The Autistic Me

English: Podcast or podcasting icon Français : Icône pour les podcasts ou la baladodiffusion (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Autistic Me Podcast is coming! My microphone and mixer sit on my desk, waiting for me to record the introductory episode, which I will make available in January if all goes according to plan. The podcast will begin without any guests, but that will change if I can build an audience. Podcasting requires some extra effort, from preparing cover and episode artwork to publishing the RSS feed for iTunes and other services. I’m hoping the extra effort helps make The Autistic Me available to more people. I do plan to transcribe episodes, lightly edited, and post the text to the standard blog, too. With the podcast and podcast transcripts extending the reach of The Autistic Me, I intend to increase my activity on social media. We have a Facebook page for The Autistic Me and a neglected Twitter feed (@autisticme) . The Facebook page growth stalled at 950 followers...

Since I first uploaded the ePub for A Spectrum of Relationships  in 2011, several thousand copies have been purchased. Yet, there are only two reviews, and one mentions grammar errors that my wife and I cannot locate, despite rereading the text multiple times. I realize that few people review books, and even fewer offer valuable suggestions, but I do wonder why so few readers respond to the book. Only a handful of people have written to me about the book, and most of those emails are short "Thank you" notes without suggestions or ideas. Not that I don't like a thank you, but I want to improve the book. The text should inform, entertain, and lead to more ideas. Some writers might prefer a lack of engagement with readers, but I want to learn from readers and offer them something better with each revision to a text. If you have purchased A Spectrum of Relationships , let me know your impressions: What did you like about the book, and how could I do "more" o...

By mid-September there will be an update to A Spectrum of Relationships  on Amazon. This will be a minor, and free, update to the text for Amazon Kindle readers. If you own the book, you will need to manually update the file, however. I don't like knowing there are errors in the ePub editions of the book. Susan and I are making several passes through the text to make sure it complies with AP Style and does not contain grammar or mechanical errors. In at least one instance, the "error" was not an error, but a misunderstanding of my word choice. I wrote that friends "complement" us, meaning they complete our identities and offer us a chance to be more. That is not an error, since I didn't not mean that friends "compliment" us — though I suppose they do praise us, at times. I'm uncertain if the Nook store on BN allows a similar update policy, but we hope to replace the book there, as well. I don't like the idea of charging owners of a boo...

I'm revising my eBook, A Spectrum of Relationships, and plan to release this major update exclusively in the iBook format. I'm trying to decide what is or isn't worth adding to the book beyond more text. The format is going to allow me to include additional features, if I decide to do so. As for the text, I'm going to expand the workplace section as I try to develop rules and guidelines based on my experiences. Parents, educators, and young people with ASDs have asked me many questions about the workplace — though I'm not sure I have any great answers on the topic. Maybe it helps to know we have some shared experiences as we navigate into the "real world" and work. Other sections need to be expanded, as well. I rushed through the sections on dating and relationships because those are the least comfortable topics. I am glad I don't need to date, having a wonderful wife, and marriage is difficult for everyone. I'll still expand the text as much...

If you haven't purchased A Spectrum of Relationships , this month is a great time to do so. Following the surprise flooding of our home's lower level, we had to spend a bit of money. While I know my little eBook isn't going to cover more than a fraction of the surprise expenses, I figured it couldn't hurt to try a BIG SALE  approach to help out a bit. $0.99 SALE: A Spectrum of Relationships Kindle Owners, Click for Amazon . For Nook Users, use Barnes and Noble . That's right, for less than a dollar you can learn about one autistic adult's experiences with relationships at school, work, and beyond. I offer advice on how to deal with various situations and how friends and family can support an autistic teen or adult struggling with interpersonal relationships. I'm only going to keep this price for a few weeks, and then the price will return to $2.99 per copy. I want to thank everyone who has purchased copies of A Spectrum of Relationships  over ...

