By Ron Sandison
I want to encourage people with disabilities that you can accomplish great things and just because you have autism doesn’t mean you can’t do something good to help others.
Micah Newcome, Author of The Adventures of Cari and Joe
Dori Harrell who edited my fourth book Adulting on the Spectrum: An Insider’s Guide for Navigating Life with Autism (release date March 2024) introduced me to author Micah Newcome. She edited Micah Newcome’s faith base, illustration children’s book The Adventures of Cari and Joe. Micah having autism has overcome many challenges to become an author and script reader. The Adventures of Cari and Joe teaches children about neurodiversity from a faith perspective and the importance of making decisions that please God and creates inclusion and belonging. As an autistic dad of an eight-year-old daughter, I loved the themes of Micah’s book diversity and faith.
1. As a child what were some challenges you experience with autism?
One of my main challenges was people not understanding autism. For example, I had a fixation with colors like red and blue with cop sirens which some of my family did not understand. This made me seem different and caused me to be misunderstood.
2. What are some of your enthusiasms and passions?
I love watching and learning about sports. My favorite team is the New York Yankees and favorite player is shortstop Derek Jeter and for football quarterback Payton Manning. I fell in love with baseball at eight-years-old, after going to Anaheim to see the Angels play the Seattle Mariners, I try to attend a MLB game about once every two years. The nearest stadium from my home is Oakland Coliseum and I was at the game Aaron Judge hit his fiftieth homerun and he finished the year with the American League homerun record.
3. At what age were you diagnosed with autism? What circumstances lead to your diagnosis?
I was diagnosed with autism at age nine at first doctors thought I had cerebral palsy and after further testing I was diagnosed with autism. Some of the circumstances leading to my diagnosis is we have other family members with autism including my parents.
4. What were some challenges you experienced as a child with socializing and how did you adapt to these challenges?
My challenge was I was shy, my parents helped me adapt by having friends over and me interacting with them. When I became overwhelmed I would go to my room and play on my computer to help my brain relax. One time in school, I was bullied and the teacher stopped the student from bullying me and this prevented me from being bullied again. We had a couple of dogs that provided comfort and friendship but one of the dogs bite me and this made me timid toward dogs. My favorite dog is a golden retriever because they are calm and friendly.
5. What are some gifts autism has given you, and how have these gifts empowered you as a writer?
One of the gifts autism has provided me with is an ability to focus which helps with writing. I am able to read a book in only a few days. While working as a script reader with Marilyn Atlas Management and Eclectic Pictures, I was able to get my assignments done quickly. Neuro-focus also has a downside, I only like certain things.
6. What sparked your interests in writing an illustration children’s book about fish? Who are some of your favorite authors?
My interest was sparked by seeing a blue tang fish and the jack-knife fish with interestingly shaped fins and black-and-white strips, and by the Pixar’s movies Finding Nemo and Finding Dory. I wanted to use sea creatures to share a Christian worldview and ethics for children. The main character, Cari, a blue tang fish like Dory, has autism and must battle the evil intentions of Deceiver Shark’s attempts to spoil Guppywood.
My two favorite authors are John Bunyan who wrote the Pilgrim’s Progress because I really like his allegory style and of course C.S. Lewis’s the Chronicles of Narnia. I also like the creativity of SpongeBob SquarePants and Phil Vischer’s VeggieTales.
7. What are some key Christian themes in your new book The Adventures of Cari and Joe? What lesson does the character Cari learn on her journey through the sea in the Great Barrier Reef?
The most important theme is making right decisions in life. Cari has opportunities to take a shortcut after she meets a bad guy, Ale the octopus at a movie theater and he tries to persuade her to watch a movie with bad language rated PG 13. Cari see the temptation and realizes that bad decisions can change her and make her become someone that she does not want to be and could hurt her witness to Joe. As the Bible says, “It’s not worth gaining the whole world and losing your soul.” Cari’s faith in God enabled her to not give in to the temptation, and not take the shortcut.
8. What are some experiences you and Cari have in common?
Cari is a delivery fish and works in Hollywood and I did script reading. Cari depends on Father Whale, who created all the sea creatures, and his son, Guardian Dolphin, to guide her through the seas of the Great Barrier Reef. Cari is a fish of faith and I have faith in Christ and he guides my life.
9. Was it important to you to include a girl character with autism? Why?
Yes, because I felt neurodiversity is important theme for my book with having autism and I have a family friend who encouraged me to write about autism to encourage others on the spectrum. And autism diagnosis is less common with females. I want to encourage people with disabilities that you can accomplish great things and just because you have autism doesn’t mean you can’t do something good to help others.
10. Faith is a central part of your life, how has your faith in Christ impacted your writing? What is your favorite Bible verse?
My favorite verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”’ This verse teaches that our power is made perfect in our weakness so weakness is actual a strength in Christ with God’s grace. I love how God uses the weak things of the world to confound the wise.
11. What challenges have you experienced in transitioning into adulthood?
I feel more comfortable in life now at age 29. I was a late bloomer with autism. I attended a Bible college and lived in a dorm for a while but I had some health issues. Now I am ready to go back to school and taking a few Bible classes.
12. What advice would you give to young adults with autism who want to write a book?
It was not easy to write a book, you just have to keep going and make contacts. You need to keep writing, keep coming up with ideas and concepts. Once you find a story you like develop the narrative and refine it. After you have the story written you can submit it to publishers and agents to review. My publisher saw the potential with my children’s book. I got my illustrator Maizic Langum from a family friend who used to attend our church. I saw samples of Maizic’s illustrates and I liked them. I could not have done the book without editor Dori, project manager Sarah, and illustrator Maizic. It takes a team to publish a book.
13. What were some steps you took to prepare for writing your book?
I write in my room or the living room. I like to listen to music as I do my writing. Music inspires me as I write and I like to drink a hot mango leaf tea.
14. What are some current project you are working on?
I have about three chapters done to the sequel to The Adventures of Cari and Joe. I have some refining and editing to do with the new book. I might try to get a literary agent or I may have Redemption Press publish this book also. I hope to have the book finish by late 2025 or 2026. My last book took three years to publish.
YouTube Video of Interview with Micah Newcome
Micah Newcome’s BIO
Micah Newcome is the author of The Adventures of Cari and Joe and has been an intern at a radio station, a script reader for Marilyn Atlas Management and Eclectic Pictures, and a volunteer first-round reader for Austin Film. He lives in Northern California, where he enjoys writing, sports, and helping with Awana.
Amazon Link to The Adventures of Cari and Joe: https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Cari-Joe-Micah-Newcome/dp/1646453530/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Ron Sandison works full time in the medical field and is a professor of theology at Destiny School of Ministry. He is an advisory board member of Autism Society Faith Initiative of Autism Society of America. Sandison has a Master of Divinity from Oral Roberts University and is the author of A Parent’s Guide to Autism: Practical Advice. Biblical Wisdom, published by Charisma House and Thought, Choice, Action. Ron has memorized over 10,000 Scriptures including 22 complete books of the New Testament and over 5,000 quotes. Ron’s third book Views from the Spectrum was released in May 2021.
Ron frequently guest speaks at colleges, conferences, autism centers, and churches. Ron and his wife, Kristen, reside in Rochester Hills, MI, with a baby daughter, Makayla Marie born on March 20, 2016.
You can contact Ron at his website www.spectruminclusion.com or email him at sandison456@hotmail.com
