As many readers will know, late last year I self-published my autobiography “The Alli Way of Life; Living Well with Cerebral Palsy”, with the generous financial assistance of the CP Society.

I must admit that in the eighteen months or so that I was writing it I hadn’t given a lot of thought as to what would happen once it was published. I was too focused on just getting the book into print. The initial flurry of “launches” was great fun…with the official launch on 1st November, followed by one at my church and two at the Society’s Christmas functions in Christchurch and Auckland. It’s fair to say that it was well and truly launched - with over 100 book sales resulting from these events.

Feedback came swiftly from readers. Phone calls, emails and the odd handwritten letter came my way, with an overwhelmingly positive vibe. Considering I had written frankly about all aspects of my life (including things I weren’t proud of, as well as things I were), I was surprised I hadn’t received some criticism. The book seems to appeal to a wide range of people, and what I’ve found most interesting, is the variety of responses I’ve had in terms of what people have got out of it.

Some people relate closely to experiences I’ve had, while to others it opened a window onto events and social attitudes they had no knowledge of before. Of course people who already knew me found the book brought back memories of long-off times and places. Several people who had bought one copy have come back to buy more to give to friends. One lady (aged in her eighties) bought a second copy for her daughter who is a Carmelite nun! Not quite the target readership I’d envisaged, but it was mentioned to me that the nuns work with people with disabilities, “and this will give them some insight”.

The book has brought me back into contact with people from my past (including my Primer 2 teacher!) and introduced me to new people too. A woman wrote me a very effusive letter, telling me that the book had inspired her to write her own life story. She had had a head injury following a car accident and had been left with effects similar to cerebral palsy. She invited me to meet her and we found we have a lot in common, so have become friends.

I’ve been invited to speak to a number of community groups, and have received invitations to other functions. The book has been purchased for a number of public libraries nationwide and I was particularly thrilled that it has been selected to be put into audio format by the Royal N.Z. Foundation for the Blind, for their libraries throughout New Zealand.

While all this personal success is very gratifying, to me the fact that people are reading my book and gaining a better insight into the reality of living with a disability is more important to me. Changing attitudes has always been my aim and I have witnessed this in people already.

We all have a unique life story and I would like to encourage other people with disabilities to write about their own lives. Personal experience and insight are powerful tools in making other people understand that “we” are not so different to “them”. So if you have the urge to do so…get writing!

Allison Franklin-Christchurch
franklina@ihug.co.nz