creative Page

I had my first book published by HarperCollins in 2000 after coming out of school with hardly an education. I am Romani Gypsy by birth, and with Asperger’s as a child, which went undiagnosed it wasn’t easy. I did a tour of the USA and parts of Canada when my first book was launched. I learned public speaking, and am now happy speaking to large audiences. Since that time I have focused on developing the craft of fiction-writing. This seems to be unusual in people with Asperger’s, as they normally veer towards art and music. My latest book details the difficulties and quirks experienced by an aspie trying to make his own way in society. Music was my first love. I am in the process of presenting, online, the music I’ve composed. Both my fiction and my music carry themes empathising with people who have to fight for what they are. I was diagnosed with Asperger’s in 1996, and am a Romani Gypsy by birth. In many of my books I champion my culture’s folklore, myths, and a person’s relationship with the otherworld. I also have a psychic ability and like to sketch the faces of ancestors who appear when I am working with someone. Does my 'condition' hinder or help my art? My spectrum “condition” aids my work because my sensitivity to social and environmental influence is increased. This sometimes contradicts how people might like to describe people with Asperger's. I believe ancestors help because in my culture they are always there assisting us to live and grow. I am currently looking into becoming the UK representative for the organization The Art of Autism as I feel there is a lot within autistic thinking that we can learn from. I have also worked in theatre and have run workshops for people who want to learn about themselves in accordance with otherworld psychology. Sometimes I work together with my wife who is a business psychologist and also an author. I believe the arts are taking a dive, and that we have to fight to keep them alive so that they help others in the best possible way. I have fought for the arts most of life. We also need to work hard at the craft of writing, music, art, and performance so that we become the best that we can be. Autistic thinking, as I call it, can help us understand more of the world we live in, together with creative thinking. Autism is not an affliction but can be a way of seeing things clearly. More Info

My Hobbies Writing, music, visiting new towns, walking in the countryside, sitting in sunshine and reading, travelling, having a glass of wine, good conversation that doesn’t involve superfluous chit-chat.

My inspirations Artistic people from the past, including authors, William Shakespeare, William Trevor, Virginia Woolf, D.H. Lawrence, Margaret Attwood, and artists including Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt, and the Impressionists. Composers Gustav Mahler and Beethoven also inspire me, together with Enya and modern pop music. All of these provide food for the soul, I feel, and help me relate to life as it really is.

My message for this community Don’t be afraid to be who you are. Don’t be afraid because life isn’t always as others paint it to be. Life is tough, but it’s necessary to fight where you can, and if you grow tired of fighting, simply know that there is a world where you can be treasured if you use your creative ability and bring out a uniqueness that only you can have.

My creative work

Buddhist Boy:

Patrick Jasper Lee

A must-have book for families of children with disabilities.