The "A" List Book Launch

This is an exciting time for me and all of my family. The official book launch of my first published book will take place on November 1st at the Lowder Branch Library here in Montgomery, Alabama! I am so humbled by the support from Julia-Ann Jenkins and all of my dear friends. They truly want to see me succeed.
I added the link to the book on Amazon in this blog. I plan to update you all on what is new and how things are going. In the meantime, feel free to spread the word and share my site with everyone you know.
There are many people I want to thank, but I want to take this opportunity to thank my dear friend Barb Garrison who took the time to help me with my author picture that I eventually used in my book. She was able to help me meet my personal deadline for the completion of my book. I can't thank her enough!

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Book Signing/Autism Discussion
Lowder Branch Library on Bell Road
November 1st
6:30pm - 8:30pm
*Books available for purchase at the event for $16.99
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The Big "A"

Autism isn't a deadly disease. However, in some ways it is like a death sentence for many parents. It marks the end of certain dreams and expectations. It marks the end of life as you know it. For me, knowing that my child has autism just means that the days of trying to find answers for a diagnosis are over. It means that I no longer have to listen to teachers and others tell me that my child is just "strong-willed" or "spoiled". Knowing that my child has autism means the end to rationalizing why my child may behave differently than other kids. It also means that I need to be patient. Asperger's is not so bad, right? Doesn't Bill Gates have it? He turned out okay. Instead of focusing on what my child may not be able to do right now, I will focus on his strengths. I will help him develop those talents I know he has. It is up to me as his mother to push him whenever possible. There will be times when I'm sure we'll want to give up, but we must not. I'm so thankful for the strong support group I have. My mother, my husband, and friends are there for me. I can pick up the phone and I know they won't judge. They truly understand.

Autism doesn't define your child. It is an extension of who they are. Having autism is like having brown hair. Are all brown haired individuals smart? Are all brown haired individuals good at math? Of course not! Get to know your child. They are counting on you to be their advocate and voice. Many of these children cannot speak for themselves. That is the biggest role you have as their parent.


My wish for the future is that the stigma of diagnosis will go away! It doesn't matter anymore! I wish parents would just do what is best for their children. There are also many parents who suffer from mental illness that need help. You cannot help your child unless YOU get help. Going to a psychiatrist or therapist does not make you weak. It gives you the tools you desperately need to be the best parent you can be. Don't ever feel like you've given up.

My Muse and Project

My life motto has always been: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. That is what I have been trying to do for the past fifteen years. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband who supports me and loves me unconditionally. I have four beautiful children who I adore. Those are the things I hold on to during times of trials in my life.
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The following is the link to my latest project. It is the result of a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. I'm very proud of this book and I hope that it brings hope and encouragement to everyone who reads it. The book is finally listed on Amazon and you can copy and paste the following link to see it: http://www.amazon.com/The-A-List-Yahnira-Backus/dp/1460912071/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340587290&sr=1-8&keywords=The+%22A%22+List
Brief synopsis: The story takes place in the future where autism has reached epidemic proportions. Autism is renamed ASP to include the broad spectrum of disorders associated with the newly discovered gene mutation. The main character, Sarah, is a beautiful young lady who has graduated from a research facility, called the GRF, where young infants are raised and nurtured under a very controlled environment. Parents have to make the difficult choice of either raising these children on their own or giving them up to the GRF. The reader will experience Sarah's journey as she leaves her familiar home, meets her biological family, and begins a new life full of new experiences. She will ultimately discover that there is much more to the GRF than she realized. Finding love and working for the government on a secret mission will only be the beginning of her new life. This story will touch your heart and give you hope and encouragement as to the future of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
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Writing this novel was very therapeutic for me. I was able to use my life experiences as well as the experiences of the many children and young adults I have met over the years. My goal was to capture the thinking process of these unique individuals. I wanted to give the reader a unique perspective into the mind, talents, and challenges they face. Often times I see the reactions and comments made by individuals who just don't understand. They think that autism means "Rainman"...an individual who is a genius at one thing and who otherwise cannot interact with the world around him. That is not always the case. The spectrum is so broad that they are currently changing the guidelines for diagnosis and the labels placed on these people. There is no "one-size fits all" approach when it comes to diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. After reading my book, I hope people take the main message I want to convey. That is: although there is no cure for autism, that doesn't mean there is no hope.

The "A" List

When life gives me lemons, I like to make lemonade. That is why I chose to write my very first novel entitled: The "A" List. It is now available on Amazon and I am so excited! The following is the link to the book and information (copy and paste): http://www.amazon.com/The-A-List-Yahnira-Backus/dp/1460912071/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340587290&sr=1-8&keywords=The+%22A%22+List

The story takes place in the future where autism has reached epidemic proportions. The name is changed to ASP and includes all the autism spectrum including ADHD and other diagnosis used today. The main character, Sarah, is a young lady who has graduated from a research facility called the GRF where babies are raised and nurtured in hopes they can reach their full potential. In this world, parents have to make the very difficult choice of either raising their child or giving it up to the GRF in hopes they can have a future.
The reader follows Sarah as she leaves her safe and nurturing environment and begins her life in the real world. Falling in love, working at her first assignment, and being an advocate for millions of people in the world are among some of the challenges she will have to face.
If you like romance, suspence, and long for a story full of hope and encouragment then I totally recommend this book! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.

