Autistic Reader Interview: Koda Joie
Everything Is True
Ada Hoffmann's author newsletter
My name is Koda. I’m Nonbinary (they/them) and have been self-diagnosed autistic since ~2014. A friend introduced me to the idea of me being autistic because they were autistic and saw a lot of similar traits in me, and I dove head first into research…which turned into a special interest with neurodivergence. I love to write, to draw, to sculpt, to paint, to act- creative expression is genetic on both sides. My main projects are books I’m writing and illustrating for various age groups and genres. I plan to have many books published featuring diverse characters with diverse experiences.
Tell me a little bit about yourself. Is there anything you've written or made recently that you'd like other readers to know about? Other than what's in your bio, is there anything about your connection to autism, books, and reading that you'd like to share?
I’m a writer and have been since I was about 9 years old. My first finished “book” was about a boy with every super power that exists. It was very bad. But I still have that story- and I have my sister to thank for inspiring me to try writing at all. Since then I’ve written half-finished books, and have drabbles and short stories mainly for my D&D characters. I’m working on multiple stories now. Two “domestic” stories and a couple science fiction stories, all of which have multiple POVs including neurodivergent and lgbtqia characters. All of my stories will have autistic representation because I am autistic and it’s quite impossible for me to write a neuro-typical story. Who I am is my voice, and my voice will tell these stories.
What are you reading right now? What are you looking forward to reading soon?
I’m bouncing between books. One is for studying, and it’s The Anatomy of Prose by Sacha Black. The other is for entertainment and that is my girlfriend’s book which she is currently querying. I'm excited to read The Infinite, as I have read the first two books and enjoyed them a lot. Some other books I’m going to try are some books from Becky Chambers, as I have been told her science fiction books are right up my alley.
What are some of the characters in fiction that you find most relatable? Some autistic readers love autistic representation, and others prefer aliens, robots, or characters who they relate to in a subtler way; do you notice any patterns in the kinds of characters that resonate for you?
Characters I relate to by memory are Peridot from Steven universe, and Wall-E. I love autistic rep in both humans and non-human metaphors. I prefer seeing human rep more, just as I want to remove the dehumanisation of autistic and neurodivergent people in general. But that doesn’t mean removing those characters, it just means having more Realistic Human rep as well!
Have you ever had a special interest in a fiction series or genre of fiction? What makes a work of fiction special-interest-worthy for you - or do the interests seem to descend at random?
Wall-E was my biggest special interest in fiction. Following that I’d say Homestuck, Psych, and Steven Universe. Genre-wise I’d say has always been post apocalyptic (specifically involving minor horror elements and zombies) and science fiction.
On the surface I don’t think there’s a pattern with my special interests, outside of they’re mostly animated/cartoons. With deeper analysis I could say every single one of those pieces of work have blatantly or canonically autistic/ADHD characters with which I could relate and grew attached. But for the most part they tend to come and go randomly.
Is there anything (a type of character, a type of plot, a type of setting, a type of author, an idea, a style, etc...) that you have difficulty finding in the books you read right now? What do you wish that there was more of?
I wish there was more domestic sci-fi. Modern sci-fi. I love space operas and new worlds, but I also love mixing my familiar world with, say, super powers or flying cars. Domestic stories set in an imagined future. It feels cozy.
I also wish there were more stories who emphasise love that isn’t romantic. Platonic love and familial love can be significantly more compelling and attractive. I want siblings going mad to protect each other. I want a childhood best friend to join along on an adventure instead of a new love interest. I want a mother on a journey through space to rescue her child.
This month at Everything Is True, we’re interviewing a wide variety of autistic readers with questions like these! You can find a schedule with the rest of the interviews here.
Meanwhile, some news from Ada:
Trinity Fusion is out now for Early Access on Steam!
THE OUTSIDE got a mention from Rainbow Crate for Autism Acceptance Month.