Kay Kerr, author of Please Don’t Hug Me and Social Queue

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. 

 

About our guest

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. Kay's new book Love & Autism is out now. 

 

Representations & resources

• Kay's website
• Please Don’t Hug Me
• Social Queue
• Love & Autism
• The Overshare
• the Amaze website
• Autism Connect
• the Yellow Ladybugs
• Helen Hoang (The Kiss Quotient, The Bride Test and The Heart Principle)
• Anna Whateley (Peta Lyre's Rating Normal)
• Heartbreak High, Different, Not Less and Chloe Hayden,
• Hannah Gadsby and Ten Steps to Nanette
• Everything's Gonna Be Okay and Josh Thomas
• Clem Bastow's Late Bloomer
• The Umbrella Academy. 

You can purchase all of these book titles and more from your local independent bookseller or Booktopia. Please note by purchasing through these Booktopia partner links we are provided a small commission which allows us to continue to provide the podcast at no cost to our audience. 

 

About the podcast

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.

The Differently Brained team acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we record, edit and stream this podcast. We pay our respects to all First Nations peoples and their Elders part, present and emerging. We extend that respect to all First Nations cultures and their ongoing connection to the lands, waterways and communities.