Autism and Relationships Book Progress

Work on A Spectrum of Relationships is continuing. The book on autism and relationships should be available via Amazon sometime in July. The challenge has been adding content that has value for families and autistic individuals. Also, the book can only serve a small segment of the autism community, since by definition only some autistic people want and seek social connections. We also have to admit to ourselves that some autistic children with severe cognitive impairments might make some progress with early interventions, but they will always face social limitations.

Several people wanted me to address the "full spectrum" in the book. That isn't possible, at least not in a single book. Really, the most affected children, teens, and adults require highly specialized supports that are beyond what a book can offer. The best advice I can offer to families of those with the most debilitating mix of physical, intellectual, and emotional impairments is to sit down with experts and develop an individualized support system.

I'm not as socially aware as many other autistic adults, nor am I as severely affected as many of the children I've met. A Spectrum of Relationships, therefore, is going to include a lot of the information and advice offered to me by parents, educators, and autistic individuals. It is important to offer as many views and experiences as possible, since those might reflect the needs of the readers.

Right now, I'm working on a chapter on family relationships. No one can tell me that simply hearing the word "autism" didn't change how a child was treated. The diagnosis of autism can carry with it guilt, depression, despair, and many other emotions. It can also be financially draining. As a result, parental relationships are different in families with a disabled child. I hope to have that chapter done later this week.

I will be working hard to make the July deadline. I have to, because we're in the process of selling our home and relocating for my new job. There's a lot happening right now.

After the Kindle version is released, we'll see how what demand is like before formatting versions for the other eReader platforms. One of issues we are considering is the pricing. I'm leaning towards a $3.99 to $4.99 initial price, since the book reflects four years' worth of notes and research. That pricing seems fair to me, but I could be wrong.

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