I was having a good day. I had dropped Matthew back at Camphill California in the morning after a terrific 3 day visit at home. I was so pleased that the weekend went well and for the first time ever, he was actually excited to get back to his program. Then my 21 year old…
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Author Archives: Laura
I'm a fifth generation Californian and live in the San Francisco Area with my husband and three sons. My oldest, Matthew, is autistic and I've been writing about my experience raising him from babyhood to young adulthood for about 4 years. I've read my stories on NPR and published them in magazines, newspapers and anthologies, including Voices of Autism. My book A Regular Guy: Growing up with Autism is available at Amazon.
Six Word Memoirs Disability Style- The Complete List
Written on September 4, 2009 by Laura
I think they are so great. This list includes entrants from my FACEBOOK fan page. The list is LONG and will take more than 5 minutes to read, so I’m posting the first twenty here and then will post the ENTIRE list on my website. Thank you so much for your participation in this contest…
in Uncategorized
Six Word Memoir Contest – Disability Style WINNERS!
Written on August 28, 2009 by Laura
As the saying goes-EVERYONE is a winner, but in this contest it is the truth. Every single entry gave me goosebumps and/ or tears. So I decided that the first ten on the list will get a signed book and the remaining four will get $15 dollar gift certificates. The remaining entrants (yes, all winners)…
in Uncategorized
Six Word Memoir Contest – Disability Style
Written on August 21, 2009 by Laura
One of my favorite literary magazines is SMITH. SMITH is a home for storytelling of all forms and kinds. “We believe everyone has a story, and everyone should have a place to tell it.” Smith is also the home of SIX WORD MEMOIR. I thought it would be fun to have a SIX WORD MEMOIR…
in Uncategorized
Nice People
As I write this, Matthew is lying in his bed in his room leaving Sarah a message. “Hi, this is Matthew calling. I don’t have any plans tonight so I thought we could hang out. When you get this message I’ll call you back.” I don’t know much about Sarah, except that Matthew met her…
in Uncategorized
Book Recommendations: from parents of children on the spectrum
Written on August 7, 2009 by Laura
I asked fans of the REGULAR GUY facebook fan page to tell me which books have helped them along the way. CLICK HERE for list. I have a top ten list of my own and will post it next week. Will you do me a favor? Tell me which books have helped you along the…
in Advocacy, Book Reviews
Meeting Girls
Written on July 31, 2009 by Laura
Matthew called me last night with one of his ideas-one that I know he’d been obsessing about. “I was thinking,” he said enthusiastically, “I’ve lived on the east coast and on the west coast. Now I want to try the mid coast.” He said he thought Louisiana would be a good place because they have…
in Advocacy
The Jigsaw Puzzle
Written on July 24, 2009 by Laura
Matthew had an impressive meltdown over the long 4th of July weekend that could so easily have been prevented. I was sitting at our dining room table paying bills when he came bolting from the kitchen, where he had been talking to my husband, Peter. Matthew picked up a dining room chair, and threw it…
in Uncategorized
A Trip to the Harware Store
This is one of the first stories I wrote about Matthew, and is an excerpt from my book. “We need to go to the hardware store,” insisted my eighteen-year-old son, Matthew. I took a deep breath. Another adventure with my autistic son was about to begin. When we got to the store, Matthew rushed in…
in Uncategorized
Side effects
Written on July 10, 2009 by Laura
Matthew was home for the 4th of July weekend, just a few days after his psychiatrist replaced one the medications that helped manage his aggressive behavior with another-Riperdal. “A study in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that risperdal not only decreased aggression in individuals on the spectrum, but also reduced repetitive behaviors and increased…
in Uncategorized
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