On Writing, Aspergers, and Sunsets

So I’ve written a book. Yep, me and about 400,000 other people on the web. Asperger Sunset is my baby and I want to share it with the world. Time to start blogging.

Asperger Sunset is a mystery featuring a protagonist with Asperger’s syndrome. Russ Dante is in the wrong place at the wrong time, witnesses a murder and has to solve the crime, all while coping with the new revelation that the quirks and odd traits he’s had all his life actually have a name: Asperger’s Syndrome.

There’s a huge amount of nonfiction dedicated to Asperger’s Syndrome, but very little fiction, and most of that is aimed at children. Russ is an adult who appears normal most of the time. Only when under stress do his symptoms become problematic. As the tagline goes, witnessing a murder qualifies as stress. And so we’re off.

Why sunset? I love clouds. Sunrises, sunsets, brilliant puffy summer clouds, creepy roiling storm clouds… images you simply cannot capture with a camera. Russ is able to secure that beauty with his artistic talents – he has a set of oil pastels and an ability to see colors that others simply do not have. Including me. My drawing talent, on a scale of 1 to 10, is zero.

There’s also the ritual of sunset. Every evening on Sanibel Island, Florida, hundreds of people gather on the beaches to watch the sun sink into the Gulf of Mexico. When I am lucky enough to visit, I attend the sunset ritual every night.

And as the sun is going down, all of those people facing west are joined in a single moment. Some toast the setting sun with wine, some take photos. Some are wealthy beyond belief, some scraped the money together for a daytrip. Some are with family, some are grieving lost loved ones. Many carry invisible challenges – cancer, abuse, PSTD, or autism.

But in that moment as the sun sets, all are equal. All are human, and all are deserving of love and compassion. That’s what I love about sunsets.

Welcome to my blog. I’m eager to exchange comments with folks on the topic of writing in general, Aspergers, or my new project, which is a paranormal mystery walking the very fine line between image and truth. And be sure to take a moment to enjoy the beauty of the next sunset you see.