent idea about writing a book.
ReplyDeleteThere is a press called the Dancing Mind Press which is specifically designed for the stories of autistic women, and the important people in it are on the spectrum too.
Also there are two magazines called AutistiConnections (edited by Janna Hoskin) and The Voices and Choices of Autism (edited by Sharisa Jay Kochmeister). Both these magazines are online. Voices and Choices has two issues already, and you might like to send to Connections before September the 1st.
What I'm saying is that magazines (or even an extension of this blog) can be a good way to get "Lydia land" out there.
I don't do questions very well, so maybe a true or false questionnaire, and then if you have something else to say ... It was a good idea of Leigh's to have the Frequently Asked Questions ... and then some silly ones.
Lydia,
ReplyDeleteI think if your soul calls you to write a book, then you should. I will ask my blog readers to leave you questions.
One question I have as a parent is how do I support my child's growing independence and also protect her when there is a social niavete' involved? I so don't want my child being hurt. Any suggestions?
: )
Michelle, can you usually kind of tell in advance when one of these situations is about to pop up or might be coming (as in, scheduled parties or events or whatever), or do they come out of nowhere? How often do they happen? How much do they have in comment with each other... as in, is it midunderstanding words, or facial expressions, or one specific thing, or can you not quite tell what it is?
ReplyDeletei agree with michelle. i think that if you are drawn to doing it, by all means do it. it's a massive undertaking, no doubt, but would likely be a wonderful journey. so a question ..
ReplyDeletewhat kind of support do you wish that you had as a young child growing up with autism? if you could write a wish list of what your support system would have looked like, what would be on it? include it all - school, teachers, coaches, friends, parents, siblings - the whole nine yards. what would have been helpful (or was helpful) to you growing up?
good luck with this!!
Lydia,
ReplyDeleteI am going to post something tomorrow about this, linking people back to this post if they want to add questions for you.
Lydia, in regards to the book - my question to you is what's stopping you? If the spirit moves you, then do it. Period.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm...my question is this: When autistic kids go "away" for a moment, where do they go? Back in the day, it seemed that my daughter took some rather extravagant mind vacations. Is it a maze of thought? Peaceful meditation? Both?
Hi Lydia,
ReplyDeleteI think your writing a book could help many people understand some thing about autism; so many of us know so little. I wonder what is is like when you claim the title of autistic. Do you grow up to be 10, or 13 or whatever age and realize you have sensory issues or is it often discussed in your life. How do you receive a diagnosis and what made you sure you were not deficient in some mineral or allergic to something? Hooray for you for being where you are now. Love the book idea.-
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ReplyDelete