I subscribe to the belief that wherever we go, we begin busily building our family-of-origin very nearly as we arrive. Your first teachers quickly became mom or dad to you. And in every job I’ve had, my boss became parent and coworkers were siblings with whom I played and rivaled for attention.

So, when I began working with my editor Rachel Klayman at Crown in 2005, she morphed into a mommy person pretty quickly for me. Super smart and hyper-observant mom, at that. And, when I was born into this family, there were siblings, the other writers with whom she was working. Sometimes, I bristled when I heard their names. One “older brother” was named Barack and he was in the news a lot. Once after a strenuous editing session, “mom” reassured me that “all the writers need that.”

“Even Barack?” I typed in a whiny voice.
“All the writers, except Barack,” she replied swiftly.

Then, a new baby arrived, and his name was John Elder Robison and his book was called LOOK ME IN THE EYE. And now, “mom” was very excited and I was too. John’s book was barely in the stores before it hit the New York Times Bestseller list. New brother had a story to tell about growing up with Aspergers that readers needed, and still need, to hear.

I’m proud to be in the Crown family with John Elder Robison and that LOOK ME IN THE EYE is one the books in Theo’s Big Memoir Giveaway. Visit John at http://www.johnelderrobison.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/johnelderrobison.