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All About: Linda Ruth Brooks
Linda Ruth Brooks
- writer, illustrator
- Website
- http://www.lindaruthbrooks.com
Linda found a love of reading early in life. One of her earliest memories is of reading under the bedcovers by torchlight, to finish a favourite book. She remembers the joyful discovery that anyone could write a book, and decided that one day she would write one. Because life has many journeys Linda was drawn to nursing. This became her career for over 20 years. Most of that time was spent as a registered nurse in aged care. Linda watched and listened to the rich fabric of the lives of others. She was fascinated by their stories from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Linda began to write, late at night, reliving the highlights and lowlights of life. She stored these outpourings in a box under the bed. When her youngest son was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, Linda found a focus for her writing. She was determined to fight for the spirit and heart of her son and the chance for a normal life for him. The book, ‘I’m Not Broken, I’m Just Different’, was born.
Joining a local Fellowship of Australian Writers gave Linda confidence to share her writing with others. Writing under the name of ‘cobaltangel’, she uploaded many of her stories to the ABC (Australia) website, ‘The Making of Modern Australia’. Her story, ‘A Dangerous Time’, was chosen by the producers as one of the ‘Featured Stories’. Linda developed a readership on the site and through her writing for the local Gazette. She then caught the eye of a publisher, who requested an anthology of her childhood stories. ‘A Curious and Inelegant Childhood’ was the result. Linda also discovered a love of art. She paints the cover illustrations for her books. She has now also written and illustrated several children’s books.
The rich texture of Linda’s life is reflected in her writing, which is both joyful and poignant. She writes with a raw fearlessness, but an irrepressible humour is never far below the surface.
Reviews:
I’m Not Broken. I’m Just Different. – A Story of Asperger’s Syndrome.
This book is deeply touching and eye-opening to those of us who are unaware and lacking experience in the plight of Asperger’s Syndrome sufferers. For those that are aware and perhaps looking for guidance and reassurance this book would be a wonderful addition to your personal library. Linda has a wonderful way of looking at life. She uses humour to cope with the craziness that life throws at you and exposes her very humanity which many of us would find all too uncomfortable to put in a book. But Linda maintains she has done her best and even though she hasn’t always coped with a grace and dignity of the royal family she has certainly learned a lot and hopes her lessons will help others.
This is Linda’s story, warts and all, trials and tribulations, blessings and disasters. An enjoyable read, also features a chapter by Professor Tony Attwood.
Teachers, carers and parents I recommend this book for you.
A Curious and Inelegant Childhood
Step back into the childhood of Linda Brooks. Linda grew up in the fifties and sixties in a rural Australian environment and a strict religious school. This is an entertaining story about young Linda and her view of the world as she grows into a young woman. Not your shrink into the shrubbery kind of girl she has her wonderful sense of humour at a young age which makes for a great read. I particularly enjoyed the high school years and Linda’s strength of character as she regularly finds her self in the line up for the cane or outside the classroom. Not one to disappoint she always did so in a manner that would infuriate the teacher and set the class a snickering. I admire Linda’s personality and wish I had been more like her as a child. She would have been someone I would have looked up to had we shared a school which would not have necessarily been a good thing but lots of fun I am sure.
Linda’s adventures are a plenty and her life is filled with passion and eagerness.
If we gather the threads from the snapshots of our
childhood, we find the person we have become.
We find ourselves.
The Frog That Hiccupped (PB)
It is hard being the new kid (or frog) in town. For Fraser it is made even more distressing because every time he gets nervous or anxious he hiccups. All the other frogs laugh at Fraser and he feels even worse. How can Fraser make friends?
This sweet story written and illustrated by Linda is a great book for those little ones who need a bit of help transitioning to a new school or just those little souls who may find it difficult to fit in. For those other outgoing types this teaches how our actions make others feel and to be a bit more understanding of those quiet kids who need a friend.
Under the Bracken Fern – A Children’s story for Grown-ups.
Georgia is a little girl who has an abusive mother and neighbour. This story is told through her eyes. She knows not of what should and should not be, adults make the rules and she is not very good at being good or keeping herself out of trouble. A children’s story for grown-ups. What does it mean to be safe to grow and learn? It means everything. Under the Bracken Fern touches your heart and may even be a good book to share with a child who needs help finding their own way to safety.
Callan the Chameleon (PB)
To be reviewed on Bug in a Book reviews.
The theme of the book is acceptance of our differences. The main character, Callan the Chameleon, has tendencies that parallel with Asperger’s Syndrome. The story deals with this in a subtle way and celebrates our unique personality traits and individual talents. The story revolves around Callan and his bush animal friends, Emily the Echidna, Kyle the Koala, Kimberley the Kookaburra, Wesley the Wombat, Felicity the Frilled Necked Lizard and other uniquely Australian animals.
