Press.
To find all the latest news and press about Kay Kerr and her work, have a read of the list below.
Bio.
Kay Kerr is an autistic author and journalist from the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Her latest book, Love & Autism, is out with Pan Macmillan now. Her debut novel Please Don’t Hug Me (2020) was shortlisted for Book of the Year for Older Children at the Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) in 2021, and listed as a ‘Notable Book’ by the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA). Her second YA novel, Social Queue, was shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards and was a CBCA Notable book as well. New York Times best-selling novelist Helen Hoang called it “A perceptive, honest, and warmly captivating romantic comedy that touched my heart.”
Kay’s freelance writing has appeared in The Guardian, SBS Voices, Daily Life, Lunch Lady, POPSUGAR, Broadsheet, and Peppermint Magazine, amongst others. She writes about autistic representation, disability, parenting, pop culture, gardening, and feelings.
Prior to receiving her adult autism diagnosis, Kay worked as a community newspaper reporter and editor in Brisbane.
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Press.
Separate Bathrooms podcast
Kay Kerr is an autistic author and journalist, and for a long time, she carried a feeling that she was doing love wrong. Her new book, Love and Autism, explores 5 different stories of neurodivergent love from the lives of autistic Australians. Kay chats to Cam and Ali about why she wrote her book, what she discovered looking back at her own teen years, and why we should reexamine our expectations of autistic people.
ABC Life Matters
Kay Kerr used to wonder if she was doing love right, so she set about trying to find out everything she could about what she thought love was meant to look like. Kay spoke to ABC Life Matters about her new book Love & Autism.
The Conversation review
Autistic people often feel they’re ‘doing love wrong’ – but there’s another side of the story. Article written for The Conversation by Amanda Tink.
9Honey interview
Kay Kerr received her autism diagnosis at the age of 26. She talks to 9Honey for Autism Acceptance Month.
ArtsHub review
Love and Autism explores all corners of love from a broad autism spectrum. Read the ArtsHub review here.
Interview with Pedestrian
“I hope this book adds nuance and depth to conversations around what it means to be autistic, and I hope autistic people feel celebrated and understood,” Kay Kerr tells Pedestrian of her freshly released book Love & Autism.
Differently Brained podcast
Differently Brained is an own voices podcast where each fortnight we interview a neurodivergent guest or a guest who has lived experience with mental health challenges.
So You Want To Be A Writer podcast
Kay Kerr spoke to Allison Tait for an episode of ‘So You Want To Be A Writer’ for the Australian Writers’ Centre.
Amaze interview
Amaze spoke to Kay about the themes that inspired her book Social Queue, how her writing process has evolved, her favourite snacks when writing and more.
#LoveOzYA interview
Kay Kerr talks to #LoveOzYA's Dayna Smith about how she wanted to explore bullying and the lived experience of autistic teenagers in her new novel.
Guest blog post at Paperbark Words
Kay Kerr made a splash in 2020 with her YA debut novel Please Don’t Hug Me and I interviewed her then at PaperbarkWords.
Kerr has a new YA novel, Social Queue, published this month. She tells us about it here.
Q&A Autism Awareness
This month we caught up with Kay Kerr, YA author and freelance writer to chat about her second novel Social Queue, a fun, emotional coming of age story of the realities of growing up autistic and navigating romance and dating.
James and Ashley Stay At Home podcast
James and Ashley interview Kay Kerr and Anna Whateley, neurodiverse authors of young-adult fiction. In it, Kay and Anna discuss their journeys to diagnosis as adults, their upcoming second books, and their remarkable friendship.
Interview with Specialisterne CEO
Kay Kerr speaks with Julie Robertson, CEO of Specialisterne Australia, an organisation that specialises in employment for autistic people
Autism Awareness Australia Q&A
Kay spoke with Autism Awareness Australia about her debut novel Please Don’t Hug Me, receiving an adult autism diagnosis, and to discuss the release of her second novel Social Queue due out this year.
Life On The Spectrum podcast
Kay spoke to Jessie about getting an adult autism diagnosis, and how that influenced the writing and editing of Please Don’t Hug Me.
The Project
Kay spoke to Channel 10’s The Project about getting an autism diagnosis as an adult.
Melbourne Writers Festival
Jessica Harvie reviewed Please Don’t Hug Me for Melbourne Writers Festival as one of two YA debuts to read next.
Better Words Podcast
Kay spoke to Caitlin and Michelle about her career as a newspaper journalist, how her autism diagnosis influenced her writing, the catharsis of writing about high school and launching a book in a pandemic.
The Drum
Kay was on ABC’s The Drum and later spoke with Elly Duncan for a deeper dive into the need for diverse autism representation in books and pop culture.