I just realized that, after spending over a year editing and publishing a book with my own name on the cover, I completely forgot to post about it here on my own website. 😬
So, without further ado, here’s the announcement:
The Neurodiversiverse: Alien Encounters is a science fiction anthology of short stories, poetry, and art showcasing the ways that diverse minds would approach first contact with aliens.
Featuring short stories by Tobias S. Buckell, M. D. Cooper, Ada Hoffmann, Jody Lynn Nye, and Cat Rambo, it also includes a poem by Cupertino Poet Laureate and my dear friend, Keiko O’Leary, and many wonderful stories, art, and poems by forty other creators, most of whom are themselves neurodivergent. Not to forget my other dear friend, Anthony Francis, who co-edited the book with me and wrote a fantastic short story himself.
“This collection is a dazzling exploration of the extraordinary potential within the neurodivergent mind.”
—Erin Garcia, host of the podcast ASK! Autism Support and Knowledge
“A powerful anthology that blends science fiction with the inspiring realities of neurodiverse lives. Each piece in The Neurodiversiverse is a tribute to the incredible potential and creativity of the neurodiverse community.”
– Taevo Publishing
“There are so many well-imagined worlds and situations represented in this collection, and it speaks strongly for neurodiversity, including advocating for its recognition as part of the spectrum of human experience— which, of course it is; but the fact that a book like this needs to make the point is the reason for the book’s existence. Readers of SF will enjoy it, as well as anyone who wants to understand a little more about neurodiversity, or about people finding their way.”
—Harare Review of Books
You can buy a copy, both print and digital, directly from the publisher at ThinkingInkPress.com or from your favorite online bookseller (here’s a universal buy link to help you find it). You can also support your local bookstore by asking them to order it for you. Or ask your local library to carry it for you.
It was really important to me for The Neurodiversiverse to focus on neurodivergent authors and artists, and that the pieces would be from a neurodivergent perspective. There are so many examples in fiction of the autistic sibling or the autistic kid, but autistic kids grow into autistic adults who are the main characters in their own stories. Their stories are just as interesting as anyone else’s.
As I came to terms with my own neurodivergence, I realized that the stories that mattered most to me had heroes like me: ‘quirky’, ‘scattered’, ‘awkward’ (aka ‘autistic’, ‘ADHD’, and ‘anxious’). I wanted a whole book where all kinds of neurodivergent people could see themselves in the heroes. When Anthony suggested we make an anthology called The Neurodiversiverse about first contact with aliens, I jumped on it immediately. We decided to make a book focused on neurodivergent authors and artists that would be hopeful and empowering for readers like me.
The anthology covers not only autism but ADHD, OCD, PTSD dissociative identity disorder, attachment disorder, anxiety, synesthesia, and more.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!