Just received the sad news that my publisher, David Wheeler from Red Axe Books, has died. As a publisher, he was so supportive - told me that he believed in my writing - and I had a lot of respect for his written work. He will be missed.

Ali x

A Reason for Living, by Nick Waterworth

Well! Here's a moment - I've just returned the final proofbound copy of Nick Waterworth's memoir to the publishers. It's a lovely little book, I think - I've worked on it with him since early spring and for me it's power lies in its honesty.

A taster - the backblurb:

A story of pain… and love. 

When he was twenty-two years old, Nick was a passenger in a car that swerved from the road and ploughed into a tree. The driver walked away unhurt, but Nick suffered serious injuries, including injuries to his brain. Twenty-six years later, Nick is still struggling to come to terms with the way one night in 1991 changed his life forever. 

This memoir is Nick’s story of before and after: his recollections from his earlier life and his fight back from his near-death experience. Nick’s mother, Pat, has contributed to his memoir, filling in some of his fragmented or lost memories. Pat’s own story has become, in part, her gift to her much-loved son. 

Through his book, Nick articulates the pain and difficulty in dealing with life-changing injuries; his frustration at the way others perceive him. It is also an expression of his love for his mother and his appreciation of her constant support and encouragement. 

Need say no more - you can be sure when its published (a couple weeks away) I'll be putting it out there!

Ali x

At Aspergers but...

Now caught up with Chris Packham's @ChrisGPackham documentary Aspergers and Me and I love his positive message: we should be celebrating difference and intelligence. Our education system labels as failing. But Aspergers and Autistic children I have worked in schools have amazing qualities: incredible, detailed memory and acute, focused intelligence.

Not Autistic Spectrum but Individual Intelligence Spectrum!