Diagnosis: Asperger's Syndrome. Symptoms often only apparent when under stress. Witnessing a murder qualifies as stress.Russ Dante-math teacher, older brother, hobby artist-has a passion for sunsets and finds comfort in his ritual of capturing the striking colors in his sketchbook with oil pastels. That changes one August evening on a secluded park hilltop when-instead of the sunset he came to sketch-he sees a murder. Before the smoky-blue of twilight falls, Russ is running for his life.
The next day, the body is missing. The police pressure Russ for facial descriptions he cannot provide, his sister seems angry with him, but he doesn't know why, and he is certain he's being followed. Chaos and unpredictability pile up on Russ until sound hurts, lights are too bright, and people's voices slur, their words melding into undecipherable nonsense. His social skills dissolve...and suddenly, he is the number one suspect.
After narrowly surviving an attempt on his own life, Russ realizes that the only way to protect himself and those he cares about is to find the killer. Fast. His Aspie skills of intelligence and attention to detail are helpful, but can he overcome his social challenges and solve the murder before it's too late?
There's a lot of nonfiction written about Asperger Syndrome, but very little fiction. In Asperger Sunset, Russ has to deal with the twin challenges of solving a murder and learning more about Asperger's Syndrome, the diagnosis that finally explains the quirks and challenges he's lived with all of his life. While Russ provides the Aspie take on the world, his sister, Misty, reflects the neurotypical. Readers are able to experience both worlds, and, ideally, will come away with a better idea of how each side thinks.
About the Author: Carol Shay Hornung comes from a world where Aspies are typical and "normal" people are the ones who seem a bit odd. She lives with her family in Madison, Wisconsin, and has a particular fondness for sunsets. Join her on the Asperger Sunset Facebook page.
