Showcase: Katie Bridges

                                                            Secrets of an autistic brain

by Katie Bridges

"How do you come up with all these worlds? Your worlds are so detailed that it made me feel like I was inside the story. Reading your book was like watching a movie in HD."

This is a question I get asked again and again when people read my juvenile sci-fi novel Warriors of the Edge. It's a question I'd like an answer to myself. Just how did I come up with all these worlds?


I started a blog in an attempt to answer that question. That means you're going to get plenty of information on Asperger's syndrome, or autism spectrum disorder, because I have an autistic brain. That's what makes me highly focused, detailed oriented, and repetitive. I have a knack for focusing on only one thing and repeating it for months or years on end. That focus gives me abilities and problems. One ability it gives me is that I'm able to describe my worlds in great detail because I focus on them in such depth. If you want to know the problems my focus brings me, just keep reading my blogs.


You don't have to be on the autism spectrum to get something out of my blogs. I deal with a number of issues, such as writing tips, developing an inventor's mindset, innovative ideas for education, relationship issues, dealing with negativity, living in a progressive world, and future development. You'll also find an indepth look at what Asperger's syndrome is all about, such as theory of mind, childhood play, the subconscious mind, depression, special interests, empathy, learning disabilities, communication struggles, the working world, and imagination pertaining to fiction writing.


In his book The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome, author Tony Attwood writes, "Some children, especially girls, with Asperger's syndrome can develop the ability to use imaginary friends, characters and worlds to write quite remarkable fiction. This could lead to success as an author of fiction for children or adults."


This is what happened to me. What makes this more remarkable is the fact that I lived a life of severe impairment when it came to my thinking processes. I wasn't able to go on to college or hold down a job because of it. Many doctors wrote me off as a hopeless case. No one expected anything great out of me.


But that impairment was hiding a secret. Somewhere inside of me were vivid and complex imaginary worlds just waiting to be unleashed. It would take years before I could find a way to express what was in my mind. And when I did, it opened up a new universe for others to enjoy.


I hope you enjoy this look at how I created my imaginary worlds.