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'An Excruciating Undoing: Autism and the Art of Friendship'

$15.00

This poetry collection grew from a childhood friendship breakup that later revealed itself as traumatic, and from the author’s journey of late autism diagnosis and recovery, which repeatedly drew her back to themes of friendship, shame, and healing. Written with Autistic readers in mind, the poems feature rhyme and candid personal revelations intended to lessen loneliness around friendship struggles and celebrate meaningful connections when given the right supports.

Sales of the book will be supporting Autism Edmonton, a community for both Autistic people and their caregivers and for them to continue their encouragement and support to help others.

This poetry collection grew from a childhood friendship breakup that later revealed itself as traumatic, and from the author’s journey of late autism diagnosis and recovery, which repeatedly drew her back to themes of friendship, shame, and healing. Written with Autistic readers in mind, the poems feature rhyme and candid personal revelations intended to lessen loneliness around friendship struggles and celebrate meaningful connections when given the right supports.

Sales of the book will be supporting Autism Edmonton, a community for both Autistic people and their caregivers and for them to continue their encouragement and support to help others.

From the author

What is 'An Excruciating Undoing: Autism and the Art of Friendship' about?

The first poem I recall writing (which is featured in the collection) was about a devastating friendship breakup I experienced in junior high. Years later, when I was finally able to label it as traumatic, I began to explore the ways that this core memory shaped me. While I was working on my recovery memoir, I noticed a selection of poems that explored this theme of friendship through the lens of a now late-diagnosed Autistic woman. In fact, everything I was writing seemed to return to this topic. However, it wasn’t until I began to meet with other neurodivergent writers, and learn from them, that I was able to release the shame that was holding me back from sharing these experiences with the world. This collection leans into all the wonderful traits of poetry that I enjoy most. It was created with other Autistic readers in mind. You will find lots of rhyming, which is wonderful for those of us who experience echolalia, as well as genuine emotional and revelatory experiences from my life. It is my hope that this collection will allow others to feel less alone in their friendship struggles and to portray the gorgeous moments of connection that we are truly capable of experiencing, with the correct parameters in place.

What would you like readers to know about Autism Edmonton, and why did you choose to support them with sales from your debut chapbook?

Autism Edmonton was created by a group of parent advocates in the early seventies and has grown into a wonderful community for both Autistic people and their caregivers. Creating community isn’t easy and Autism Edmonton has truly become “The village that love built” in the best possible way. I’ve been supported in countless ways throughout my diagnosis journey from finding new friendships in the Autistic Women’s Group to becoming a practicum student during my Peer Support training.  Being encouraged and supported by their amazing staff  has allowed me to discover who I was before the world told me who I was supposed to be.

What do you hope 'An Excruciating Undoing: Autism and the Art of Friendship' will inspire or help readers discover?

For much of my life I was riddled with shame about my struggles within the realm of friendship. This wonderful human experience often felt excruciatingly painful for me and impacted me greatly. For much of my childhood I would go to bed at night hoping not to wake, because the messages I received from my peers were that I didn’t belong and I didn’t matter. I was a lonely little girl, a lonely young adult, and an incredibly lonely young woman. My hope is that this book will help to make at least one person who has struggled in similar ways feel less alone and allow them to lessen their shame about their struggles. If I can do that, I will have succeeded.