Susan Senator

Some friends are beginning to read my sample chapter to my new book, and the feedback has been very positive. The only suggestion I’ve had is that maybe I want to include other moms’ voices, rather than just my own. The thing is, a big part of the success of Making Peace With Autism was my voice. My honesty, my story that others share so much, and my attitude. That is my best way of writing. I don’t know if I could really do justice to other moms’ voices in my new book. I don’t know if it would come out right. I don’t only want this to be a “useful” book; I want this to be a moving and good book!

It is so tricky trying to write a book. I have to be able to dig down to my most honest and raw thoughts to get it right. I can’t write something that is a marketing manager’s dream. If I am asked to write something that is too manufactured and slick and not quite me, it won’t flow, it won’t happen.

One friend is organizing a moms’ focus group so that I can hear from them and get ideas. It’s research. But I don’t think I can take it any further than that and actually make other moms into characters with their own voices. I can’t imagine doing that, the way I write, unless it’s fiction!