I’m Not Just Autistic: See Me Beyond The Label by Marsha Bullock-Breaux and Kerwin Hawkins
I’m Not Just Autistic: See Me Beyond The Label is the deeply personal and uplifting children’s book co-written by Marsha Bullock-Breaux and her son, Kerwin M. Hawkins Jr., and inspired by Marsha’s beloved grandson. With heart, humor, and honesty, this beautifully illustrated story follows a young boy who proudly shares who he is not only autistic, but joyful, smart, funny, and strong.
Created for families, classrooms, and communities, I’m Not Just Autistic opens the door to empathy and inclusion while helping every child feel seen. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, therapist, or sibling, this book offers practical love and a better way to talk about neurodiversity. It’s already been spotlighted by Good Day LA, The Angela Williams Show, and The Long Beach Post for its impact, and it’s easy to see why.
Marsha Bullock-Breaux is no stranger to writing books that resonate with children and uplift families. Her earlier book Corona and the Glitter, was purchased by Head Start programs and praised by Long Beach Unified School District. With I’m Not Just Autistic, she continues her mission to write stories that reflect love, culture, and pride this time, through the lens of autism and individuality.
This book belongs in the hands of every adult supporting a neurodivergent child. It’s comforting for kids with sensory differences, ideal for inclusion in schools, and a helpful tool for therapists and counselors. Most importantly, it’s a celebration of being whole and being seen.
If you’re raising or loving a child on the spectrum, this book is your reminder: the diagnosis doesn’t tell the whole story. Share it. Gift it. Talk about it. Let’s help more children feel known.
To explore all of Marsha’s books, visit: amazon.com/author/marshabullock
| Soignée Intimate Conversation with Marsha Bullock-Breaux |
Marsha Bullock-Breaux is a gifted author, educator, wife, and mother whose work is rooted in resilience, faith, and the transformative power of storytelling. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, and raised in Long Beach, California, Marsha’s diverse background and life experiences shape her unique voice, allowing her to craft stories that resonate deeply with readers of all ages. Having survived trauma and faced personal challenges head-on, she writes not only for herself but for every child who deserves to be seen, heard, and celebrated. As a wife, mother, and Pre-K educator, Marsha brings authenticity, love, and a wealth of real-life experience to her writing. Her children’s books such as I’m Not Just Autistic, Corona and the Glitter, Mama Don’t Look Sick, and Pinky Rejuvenates highlight often overlooked stories, providing a platform for underrepresented voices and experiences. Marsha’s passion for inclusive, empowering narratives has earned her recognition in outlets like PBS, Good Day LA, and the Long Beach Post, where she is celebrated for her bold, honest, and heartfelt approach to writing. Marsha’s books tackle themes of identity, illness, neurodiversity, and empowerment, always with the message that every person matters, deserves to be seen, and has a story worth telling. Her titles, such as Baby Go Sheep Sheep (a playful bedtime story), Princess Pinky and the Pink Pumpkin (a magical autumn adventure), and Turquoise the Terrible (a story about handling emotions), reflect her dedication to creating stories that make children feel safe, loved, and celebrated. A passionate advocate for storytelling that reflects love, culture, and resilience, Marsha’s works continue to inspire and uplift young readers, encouraging them to shine unapologetically and embrace their uniqueness. SLM: How did you begin your writing career? When were you first published? I started writing back in 2013 when my daughter left for college. The house got quiet, but my imagination got loud. I self-published that same year and realized real quick this wasn’t just a hobby. It was purpose. SLM: How did your upbringing or personal experiences influence your storytelling style? Everything I write is rooted in how I was raised, who I loved, what I lost, and how I learned to laugh anyway. I don’t sugarcoat nothing, but I keep it honest, loving, and always rooted in truth. SLM: What does writing give you that nothing else does? Writing gives me peace and power. It lets me say the things I couldn’t say out loud. It gives me a voice and a legacy and sometimes it gives me a good cry or a deep belly laugh when I didn’t even know I needed one. SLM: What part of the publishing process taught you the most about your own strength? Learning to promote myself. Whew! I had to stop waiting for validation and start saying, “Nah, this work matters.” That shift? That taught me I’m not just the writer, I’m the whole damn engine. SLM: Introduce your latest work and the main characters. I’m Not Just Autistic is my newest children’s book, co-written with my son for my autistic grandson, Gabba. The main character is based on him, a joyful, brilliant little boy who sees the world differently. This story needed to be told now because our babies deserve to see themselves celebrated, not just labeled. SLM: What conversations are you hoping this children’s book will start? I want this book to open up honest conversations about how we love, teach, and support autistic kids; especially Black boys. I want teachers, families, and