My next book now has a cover and a page on the publisher website!
This is exciting, a project years in the making is almost real, almost released into the world. Now, however, I'm supposed to promote the forthcoming book, but this is difficult for me. I have mixed feelings about self-promotion and the present-day expectation that authors "build platforms" to promote their own work. It feels icky to me. In so many ways this book is very personal and centers on my relationship with my daughter, which further complicates my aversion to boasting. I despise the thought of exploiting her existence to promote something.
Writing this book was for me, a cathartic exploration of a transformative experience.
But, obviously, you also publish for others. The hope is that important lessons might be drawn from my experiences as a father and anthropologist, lessons that are valuable and helpful for others.
Moreover, we still live in a world in which Down syndrome is simultaneously included and marginalized, embraced and erased. To parent in such a world means you are constantly advocating for something better. Representation in this context -- through images, stories, books -- is activism, an act of building a more inclusive world that accepts your disabled child and family without hesitation, without the asterisk that marks them as different.
So, this is an important book. It's a readable book. It's a relatable book. I bet you'll find something in here that is special and impactful. It's out in September. If nothing else, help with the world-building effort and share this book with your networks. With love, -tp
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