Tuesday, 10 December 2024


 

This will be my second and last Christmas Fair this year. Do come along if you are near the Sydenham area on Saturday. Thankfully, there will be no more storms outside as it is forecast to be cold and dry. There will be handmade jewellery, handmade cards, as well as my books. If you buy one of my books you will get a free magnet. Each child who visits Santa will receive a gift. 

Come and say hello to us all.

Hope to see you there.

Sunday, 24 November 2024


 

If you are in the Sydenham SE26 London area on 7 December, please come along and say hello. I will be there with all my books which will be selling at my in-person discount. I know there will also be different crafts such as home-made jewellery and diamond art pictures, home-made greeting cards, other author books and paintings. Last year there was even a singing choir but don't know if they are appearing this year. Who knows.

Hope to see you there. 

(Will you be there Councillor Best?)


Saturday, 26 October 2024

Five tips to help an autistic child cope with masking after school

 If you have an autistic child who's been to school, here are a few tips to help them when they are home.


1. Have an area or room where your child can unwind and relax without any disturbances.

2. If your autistic child looks tired or stressed (can be both after having masked), let them relax in their own room.

3. If they want to stim or have fun with their special interests, let them.

4. When they are relaxed, then ask them if they have homework and when it has to be done by. Plan when they can do this.

5. Have a planner to hand to book these slots.

Here is a book that you can read all about autistic masking.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Helping-Identify-Understand-Autism-Masking/dp/B0858WJW2M/ref=sr_1_11?tag=juliedayautho-21


I hope you have found this helpful.

Saturday, 12 October 2024

Autistic masking at home

 I have been recording videos about autistic masking and what it is and how we mask. If you haven't listened to them yet, please do. They are on myYouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@julieday9517

As I am tired today, I thought I would continue with the series but with this blog. I am going to talk about autistic masking at home. Here are my thoughts.

Do I, or have I masked, at home? When I thought about this for the blog, I felt that my answer was, no, not when I was with my family indoors. When someone visited or we visited them, that was a different matter. Looking back over the years, I don't recall having to mask when I was at home with my family. If someone came to see us or stay with us, usually relatives, I think I did mask. Having to say hello, be cheerful to them. Or if we went and visited them, which I am thinking of years ago as a child when we visited an aunt and uncle on my dad's side, I definitely did mask. I remember I would play with my cousins for a while, then after enough time I would find my mum and be with her. Either sitting down in the lounge area or in the kitchen where she was helping my aunt. It was always when we went out anywhere that I masked. To the shops, to relatives, to hospitals. Any where with other people. Not when I was indoors with my own family. I feel that it was as an adult, especially after I was diagnosed with Asperger's, that the mask slipped and I would sometimes reveal my autism self. It would be when we had visitors and the noise of the chatting got too much for my brain and I sensed it becoming an overload so would go to another room to keep calm and quiet.

So, as an autistic, do you mask at home?


Sunday, 22 September 2024

What is autistic masking?

 Have you ever heard the term 'autistic masking' and wondered what it is? It is what autistics, like me, do to try to fit in with the people and environment we are in at the time. Here is my short explanation about it and a couple of times I now believe I masked over the years. Watch my latest video to find out here


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyZa5xZzMS0


As I mention at the end, like I always do, if you like what you have heard from me, please like and/or comment on the video. Also please subscribe to my channel. You will learn more about autism from me. I currently have 48 views and only posted it yesterday!

Happy listening.


Saturday, 31 August 2024

Billy's children's books about autism recommendations

 Hello, Billy from Billy and the Sparkling Socks here.

I am here to tell you that as a writer and storyteller, one good way to learn about autism is to read books about autistic characters. As I am only eleven, here are a few recommendations of children's books featuring autistic characters, and most of them are written by autistic authors I have been told.

For teens

Geek Girl series by Holly Smale. The first one in the series is now on Netflix.

You can buy the book here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Geek-Girl-Book/dp/0007489447/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21

The State of Grace by Rachael Lucas

https://www.amazon.co.uk/State-Grace-Rachael-Lucas/dp/1509839550/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21

The Secrets of my Spectrum by Callum Knight (a memoir)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-My-Spectrum-Callum-Knight/dp/1916258603/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21

For middle school children

The Emily Edwards books by Laura Holt-Haslam

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emily-Edwards-Equestrian-Extraordinaire-Holt-Haslam/dp/B09ZQFSHVR/ref=sr_1_7?tag=juliedayautho-21


For 7-9 year-olds

The Rainbow School series including my (Billy) story Billy and the Sparkling Socks

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/154264853X/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21

The Pet Rescuers series featuring my classmates, Lyn and Pete.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lyn-Parrot-Pursuit-Julie-Day/dp/1915114047/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21

(Contains affiliate links)


Happy reading. You can learn different things about autism and being autistic from each book.

Saturday, 10 August 2024

Do squirrels like heights?


 (Note: this is the original cover that wasn't accepted by KDP. Read below to find out why).

Sorry I haven't been here recently. I have been busy with writing books, promoting and selling my books I've already published, and publishing new ones.

So, do squirrels like heights? Well, you will have to read Sammi's new and third adventure called 'The Dare' to find out. It took a bit longer to publish this book and here is why.

I started the publishing process on the Monday. I got so far on KDP where I had to upload the cover. I did that only to be told that KDP had a problem and that service wasn't available. I tried it a few times with the same result. I left it a few hours. I came back to it after lunch. It was working. But when I uploaded it and got to see it on the launch previewer screen, it was too small. I exited out of it and saved it. I then emailed my illustrator who did the cover as well and told her. I got back to it the next day and it worked this time. Success? Not quite yet. I then got an email from KDP to review the cover title. The series title wasn't clear enough on the cover and it blended in too much with the picture. It wasn't accepted. I forwarded that email to my illustrator who got to do it later that day. Success finally. Sammi's third story is now out in the world. I have two versions of the book to show. How? Well, when I first uploaded it all, I ordered a proof copy, which you should always do with a picture book, and that had the original cover that had to be changed. Once it was completely approved and published, I ordered a few author copies, including one for myself.

To see the new cover and read his third story, you can buy it here https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1915114128

Happy reading.