Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Eddy.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have three children, two boys, and one girl. When my middle son is Autistic and was nonverbal until he was over the age of three. As he began to develop more into the person he is today, I came to realize all of the things that my boys have in common.
The word “normal” has a stigma in the disability community. My goal is to show as many people as possible that all kids are normal. There are certain things that are true for all kids, and my book shows some of the things that make my son “normal”.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a parent of three children is never easy. Adding in a child with a disability like Autism increases the stress level.
I find that my husband and I have also grown as parents just as our children grow. Our family gets stronger together.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I published my first children’s book about Autism inclusion in 2022. It was initially meant to be a poem about my two sons finding things in common. Because of the support of friends like the fellow author, Mary Mecham, and my husband and three kids, I decided to publish “I am normal and so are you”. The idea of inclusion and acceptance is such a huge part of our lives. Because of this, I also had my book translated into Spanish by an Autism parent friend, Miriam Daboub.
My love for all things grammar leads me to edit novels and children’s books as well.
During 2022, I was honored to do author readings at the Katy Public Library, The ARC of Katy, Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, and a local elementary school.
Before the end of 2023, my goal is to publish two more books about disability inclusion. One will be about limb differences and the other has a character who wears hearing aids.
As a mother of one child with a disability and two children without, I feel like it gives me a unique perspective on life.
I learn a lot from my children, especially when it comes to the types of books I want to write.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I would love to complete a full series of inclusive books. The industry of publishing has made a major shift toward indie authors’ self-publishing as opposed to going mainstream. Having a few self-published books under your belt is the best way to get your foot in the door with a major publishing company.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.AshleyEddytheAuthor.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/AshleyEddytheAuthor
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/AshleyEddytheAuthor
Image Credits:
Ashley Eddy and Mary Mecham
