New Autism Journal Coming in 2009
Hyperlexia: A Literary Journal Celebrating the Autistic Spectrum
Aug 23, 2008
Autism spectrum conditions (ASCs) have become more prevalent in the past several years. As the rate of children being diagnosed with an ASC has increased, so has the media attention. Unfortunately, some of this media attention is negative. Three mothers of autistic children have joined forces to launch a new online journal - Hyperlexia: A Literary Journal Celebrating the Autistic Spectrum. Kerry Cohen, Phoebe Gleeson and Brittney Corrigan provide insight into their journal through an email-based interview.
The Journal’s Goal
In an email interview conducted in August 2008, the editors relayed the goal of the Hyperlexia Journal: “There is so much noise out there about autism - much of it hyperbolic, stereotyped, biased, inaccurate, and hysterical. Our hope is to create an arena where we can get to some truths about what it really is to be autistic and to love people who are autistic. In our estimation, creative writing is the best way to get at those truths.”
Submissions
The Hyperlexia Journal is accepting submissions, per the editorial staff. “We're looking for the best fiction, personal essays, and poetry about being autistic or loving someone who is autistic.” Submissions (up to 1,500 words) are accepted via email to submissions@hyperlexiajournal.com; writers are asked to include the submission in the body of their email as well as in an Adobe PDF or Word document attachment. The deadline for submissions for the first issue is December 31, 2008.
Inspiration for the Journal
All three of the editors have their own inspiration for the journal. Kerry Cohen describes her reasons for wanting to create this new autism journal: “As the mother of a child on the autistic spectrum, I've felt immense frustration and sadness because of the inaccurate perceptions about autism, the hysteria, and the continual underestimating and misconceiving of who my child is and what he's capable of. I have always, always found solace in literature, yet there was no creative arena out there that was specific to autism, where a parent like me could find that connection and understanding I crave. So I decided to create that space myself.”
Phoebe Gleeson discusses when the idea of the journal first came about, “A while back, Kerry and I were discussing the lack of real writing about autism. Most of what I have encountered is written as though autism is an enemy to be vanquished, and implies that a life without autism is somehow more worthwhile than one with it. I don't think that is true, and I think that many people living with autism or who love someone with autism have similar feelings to me. I'm very excited to be a part of Hyperlexia and to be giving those people and their voices a place to be heard.”
Brittney Corrigan brings her poetry experience to the editorial team; “I was thrilled to be invited to be the poetry editor for Hyperlexia. I have used poetry myself to tell the story of my son and our relationship, and I find poetry to be a powerful way to explore the subtleties and complexities of life on the autism spectrum. I have found very little poetry out there on the topic of autism, and I hope that the journal will be able to showcase the poetic voices of people with autism and those who love them.”
The first issue of Hyperlexia: A Literary Journal Celebrating the Autistic Spectrum will be available on the Hyperlexia Journal website in 2009.
Source: Email Interview Conducted August 10, 2008
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