First… Then… autism poetry book on sale now

To buy your copy from Ginninderra Press , scroll aaaaallll the way down to Melinda Smith, find my third book ‘First… Then…’ and click BUY NOW.

About the book

First…Then… is a short collection of 24 poems about autism, written by the mother of a son with ASD. The poems explore many different voices from planet autism – from verbal and non-verbal autistic children, to autistic men and women, to parents, carers and siblings. Some are moving, some are harrowing, and some are laugh-out-loud funny. Together they provide a unique window into a much misunderstood facet of the human experience.

The writing of the poems in First…Then… was supported by an ArtsACT new projects grant during 2011.  During that time the poems were drafted, redrafted, posted on this blog, and Tweeted and Facebooked to within an inch of their lives. Some of them were also published in other places (Tony Attwood’s website, Scottish Autism’s blog, Aspie in the Family, Quadrant Magazine, Blackmail Press, Geek Mook and ACT Carers’ Circle, to name a few – thanks to everyone involved for their support).

Now the poems are between two covers and ready to make their way out into the real world. Maybe they’re coming to your house ? I hope so.

PS: You can take a sneak peek inside the book by browsing around this blog. Start here. Enjoy.

PPS If you’re reading this before 12 April 2012 and you feel like coming to a launch or a reading, you’re invited ! Details here.

Book launch details for First… Then…

Hello there.First… Then…, the book of this blog (a book of poems about autism), is on sale now from Ginninderra Press (scroll aaaaallll the way down to Melinda Smith, find my third book ‘First… Then…’ and click BUY NOW.

One launch down (thanks to all who came), one to go, plus a reading.

Launch Two – for the literary community and anyone else who could’t make it to Launch One – is on Wed 11 April, at 6.30 for 7pm, at Smith’s Alternative Bookshop in Alinga St Civic (in the Melbourne Building opposite the GPO). Eminent poet and novelist Alan Gould will be doing the honours at this one. Light refreshments provided, buy your own drinks at the bar.

Love to see you there !

The night before, I’m doing a poetry reading at the Gods Cafe, on the ANU campus, from 8 pm on Tuesday 10 April. Also reading (but not about autism) will be P S Cottier and Russell Erwin

About the book

First…Then… is a short collection of 24 poems, mostly dramatic monlogues in various voices. The poems focus on the experience of living with autism, but you do not need to know or be an autistic person to enjoy this book. The poems are by turns moving, harrowing and laugh-out-loud funny, and provide a unique window into a much misunderstood facet of the human experience.

The writing of the poems in First…Then… was supported by an ArtsACT new projects grant during 2011.  You can take a sneak peek inside the book by browsing around this blog.

First…Then… the book

So the 24 autism poems on this blog are going to be in a book. The title was originally going to be CircleQuirk but I have changed it to First…Then… after the most popular poem in the collection.

The book is coming out in April 2012 (Autism Awareness Month) and will be published by Ginninderra Press. At that point I will be taking most of the poems down and providing a link to where you can buy the book.

Between now and then they will remain here, free of charge for anyone to read (still copyright (c) Melinda Smith though ). While they are all still here, I thought it might be helpful to have a Table of Contents page linking to the poems in the order they appear in the book (which is different to the order they were written and posted on this blog in).

So here ’tis. Enjoy. And I should remember to thank ArtsACT for supporting me one day a week while I wrote the poems.

First… Then… | poems from planet autism

Table of Contents

Poetry appearing on this blog was generously supported by the ACT Government

First…Then…

Brain Weather

Autistic Acrostic

Beach cricket with four year old

autistic child with acute auditory processing disorder

what the child hears

I prefer

What I learned at school

Asperger’s diagnosis: a fugue

Not the Botany Bay Song

A prehistory of autism

On holding the baby of a friend

But

Social Stories for Neurotypical Adults #27: No Dogs Allowed

All magpies are autistic

The impossible blindfold

Love song of autistic husband

An autistic woman explains the terror of affection

Shechinah – or God and Temple Grandin

AUTISM CRUMPETS

I have autism

I am autistic

AutisTweets

#autismtshirtslogans

#autismtshirtslogans

The following poem is the result of my one and only attempt to start a Twitter hashtag.  If you have no idea what that last sentence means, don’t worry, you can still appreciate the poem.  For those of you down with the TwitSpeak, suffice it to say it did not really take off.  But I did get a few retweets and comments, which helped me work out which were the funniest slogans.

Poetry appearing on this page was generously supported by the ACT Government

Here they are – Happy New Year !

#autismtshirtslogans

I’m not melting down, I’m venting

At least my Chewy Tube doesn’t cause lung cancer

So I like to climb things.  So what ?  Higher is better.  There are no haters up there

I understand NASCAR racing on a much deeper level than you

Your need for spontaneity is exhausting me

Time for a trampoline break !

School?  Hell?  Tough choice.  At least you get to do fun stuff before they put you in hell

Well ?  How many digits can *you* recite Π to ?

If you can read this, you need to gently remind me about personal space