Autism Interview #26: Jennifer Brozek on Creating Neurodiverse Characters

jenniferbrozek

Jennifer Brozek is an award winning editor/author, and freelance writer. Jennifer is the author of the award winning YA Battletech novel, The Nellus Academy Incident, the Bram Stoker nominated YA novel, Never Let Me Sleep, and Shadowrun novella, Doc Wagon 19. She has also written for the AAA MMO Aion and the award winning videogame, Shadowrun Returns.

Jennifer is also a Director-at-Large of SFWA, and an active member of HWA and IAMTW. You can read more about her at her blog or follow her on Twitter at @JenniferBrozek.

This week Jennifer shared her experience as an autistic writer and some of society’s misconceptions about autism.

Autism Interview #25: Dinah Murray on Autism Research

Dinah Murray is a British researcher, speaker, and campaigner for people with varied learning disabilities, including autism. Her work has been published in the journals Autism, Good Autism Practice, as well as a number of books and online publications. She is an international public speaker on autism. Her research interests include medication and quality of life impact, IT for nonverbal individuals, and the ethics of autism research.

This week Dinah shared with us some of her most meaningful research findings as well as how to promote a positive autistic identity.

Autism Interview #24: Chloe Rothschild on Autism and Humanity

chloe rothschild

Chloe Rothschild is a writer, presenter, and advisory board member for the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence. Chloe works to teach about autism from her perspective to help others understand it better, so they can, in turn, help others like her who have autism more effectively. This week Chloe shared with us a bit about her mission and what she hopes others understand about autism.

Autism Interview #23: Liane Holliday-Willey on Late Diagnosis, Conspiracy Theories, and Accepting Differences

Liane Holliday-Willey

Liane Holliday-Willey, EdD is an internationally-renowned author and speaker on autism spectrum conditions, communications, and learning diversity. She often speaks about both her positive and negative experiences living with Asperger’s syndrome while working in a variety of different positions as a university professor, writer, manure scooper, French fry maker, community volunteer, wife, and mother. Her advocacy goal is to help others understand the importance of accepting differences and individuality.

 

This week Liane shared with us her thoughts on late diagnosis, advocacy approaches, and protecting individuals on the spectrum from harm.

Autism Interview #22: Rudy Simone on The International Aspergirl Society

Rudy Simone

Ms. Simone is the author of 6 books, founder and creator of www.Help4aspergers.com, and the founder and President of The International Aspergirl® Society. Credited with coining the term “Aspergirls”, Simone, along with Liane Holliday Willey, helped bring female Aspergers to the forefront of cultural awareness. She created the first “Table of Female AS Traits” now widely used by doctors everywhere to help identify AS in women and girls.

Simone gives presentations and webinars for professional and personal development and is also a composer, musician, recording artist and engineer, and actor. This week Ms. Simone shared with us her perspective on autism, dating, and her work with the International Aspergirl Society.

Autism Interview #21: Rickkie Johnson on a “Person-Centered” Approach to Autism

Rickkie Johnson is an autistic parent of 3 daughters, two of whom are autistic, and lives in Melbourne, Australia. Rickkie is an advocate for neurodiversity and writes about the full acceptance and protection of autistics. Rickkie manages the website proudautisticliving.com and contributes to the Penfriend Project autistic writing team on geekclubbooks.com. This week Rickkie shared with me an evolving perspective on autism, and how to raise autistic children using a “person-centered approach.”

Autism Interview #19: Lana Grant on Advocating for Autistic Mothers

Lana Grant

Lana Grant is a specialist advisor and advocate for people with autism and their families. Lana has worked within the field of autism for nearly twenty years. Lana specializes in autism and females, particularly pregnancy and motherhood. Her book “From Here To Maternity, pregnancy and motherhood on the Autism Spectrum” was published in March 2015 by Jessica Kingsley publishers and is the only book that focuses on this issue. Lana is a trained birth partner (doula) specializing in supporting pregnant women on the autism spectrum and their partners. Lana has recently contributed to the Scottish Autism Right Click Women and Girls Programme. She is a passionate advocate for female empowerment and speaks for the NAS and other organizations about female issues. She also has a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome.

This week Lana shared with me some of her background and advocacy work for mothers on the spectrum.

Autism Interview #18: Jeanette Purkis on Positive Autistic Identity

Jeanette Purkis

Jeanette Purkis is an Autistic author, public speaker, and self-advocate. Jeanette has worked in the Australian Public Service since 2007 and has a Masters degree in Fine Arts. She is the author of three books on Autism. Jeanette has given many presentations including at TEDxCanberra 2013 and presenting alongside Professor Temple Grandin and artist Tim Sharp in Melbourne in 2015. Jeanette facilitates an Autism women’s group and is the 2016 ACT Volunteer of the Year. This week Jeanette discussed some of her background and advocacy work and how to help individuals on the spectrum develop a positive autistic identity.