Brian Flagg

I recall a class in my senior year of high school, 30-odd years ago, which I believe was titled Creative Writing. The class project was to be a novel of significant length. Now, as a 17 year old, 'significant length' was a hundred or so pages; handwritten. After all, this was before personal computers, and my typing skills were such that it would have taken an eternity to convert my handwritten into a neatly typed work. The title was Firestorm and was basically focused on a government research program gone bad that caused a phenomenon whereby a localized storm of fire would appear, seemingly at random geographical locations. The cause, the ensuing cover-up, and the eventual climax when a solution is discovered are all part of the story. It was my first and final foray into fictional writing, and I may someday have the time to clean it up, create a typed manuscript and publish the story.

My latest book, Parents As Detectives, is a handbook to help parents of children on the autism spectrum work through the maze of often conflicting therapies to help children with autism. Twenty-three years of experience, trial and error, and path-searching to help my son with Asperger Syndrome (a high-functioning form of autism) has given my wife and I a perspective on the process that is required to find the right path, a process rooted in the investigative work of a detective, and the work of a scientist. I discuss the observe - record - hypothesize - test process needed to make continuous progress in helping a child reach full potential. I also make the point that there is no cure for autism, just as there is no cure for freckles or Down's Syndrome. Also missing are the heart-warming anecdotes and stories. There are many to tell, but parents at the end of their rope, unsure where to make the next turn, need a concise handbook. The stories are great, but, at least for me, I wanted help. There are many places to commiserate and get emotional support, and the handbook makes no intent to bury the key messages within story-telling prose.