What's the ridiculous statistic on the number of autism books published–per day, week, month? My writing coach shared it with me once. I cannot find it now, but if I didn't believe in the power of my own voice and have the umphhh of creative drive, I wouldn't be writing my second book. Thankfully, poetess and poetry therapist Jennie Chapman Linthorst also believed her voice needed to be shared.

Obviously, there are a plethora of books about autism and other ever-rising numbers of developmental disabilities. Many of them good. But, hands down, this is one, by Linthorst–Autism disrupted: a mother's journey of hope–that I urge parents and those who support us to purchase. This book is soul manna for mamas of a special needs child, or those close to such mothers, or who work with them, or simply want to savor wise words that simmered deep within a very spiritually conscious and amazing woman. Autism disrupted is an extraordinarily special little book.

The name Linthorst is no stranger to "The Journey with Grace." I've featured Jennie's creative filmmaker husband here, here, here and here. Erik produced the 2009 Nashville Film Festival pick "Autistic-Like: Graham's Story. When It's Not Autism, What is It?" and the update and PBS premiere "Where's Graham Now?"

Due, perhaps to the early detection and rigorous diagnosis and the luck of their child's personal mixture of DNA, Graham eventually ended up with a (correctly labeled) diagnosis of sensory integration, initially (also correctly labeled) as autism.

But all that's kinda beside the point as mother Jennie, goes inward and opens up the wounds of her weeping heart, examining the scars left from her mother's death, the ordinary and extraordinary (via special needs parenting) struggles with her husband. She peels apart the layers of her insecurities and takes the resonating and engrossed reader with her as she kisses and blesses those hurts with tender self-care and love.

Writing to others like herself in "Put Your Hands to Rest," Jennie writes in this excerpt:

"Hey now,

hey now,

be gentle with yourself–

mothers of this special world.

"You, too are special–

chosen to make peace

with this uncharted path.

"Put your busy hands to rest.

Tell the nagging critic to step aside.

You have done enough for today,

guilt moves you nowhere."

My copy of this slim, 95-page book of poems is dog-eared. At some point, I stopped marking pages less  nearly every page bore a folded corner. I so loved Jennie's Autism disrupted, that I purchased a second copy and am giving it away here on "The Journey with Grace," plus shipping, at my own expense, (U.S., only, sorry). I want some other mother to have a generous slather of this healing word salve. So, please share this blog link with others so they will know about this offering. There are many books on autism, but this is the only one I know of (probably–surely–there are others,) that condenses all our complex, multi-layered feelings and then further boils them down into a perfectly, yet, not-too-sweet, warm syrup of poetry. Thank you, Jennie, for using your healing gift to help others.

I'll run this giveaway for 7 days, ending at 6 a.m., CST, on Monday, May 6. The blessed winner will be chosen via random.org. To enter, write me a verse (a simple sentence will do,) about your experience with autism. Don't worry if you feel you've not got a way with words. You won't be judged. The important part is putting it down in words. I'm sure Jennie would say that is where the healing begins.

And, in the meantime, if you want to learn more about Jennie's offerings as a certified poetry therapist, check out her webpage of offerings, LifeSPEAKSpoetrytherapy.com, which includes guided expressive writing offerings for special needs parents, educators, physicians, seniors, etc. She works with her students face-to-face, via phone or Skype. (She's originally from Knoxville, on the eastern side of my state, but now lives in California.)

Write to win (at random) in the comments section, below, of this "The Journey with Grace" blog post. Please be sure to make it easy for me to click and link back to you and inform you that you've won. If you don't, then in the interest of time and fairness, I may opt to run the randomizer again and choose the next entrant. Then, I will do my best to get this mailed out in time for Mother's Day. I can't wait to read your entries!