Marianne Stein

I am offering my first book. Nothing About This Is Easy And Here Is Why. It is a short book about life on the Autism Spectrum. I always knew I was different, I didn't even know that there were other people like me. I was born in 1946 and people didn't know about Autism back then. I developed some coping skills because I didn't want anybody to know that I was different. Some of my coping skills were really good, and some were really funny.

I always loved art and although I wasn't allowed to take an art class in school, I was always making something. When I was a really little kid I asked my mother for a bucket of water and a paintbrush so I could paint the front porch. I loved trying to get the cement all the same color (wet), but it dried so I needed more water. I loved it.

My parents were less than thrilled with a 'different' kid, but it was okay.

I spent my whole adult life as a stained glass artist with my husband Rick. We made custom designed stained glass windows and designed the marickstudios stained glass line of pattern books. We retired after 40 years.

I have always enjoyed the company of writers and I learned a lot. The most important thing I learned is "your reader can always spot the lie" The lies come when you try to sugar coat something, so I don't do that. Granted, I do some things with humor, but all the blood and tears are right on the page. Where they belong.