Daniel Stefanski might be only 14 years old, but the eighth-grader is a young man on a mission: he wants to build bridges between autistic children and the people in their lives. Stefanski, the author of How to Talk to an Autistic Kid, will be signing copies of his book today at Table 25 in the autographing area, 1–1:30 pm.
As with so many advice books, How to Talk to an Autistic Kid was inspired by the author's own life. Stefanski, who was born in Bulgaria, adopted when he was three years old, and brought to the U.S. in 2000, was diagnosed as autistic when he was nine years old. Autism is a neurological disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills, as well as repetitive behavior. One day, Stefanski complained to his mother, Mary Dowling, about being teased and bullied at school for being "different" from his classmates. When she asked him what he wanted to do about it, he recalled, the idea for a book to explain his disability was hatched. It helped that Dowling, a freelance writer and a bookseller at the Barnes & Noble in Valparaiso, Ind., understands how the publishing industry works. She sent out 10 query letters to publishers and received interest from two, including Free Spirit Publishing, which released the book in April.
"I want to make people understand autism," Stefanski tells Show Daily, explaining that the material in the book is all based on his own knowledge of autism. "I don't want people to be uncomfortable; I want them to know what autism really is so they won't judge other people."
Although Stefanski admits to stuttering a little when he's nervous, he's excited about coming to New York City to meet booksellers interested in his book. "I'm used to seeing people now," he explains, after doing a signing recently at his local B&N, where 54 copies were sold. "I'm not like that guy who wrote Charlotte's Web." He adds, "He was a shy guy."