Okay, here's the last bit I'm going to share online from my 2006 "re-assessment" that was requested for the University of Minnesota Graduate School. Remember you are reading an excerpt from my upcoming book, not the full chapter. However, your questions and suggestions will help me craft a better book. And yes, I am still reminding visitors that my book A Spectrum of Relationships is available from the two biggest online bookstores for $2.99. I appreciate how supportive readers of this blog have been. Dealing with the Assessment (and Some Denial) The Doctors Conclude…  Neuropsychologically, S. presents with a complex history, driven by significant physical trauma at birth. He does have a seizure disorder (which is treated medically). Imaging reveals specific left frontal and temporal lobe injury. A progressive neurological disorder is not ruled out. Characteristics of high-functioning autism, resulting from the brain trauma, are apparent.    I’ve had a few sca...

If you have wondered what a formal evaluation for autism is like, now you can read one. From my current book project, this my reflection on the formal assessment I received in 2006. The assessment is eleven pages, so there will be several posts including my comments. A reminder that my overview of social connections and the autistic experience, A Spectrum of Relationships , is available on Amazon's Kindle store and the BN.com Nook store. What follows below is from my next project . On Monday, December 4, 2006, my wife and I returned to the psychologists’ offices for the results of my assessment. My wife was already certain of the assessment results, while I was unsure of what to hope for. If something was “wrong” with me, would it be something horrible? If nothing was “wrong” then did that imply a different issue? It would be as disconcerting to have nothing diagnosed as to have something diagnosed.  We were led into the lead psychologist’s office. Near her desk, relaxing ...

I am pleased to announce that A Spectrum of Relationships is now available for the Nook and all Nook applications (Windows, OS X, Android, iPad) for only $2.99. I am thrilled to have book on both BN.com and Amazon.com. Follow the link below for BN: BARNES and NOBLE | A Spectrum of Relationships: A Guide to Understanding Social Connections for Teens and Adults with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome by C. S. Wyatt | NOOK Book (eBook) And the Amazon link: A Spectrum of Relationships I appreciate the support of my loyal blog readers. Thank you for reading this blog each week and thank you spreading the word.

The following text is an excerpt from the first chapter of the memoir I'm completing this summer. The excerpt explains why I write. I wrote a draft of this nearly ten years ago, and I believe the essay is still a good reflection on what writing means to me. Why I Write Like many people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, I struggle with interpersonal communication. Anxiety accompanies most face-to-face interactions, as worry that something inevitably will go awry. Discovering the power of words revealed a way to be a participant in society, not merely an observer.    Writing allows me to interact with the world. To be more precise, words empower me. My “writing” is a mix of scribbled marks on paper, auto-completed words typed on computer keyboards, and speech converted into text by dictations software. How the words are recorded, stored, and transmitted to others is important, but what matters most is that words are essential to my nature. Words really do define who I ...

People have asked for a bit more of my story, so I have set myself the goal of finishing an autobiographical text in the next two months. That's quite an undertaking, but 58 days should be sufficient if I apply myself to the task. The real challenge is how to write an honest book that helps other individuals in some way. I'm not sure I can or will accomplish that goal. Autism spectrum disorders and the experiences that accompany ASDs are too varied for any one or any dozen memoirs to help explain what it means to be "autistic." As I did with  A Spectrum of Relationships , I'm going to post sections of the work in progress. I am not posting everything. I will be sharing primarily those sections that seem to need some reader suggestions for improvement before the complete book is revised and published. When you read the text posted, please remember that the story of "me" is told from my perspective — which includes whatever biases I have, faulty and mi...

Today, A Spectrum of Relationships appeared in the Kindle Store on Amazon. The text is $2.99 and is only available in digital format. We have uploaded the ePub edition to another eReader store. It should be available by July 8 for $2.99 via the  Nook store. I'll be certain to post that link, too. Product Description A Spectrum of Relationships explores the social connections teens and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) form with other people in their lives. The author, C. S. Wyatt, reflects on his own experiences as a diagnosed high-functioning autistic individual navigating the complex and sometimes frustrating social situations of daily life. From early classroom experiences to dating and marriage, this book discusses relationships with family, friends, classmates, coworkers, and lovers. Children with autism spectrum disorders grow up to be adults with ASDs. Many, if not most, will have the same urges, impulses, and desires as the rest of the adult populati...