Austin SCBWI

All my life I’ve worked with people who have intellectual disabilities. Trained as a special education teacher and counselor, I worked in public schools and state institutions. I have volunteered in sheltered workshops, in respite centers, and in a therapeutic riding program for children with autism. For years I led a support group for families of people who have dementia. I even played a Special Olympics volunteer in a movie! I have a passion for giving a voice to people with intellectual disabilities.

The Arc of Northern Virginia just published my book.
Jill’s Journey, A Victory Over the “R” Word (biography)
The story of Jill Eglé, a woman who helped change this nation’s laws, eliminating the use of the “R” word. Although she was bullied in her childhood and teens, Jill’s drive to do something positive with her life and her compassion for others led her to become a nationally recognized advocate and a true inspiration.
Now available at http://www.jillegle.com

These additional projects are completed and looking for a home:

Amy’s Big Dream (fiction)
A girl with special needs challenges school rules and works to make her dream come true.

Ride of a Lifetime (picture book)
A girl with special needs has a life-changing encounter with a horse.

Put Your Hands Together for Pammie (picture book)
A young girl who wants to win the science fair gets an idea from her brother who has autism.

Rip and Zip, The Adventure Begins (chapter book)
Two boys who are anything but friends are forced to spend time together when their families take a vacation in the mountains.

Sweet Magic (feature-length screenplay, family comedy)
A baker buries his grief, focusing on his business. His 10 year old daughter must look after her 6 year old brother, who has autism. Then a bit of magic comes into their lives, catapulting the bakery into high demand, and making them the target of a rival family of bakers.

Amazing Z Man (feature-length screenplay, comedy)
A clueless American, just off the boat in New Zealand, must master the sport of zorbing to win his dream girl’s heart. Blinded not only by love, but also by bullet fragments, our hero must overcome this disability to have any hope of achieving his goal.