Autistic Bournemouth woman releases advice for book

Joely Williams, 31, has written her second book called 'My Autistic Wings' to help guide those diagnosed with autism through the transition to becoming adults. 

Diagnosed herself when she two-years-old, Joely first came aware she was autistic when she was 13 and said it was 'one of the happiest days of her life', helping her to understand to herself. 

She said: "Prior to that, I just didn't make any connections, I could feel the rain on my skin and not process it was raining or process I needed to get dry. It was only then when I started realising, hey, people are treating me badly because I'm different.

"My mum and dad told me and it changed my life for the better and it is still the best day of my life, aside from my wedding day."

Since then, Joely has volunteered for multiple autism charities and wrote her first book, 'Asperger World' in 2017, which explored her experience with autism when growing up. 

Now, she has taken to writing about the change from teenage to adulthood and the struggles that can be tied with it. 

Joely said: "It's partly a autobiographical autism resource book which looks into the hidden hardships and quirks of my autism and my journey to autism acceptance. 

"I wrote the book because I desperately needed it when I was going through those transitions myself from school, college and university. What I needed and what I write excessively about in the books is that self acceptance of your good intentions."

Volunteering for over 20 years, Joely travels the UK and Europe sharing advice and tips on her lived experience with autism.

Her book explores hardships she's faced including relationships, mental health, unintentional gaslighting, imposter syndrome, rejection, and more which allowed her to view her autism as a 'gift'.

Released on April 20, pre-order is now available for the book with Joely astonished by the amount of orders she has already received.