My Miracle Leaguer

In my town there is a baseball league called The Miracle League. The name says it all! It's truly a miracle and a blessing in my son's life. You see...this league is for children who could not otherwise play baseball. They give everyone an opportunity to play no matter what their handicap may be. My son has Tourette's and has high functioning autism. He also has ADHD. All these factors have unfortunately kept him from playing in the past. Not any more!
Today I witnessed him gain a stronger confidence and have the kind of fun a mother dreams of for her son. He hit the ball the very first time it was pitched to him! I was so proud. He knew that it was a little different, but he never said anything to me. He quietly observed as each person took his/her turn to bat.
There were service dogs and volunteers all over the field. It was such a beautiful sight! The best part was the feeling of acceptance and nonjudgmental attitude. It was so wonderful.
The league goes through adult so that means that he will be able to play for as long as he desires. Perhaps one day he can coach or volunteer. Who knows?
In the meantime I will treasure every moment and smile as he makes new friends. Today it was a boy named DJ who he felt a connection to. They became instant friends. I love that about these kids. It's almost like they are kindred spirits and they know it. If only we all could be that way. What a wonderful world this would be.

Who's Got the PhD?

I have been dealing with doctors, practioners, psychologists, therapists, etc... for many years now. It never ceases to amaze me how laid back they are about autism. Even to this day, I see so many doctors take their time in intervention. Why is that?
Anyone who has a child with special needs knows that the earlier you intervene the better. The outcome is better. There might be special circumstances where this might not make a difference, but for the most part it is true.
The reason for this post is that I am beginning to understand the system a little better. The fact is, parents need to do whatever possible to speed up the process. Testing takes time. Therapy takes time. Diet changes take time. We have to be patient, but we also need to start as soon as possible. There is only a very small window of opportunity when it comes to certain things. I have seen it.
When someone has a vested interest in something they are more likely to take the time to learn more about it. That is why you can speak to anyone who has a child with any kind of medical challenge or disease and they can tell you more than any doctor out there! The best doctors, in my opinion, are those who have children with the same issue you are faced with. They can relate to you better. They have been through it themselves.
I'm not trying to say that there aren't doctors out there who take it upon themselves to continue their education. I know of such doctors and I applaud them. I am just trying to state the fact that parents have a lot to offer. If doctors would take the time to listen and implement suggestions from parents then things might get better.
In the meantime, don't forget that you have been entrusted with a special spirit who relies on you for his/her every need. This is a big burden, but as I always say: You don't have to do it alone!

No Such Thing as Coincidence

One day I was reading the newspaper (something I normally don't do) and found an ad for a job writing for the newspaper. It was a tiny box on the from page and it said, "We are looking for the new face of East Montgomery." I continued reading and it sounded interesting. I remember throwing the newspaper away and telling myself that I would never have time to do anything like that.
Months went by and I saw the same ad once again. This time I decided to keep it. I folded it and put it away to discuss with my husband at a later time. I still wasn't convinced I would have the time to do it, but I was intrigued at the idea. It was something I've always dreamed of doing. I found the time to talk it over and my husband was concerned that having an extra obligation would stress me out. I have to admitnthat I had the same concern.
The ad requested a short description of why I thought I would be the right person for the job. It had to be 100 words or less. I decided to give it a shot. I honestly didn't think I would hear back from them. I was wrong. I received a call from the editor's assistant. She actually called me seconds before we were about to change my cellphone to an upgrade. We held off disconnecting it until my call was over. We agreed on a day and time to meet for my interview. I was so excited! However, at this point I was unaware of the fact that this was a paying job! I was going to an actual job interview!
I showed up to the newspaper building and everyone there was so sweet. They treated me with respect and almost like they were trying to sell ME the job. I listened to the editor describe the job in full detail and my heart beat faster and faster with each passing moment. It was my dream job! I would only have to submit a column once a week and the area I would cover would be my own area! I had lived here long enough to have various contacts and so that would be no problem.
I left the hour-long interview feeling wonderful! I prayed that I would get the job. I was told they still had another applicant. In the meantime I had to submit my first column. The editor gave me the choice of what to write about. I chose to write an introduction to my column. It was very easy for me. I submitted it right away. Unfortunately, my competition wasn't as efficient and I had to wait for them to receive the other before receiving an answer.
My answer came Mother's Day weekend. I received an email congratulating me on getting the job. Evidently they had tried to call and didn't have luck. The editor was so sweet. She wrote that she wanted me to know as soon as possible. It was the best Mother's Day gift I could have received.
It has been over six months now since I got the job and I'm still loving it!! I have learned so much about my community and have made some great contacts. It has also helped me to reach out more. I think it's important to expand our circles and appreciate diversity.
This Thanksgiving holiday I am thankful for all my blessings... Including those that were unexpected.