Stories of Autistic Joy
'I love that I don’t need to feel ashamed at my happiest, and that my joy no longer needs to go through a filter before it’s ready to see the light of day'
Laura Kate Dale and 15 other autistic authors from around the globe, open the door and invite you in to explore and celebrate the candid, uplifting and intimate moments of autistic joy. More often than not autism is viewed through the lens of struggles and challenges - Stories of Autistic Joy is here to shift that narrative and turn the spotlight onto the unique joys that shape autistic people’s lives.
Joy comes in all shapes and sizes: loving relationships, fantasy writing, building soft forts, echolalia, peaceful solitude, Pokemon, stimming freely and unmasking for the first time. So, step inside and explore the diverse and heart-warming stories from around the world and celebrate what makes experiencing autistic joy so special.
Dale has crafted a magic anthology showcasing so many beautiful reflections on different moments, traits and forms of autistic joy. In a world that wants to only emphasise suffering, this is a gorgeous insight to the true joy being autistic can bring.
Stories of Autistic Joy will inevitably put a smile on your face from the first page. A beautiful compilation of needed perspectives that I see so much of my story in, from relating to my cat’s behaviours to surrounding myself with likeminded autistic people for friendship. Truly joyful.
Reading this anthology brought me back to the early days after first discovering I was Autistic, when consuming the vlogs, blog posts, and other personal narratives of Autistic people brought me untold comfort and self-recognition. Embracing an Autistic identity can be tricky in a world that sees only the stigma and pain. I know this book will help so many other neurodivergent people begin to see the beauty and joy.
Laura Kate Dale is a queer trans woman and author, who uses She / Her pronouns. Laura lives near London, UK, with her cat Smudge, and her wife Jane. When Laura isn’t writing she loves to play roller derby, and play video games with her friends.
