Drama Queen

One Autistic Woman and a Life of Unhelpful Labels

By: Sara Gibbs

Narrated by: Sara Gibbs

Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

It has taken me several years of exploration, but I am at a place now where I see autism as neither an affliction nor a superpower. It's just the blueprint for who I am. There is no cure, but that's absolutely fine by me. To cure me of my autism would be to cure me of myself.

During the first 30 years of her life, comedy script writer Sara Gibbs had been labelled a lot of things - a cry baby, a scaredy cat, a spoiled brat, a weirdo, a show off - but more than anything else, she'd been called a Drama Queen. No one understood her behaviour, her meltdowns or her intense emotions. She felt like everyone else knew a social secret that she hadn't been let in on, as if life was a party she hadn't been invited to. Why was everything so damn hard? Little did Sara know that, at the age of 30, she would be given one more label that would change her life's trajectory forever. That one day, sitting next to her husband in a clinical psychologist's office, she would learn that she had never been a drama queen, or a weirdo, or a cry baby, but she had always been autistic.

Drama Queen is both a tour inside one autistic brain and a declaration that a diagnosis on the spectrum, with the right support, accommodations and understanding, doesn't have to be a barrier to life full of love, laughter and success. It is the story of one woman trying to fit into a world that has often tried to reject her, and, most importantly, it's about a life of labels and the joy of ripping them off one by one.

©2021 Sara Gibbs (P)2021 Headline Publishing Group Ltd

Must read for women on spectrum

Especially if you got diagnosed as an adult you should read this book. First time in my life I felt understood by another woman. Sara is extraordinarily honest and I finally don't feel alone in all these drama queen stuff. I wish I could give her a hug or at least send her an email.

A brilliantly told biography

I was planning to listen to it over a week, in reality, I couldn't stop, and listen every waking moment between kids and work.
Sara expresses her thoughts and feelings in a way that allowed me to see the world through her eyes, and made me aware of many things in my own life, things i thought everyone suffered from, but were presented as not normal in the book.
She is very self aware, and writes in an open and honest manner that I wish we all could communicate in one day.
It inspired me to take an autism test, something i kind of suspected for years, but never really confirmed.

Highly recommend.

I look forward to the sequel, helping us with better coping strategies.

Stunning!

A brilliant book that is in turn hilarious and heartbreaking. But most importantly, it is informative. Sara's story, delivered with humour and authenticity in the audiobook, smashes through harmful myths and stereotypes, while unflinchingly showing the simple humanity of autism. If you're autistic, you will recognise yourself in this book. If you're not autistic, you will have your eyes and mind opened. recommended reading for, well, everyone.

Cringe and giggle

I constantly found myself chuckling along at the childhood escapades in the book, cringe, didn’t I do that!!?
If you’re not already feeling like you want to be the one to swoop in and be Sara’s best childhood friend, you’re then taken on a journey through moments in her life to a heart wrenching need to be Sara’s best friend forever.
The only dissatisfaction is that I wish there was more. Maybe a dramatisation is on the cards? (Please).

Funny, sad, eye-opening

Loved every minute of this. Well written and well read. It was both thoroughly entertaining and much food for thought. Thanks!!

Loved every minute!

This memoir is written with compassion and humour, for the author herself and her friends and family. Highly recommend!

Could have been more interesting

Would have benefitted from editing. I’d have been more interested in learning of successful coping mechanisms, rather than repetitive negative experiences, although I much admired her leaving jobs when treated in unappreciated, disrespectful ways.

Absolutely fantastic!!!

Thank you Sara for writing this book. I absolutely enjoyed listening to your life story. I am 50 years old and awaiting a professional assessment for Autism. Your book has given me endless light bulb moments and answers. Along with this and online self assessments, I now know why my whole life has been a never ending struggle. Thank you again.

Amazing, funny, essential

I binged this audiobook over two days. Sara has written a brilliant account of her struggles trying to get through life in a world which isn't made for autistic folks. I highly recommend listening to this, especially if you're an undiagnosed female wondering about your own experiences, or if you're a neurotypical person needing to learn more about how autistic people don't all present like Rain Man. Excellent!

Essential reading/listening for female autists

This is just my initial, brief review, having just finished the audiobook. It took me 27 years longer than it did for Sara to realise the source of my "problems", or rather my "blueprint" (Sara's word). Sara's life is not my life, of course, but so many of her experiences resonated. Sadly, in my own case autism has led to a lifetime of bullying and abuse, both physical and emotional. I am just starting to make sense of myself at this late stage in life.

The most inspirational story heard in a long time

Amazing. As a father to a beautiful autistic little girl the best story I could hear. I was gripped and hoped for her soul throughout!

Literary genius, funny, informative

This is the most descriptive book on how I live with autism, totally relatable in what is a very difficult and complex condition to articulate. Sara’s circumstances are different, how she makes some really important, sad and difficult situations funny is genius. The best book on females living with autism to date, everyone needs to read this. Thank you Sara.