BOOKS


Author Interview Holly Smale & Maud Rowell


Holly Smale, bestselling author of the Geek Girl series, discusses how autistic characters, and authors, should no longer be seen as ‘niche’


Questions Lottie Cardew @mslottiecardew


Holly, your beloved Geek Girl character Harriet Manners resonated strongly with my teenage daugh- ter, before either my daughter or I realised we were autistic, so how important is a character like Harriet for girls experiencing stigma, or lost in the system? So many young people have connected with Harriet for the different way her mind works and how she sees and interacts with the world. They love her because she’s autistic, even if they didn’t know it. I’m open about my own diagnosis because Harriet’s popularit is another step towards changing the conversation around autism, help- ing to destigmatise it. Autistic girls need to have someone they know and adore on their team. Through Harriet, I want them to be seen as the valuable, loveable, individual people they are. Change happens one story at a time, reminding the world what autism is from the inside.


There’s a huge problem surrounding late or missed diagnoses in women and girls, so how useful is fiction in changing people’s perception of autism? Sadly, it’s not just girls and women. Autism studies have tpically revolved around white cis males, so if you’re a person of colour, non-binary, trans, female, you’re likely to be missed. The outdated stereotpe is so ingrained—it’s hard to find a prominent fictional autistic character that isn’t a white male who loves physics! Fiction is essential not just to highlight the wide and beautiful diversit of autistic people, but in allowing those who don’t fit the “mould” to feel included too.


14 24th September 2021


I’m open about my diagnosis because Harriet’s


popularity is another step towards


changing the conversation around autism


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