Want to be interviewed for an AS book I'm writing?

[Guest guest]

Do you have a child with Asperger's Syndrome? Are you looking for help? Are you frustrated because every time you read a book about Asperger's Syndrome, it targets parents with kids who flap their hands, are not creative, don't get sarcasm, and recite train schedules?

Does your child instead fit this description?: S/he is immensely creative and often stuck in his/her own creative universe. S/he gets obsessed with movies, TV shows, books, or animals, instead of things like train schedules. S/he understands what a smile and a frown mean but doesn't pick up cues about when a joke is over, or when a conversation s/he started is getting boring. S/he has a few friends, but can't seem to keep them. S/he S/he understands humor but doesn't seem to understand when it's appropriate to tell a joke. His/her friend will invite him/her to a sleepover, but when the kids start whispering after the lights are out, s/he has no idea how to participate. Groups of more than about five people overwhelm him/her. S/he tries to initiate conversations but doesn't know where to begin. S/he may even be asexual, or only mildly interested in the opposite sex (or the same sex). In other words, your child is " 'almost normal.' " Because s/he appears " normal, " people think the mistakes s/he makes are out of defiance or carelessness, and people are more unforgiving than they would be if it were clear at first glance that something was " amiss. " S/he is tragically misunderstood by the adults around him/her. S/he is often told " You are not trying. " But s/he knows s/he is. It's just that s/he slips and acts " inappropriately " without meaning to. After all, who can micromanage themselves all day and not slip up several times? You have a hard time finding a book to help him/her because all the books are written for people who are more severely affected AND in ways differently than your child. Additionally, this type of AS affects girls more than boys, and girls are seriously overlooked!

You just can't find the right book to give you insight into your child. At the most, the type of AS I am referring to appears as a footnote in books. But fear not, because I am writing that book. I grew up with undiagnosed Asperger's Syndrome, and I fit the description above. If I have described your child to a T, then contact me. I am going to conduct interviews for my book. If you live in NYC or the surrounding area, we can meet at a Starbucks to talk. Or, if you live outside the city, I can speak to you on the phone. I especially want to hear from you if you have a daughter, but if your son fits this description, then please contact me! There is no pay for this interview, but you will get satisfaction from knowing that you have helped make a difference in the lives of people with a form of AS that is too often overlooked. Additionally, I will change the names and any other identifying information about you and your child if I use your interview for the book.

Please shoot me an email and we'll talk!