In this episode, Jacinta and Lachlan interview Kay Kerr, author of Please Don't Hug Me, Social Queue and Love & Autism. They discuss Kay's diagnosis journey, how she has made her house an autistic safe space and how she writes informed and sensitive autistic characters.

Kay Kerr is an autistic author and journalist from the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Her debut novel Please Don’t Hug Me (2020) was shortlisted for Book of the Year for Older Children at the Australian Book Industry Awards in 2021, and listed as a ‘Notable Book’ by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Her second novel, Social Queue, was released with Text Publishing in October 2021. Kay’s freelance writing has appeared in The Guardian, SBS Voices, Daily Life, Broadsheet, and Peppermint Magazine, amongst others. She writes about autistic representation, disability, parenting, pop culture, gardening, and feelings.

Resources and representations

Kay's work - Kay's website, Please Don’t Hug Me, Social Queue, Love & Autism, and The Overshare.

Things discussed in the episode - the Amaze website and Autism Connect, the Yellow Ladybugs, Helen Hoang's writing, Anna Whateley's Peta Lyre's Rating Normal, Heartbreak High and Chloe Hayden, Hannah Gadsby, Everything's Gonna Be Okay and Josh Thomas, Clem Bastow and The Umbrella Academy.

Differently Brained shares the opinions of individuals and does not consider your personal circumstances. Differently Brained exists purely for information purposes and should not be relied on as health or medical advice. Because no brain is the same, please consult your healthcare professional for your personal medical needs.