Episode #225: Writing about mental health and neurodivergence with Emily Barth Isler
Grace and Alvina welcome special guest, author Emily Barth Isler, and discuss writing characters who are neurodivergent, and her decision to "come out" as being neurodivergent. Emily was our generous winner of the auction we had to help benefit the Maui wildfires. Emily is an author and a journalist. Her lastest book is a middle-grade novel called, “AfterMath”.
How have you been?
Grace had a wonderful Halloween with her family and she carved a “Spy x Family” pumpkin to earn cool points with her tween daughter! Emily had an enjoyable Halloween that felt finally felt normal since the start of the pandemic. Alvina loved the “trunk or treat” that she went to over the weekend. Alvina also dressed up as “Alice” from Grace Lin and Kate Messner’s Once Upon a Book. Alvina announces that Chinese Menu is back on the NY Times best seller list at #8!
Mental Health and Neurodivergence
The book friends talk about Emily’s book, The Color of Sound. The main character has Synesthesia, when one or more of your senses are intermingled in a way that are not typical. It is similar to the kind of synesthesia that Emily experiences. Emily talks about the boundary line that she drew: She was not going to discuss her own synesthesia. It is important to draw the boundary lines when writing about mental health and neurodivergent.
The book friends and Emily talk about growing up feeling different and having to keep things secret. Books about neurodivergence now can help readers relate to the characters but also practice empathy if they can’t exactly relate. Emily shares how she came out as neurodivergent and how she feels about therapy and medication. There are so many different types of neurodiversity.
Favorite Feature in a Bookstore!
Grace likes when bookstores have other things besides books! Emily loves the relationship between bookstores and coffee! Alvina loves when a bookstore has CAKES! Community Bookstore in Park Slope had turtles!
Gratefuls
Alvina is grateful for the Halloween part at Little Brown Books! It was in-person and virtual. Grace is grateful that she hit the NY Times! She is also grateful that all her travels went well. Emily is grateful for some advice she was recently given about trying to look for little ways to feel joyful when things look pretty dark. Helping others make you feel good, so Emily went to a beauty event where they put together care packages for those in need. She also loves to get involved with The States Project.
THANK YOU!
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, and Alex at Pacyworks Studio for producing and editing this podcast. Be sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and tell a friend about us. (Use the hashtag #bookfriendsforever.)
You can find Alvina @Planetalvina on Twitter and TikTok and @Alvinaling on Instagram and Threads, @alvinaling on BlueSky
You can find Grace @Pacylin on Instagram and Threads, @authorgracelin on Facebook, @gracelinauthor on TikTok, and @authorgracelin on BlueSky Social!
You can find Emily @Emilybarthisler on Instagram and Twitter and emilybarthisler.com!
Please keep tagging and messaging us on social media using the hashtag #bookfriendsforever! OR email us at bookfriendsforever@gmail.com! Please let us know if you have any topic ideas!
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
