BBC Radio 4, Room 5 Holly Smale Author of Geek Girl.

  1. I listened to this interview yesterday on BBC Sounds with the author Holly Smale who was diagnosed at 39. Dr Sarah Lister Brook also explains  how differently autistic girls and women present in assessment. Holly’s interview helped me to fill in a few more of my  missing blanks, the interview unfortunately does bring school back quite graphically. Well worth a listen though . Holly has now published a series of 6 Geek Girl books, She had never realised that the main character in her  books is autistic and that she is. I won’t spoil the end of the interview but it’s brilliant.

It’s not a link below as you will need the BBC Souund app.

  • I thought the little girl Holly talked with at the end was brilliant, she had no guilt or shame in saying to her class that she is autistic. A lot of authors who have written books with neurodiverse characters in spend a great deal of their time now in schools, and the schools use the books as teaching aids. Acceptance through education is the way forward. No one is born a racist, a child only learns from their surroundings. I suppose I’m getting into nature or nurture now.

    When Holly said that her mother gave her card and wool to make pom-poms, because it was something a  lone child could do on their own, I  then remembered that my mother did the same. I had totally forgotten.

    hope you enjoy the books. I’m just near the end of a book called, ‘ Show us who you are,’ one character is autistic and the other is adhd.  

  • Yes, I heard that yesterday. Dr Sarah Lister Brook, also in the interview, diagnosed me.

    Apt timing for the new campaign and I want to read Geek Girl now, of course

  • Hello 

  • I heard that. It was very good.

  • Sounds amazing. I've not heard of her or it before but I'll get the app and check this out I bet it'll be great. Thanks for sharing about it.