Book excerpt: In this intensely personal book, readers are swept up into a fast-paced journey of how author Judy Endow noticed her differences early on, how she eventually discovered her autism and how she embraces life autistically. From her troubled teenage years in a state institution where her coping behaviors were interpreted as defiant and oppositional, to her years in a Christian community where her behaviors were misunderstood, to a brief marriage and the birth of her three sons, Judy has emerged as a strong voice on the autism spectrum. This book shows Endow's resilience, courage, hard work, and sheer will power. Paper Words shows visually on the printed page how Endow, a highly visual thinker, translates her thoughts into words.