Middleborough wordsmith Bobby Latheron is keen to communicate his autism through several artistic outlets. Using songwriting to express his feelings, he also picked up the mighty pen to compose a book about living with the condition. Bobby speaks of his work,
"I wrote ‘My World in my Words’ as I have friends with autism, and I was interested in their views of the world, as well as the people not on the spectrum. I also share my song lyrics and a dramatic screenplay which allows the reader to see how an autistic person thinks and plays out the world around them, or at least the way I think."
Holding his published work in his hands, the culture fan realised it represented just what is possible- sky's the limit- and he bears no shame for having a disorder, feeling proud of himself and his friends.
"Being autistic, we have a unique ability to see things differently. I aim to show mainstream society that we can be an important part of the world if given the opportunity and respect for our unique styles. I am not stopping here; lockdown has been a struggle for me like many others. To keep myself focused, I have begun writing my second book. I want to get the message out there and educate society about autism."
Latheron upholds that living with autism does not equate to weirdness: it means you are individual, and that is something to rejoice in.
My Word in my Words is available online at Amazon and Waterstones and in-store at Waterstones in Middlesbrough.