Author Description

"He will likely never speak." Sometimes, being told that you can't do something lights a fire inside of you so fierce that you have no choice but to succeed... and then blow all the doubts out of the water. After all, doubt shouldn't be a part of any child's puzzle. It's hard enough building puzzles under water, watching the pieces float away, dusting off the sand from some, and scurrying toward a treasure chest to discover more. This is how author Carrie P. Holzer experienced her son Cam's diagnosis of autism and the following decade of his journey. She compared it to building puzzles under water because of the challenge, as well as the knowledge that all the pieces are there somewhere. Sometimes you just have to look harder for them and turn them this way and that to fit. In Building Puzzles Under Water: An Autism Story, Carrie details the journey that her family took, the ups and downs, and the multiple successes they had with giving Cam the life he deserves, one where he gets to express himself and have friends, things that we all take for granted that were pieces the family wasn't sure Cam would ever discover. Today, Cam speaks, eloquently, expressively, and even colorfully, thanks to the dedication that Carrie and her family had to see him be everything he possibly could. She shares this journey with you, with the hopes that your family will have success in the depths of autism as well.