classmates to rethink the way they see difference. SLM: What’s something about the book that readers won’t find in the description or the blurb? There’s a heartbeat in this book. Every sentence was prayed over. And there’s a puzzle heart hidden on every page, just like there’s a whole world inside these kids if we stop and really see them. SLM: Your book pushes back against a culture obsessed with labels. What moment made you say, “That’s it, we’re writing something that centers on who our babies really are”? When I heard my grandson say, “That’s me,” after looking at the character. That was the moment. I knew right then, we had to write something that reflected who he is, not just what he’s diagnosed with. SLM: There’s love in every sentence, but there’s also fire. Did you write this book with any anger at systems, at silence, at the way Black autistic children are misunderstood? Absolutely. I wrote with love, but I also wrote with grief and frustration. Because I’ve seen how our children get overlooked, over-punished, or underestimated. That fire is in the pages…it had to be. SLM: This book isn’t written for clinicians; it’s written for classrooms, cousins, and caregivers. Who were you most passionate about reaching, and why them? The aunties, the bus drivers, the big cousins, the teachers who stay after school. The village. Because sometimes they don’t have the words but they still want to do better. This book helps them do that. SLM: What boundaries do you protect around your creativity when working with children’s books and merchandise? I don’t follow trends, I follow truth. I don’t let publishers or influencers tell me how to represent my characters. And I never include things that should stay between a child and their parent. Some things ain’t for the page, they’re for the kitchen table. SLM: What surprised you most while co-writing this book as a family? Sometimes writing together can be easy, and sometimes it brings up more emotion than you expect. What moments made you pause, reflect, or even rethink how you see each other? Writing with my son brought us closer. We cried, we remembered, and we processed things we hadn’t said out loud. Watching him advocate for his son while finding the words to explain it to the world? That was beautiful. SLM: What personal truths did you have to sit with while writing about autism in your own family? Representation always starts close to home. Was there anything about your own story that challenged or stretched you while writing this? Yes, mostly sitting with the reality that love isn’t always enough if the world refuses to see your child clearly. I had to confront my own fears, my assumptions, and the places I still needed to grow in understanding. SLM: What were the hardest words to write and the ones that came pouring out without hesitation? Children’s books may be short, but they aren’t easy. What part of the writing process reminded you that you were telling more than a story, you were telling your truth? The hardest part was knowing how much not to say. Autism isn’t one-size-fits-all, so we had to speak our truth without trying to speak for everyone. But the parts about love? About joy? That came easy. That was already in us. SLM: What do you want families to feel after reading this book together? Once the last page is turned and the lights are out, what do you hope sticks with parents, siblings, or the child who finally saw themselves on the page? I want them to feel proud. I want them to exhale. I want the child to feel like, “I’m not broken, I’m brilliant.” And I want the adults to feel a little more equipped to love, support, and advocate. SLM: What message did this book give to your grandson that you never had to say out loud? There’s a kind of love that shows up between the lines. If your grandson reads this book years from now, what do you hope he feels in his chest? I hope he feels, “My family saw me. Even when the world didn’t.” I hope he knows he was always worthy, always loved, and always enough. SLM: Have you ever considered walking away from writing? What made you stay? How do you protect your mental health and creativity when the publishing space feels loud or competitive? I’ve never wanted to stop writing…not once. I will never stop. Writing is what I’m called to do. It’s part of my assignment. If God still wants me here, then I will keep showing up. I protect my peace by staying grounded in my purpose, not the noise. I don’t chase trends, and I don’t compare timelines. I trust the timing of my own voice, and the One who gave it to me. SLM: What other art forms feed your creative soul? Music, especially gospel and soul. I can build a whole scene off a single chord. And visual art, I love a good color palette. I also like talking mess on Instagram, but I make it poetic. SLM: What’s the best decision you made as an indie-published author? Betting on myself. Period. Owning my voice, owning my vision, and not waiting for anyone to tell me “yes.” SLM: How can readers connect with you, and what’s the best way for them to support your work beyond buying a book? Follow me on Instagram @authormarshabullock, leave a review, share my work with schools or parents, and most of all, speak my name in rooms I haven’t walked into yet. That part. Marsha Bullock-Kindle – Official Links Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marsha.bullock.12 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vividimaginations |