Kimberly VanderHorst

I’m not here anymore. Some places you might find me are listed here: linktr.ee/kimberlyvander…

@Kymburleev She’s not wrong 😂

@AislingRowan “holiday-flavored dysregulation” SO spot on. ❤️

@guygavrielkay I briefly considered being indignant on your behalf, but mostly I’m just coveting that chair.

@kfosterauthor Well said! ❤️❤️❤️

"Autistic people must learn how to deal with life. We need to get them used to discomfort." I hear this ALL the time from those trusted & closest to autistic people.😡 But, when we step outside discomfort IS our life so, please, at least give us safety & comfort with you.

@sdsimper It really is cold! I am LOVING it, because: hot flashes. But I have compassion for you chilly ones! 😄

1. Continuing my streak of busy weekends, today I'm at #anwaconf2023 🌠 I'd like to have a word with whoever keeps running the AC at arctic temperatures (or maybe I have a disorder that makes me extra sensitive to cold - just hypothetically),

@drjenwolkin Dry eyes. To the point I can’t wear contact lenses anymore. On a related note, my husband is an optometrist and had never heard of this until I did the research and then told him. 😬

What were your first signs you were in peri/menopause? I’ll go first: awful heart palpitations and I was so light sensitive I couldn’t look at the sun. Let’s talk MORE about this!

@AuthorAmberC Gosh does this ever resonate. ❤️❤️❤️

Having an agent, progressing in publishing, and then not having an agent feels like glitching a video game to skip important events. Now the game is broken and buggy 🥴

@antwan_eady This looks enchanting! 😍

@literElly I’ve never been able to find a way to say “No. Not gonna do it.” So I always do. Because I said I would. Am unsure why similar pressure does not apply to my saying I’m going to catch up on the laundry today and other things of that ilk. 🤔 Brains, am I right?

@NoNonsenseND 🤣🤣🤣 So true!

A wise autist once said: "The special interest doesn't choose the autistic. Instead, it throws the autistic into the trunk of a moving van and screeches away into the darkness" 😂🤣

@melissasee Same same same. To all the above. 🥰

@MorganShamy This is appalling! I’m so sorry you’re going through this. It is BEYOND well known that authors get minimal if any input re: cover design. This baseless accusation should never have been made. ❤️hugs❤️

…I pray this experience can be used for good. I pray that before we act, before we use our voices, we’ll ask questions. That we’ll get CURIOUS before we get FURIOUS. 😭🙏🏻💔

I’m broken. And I PRAY you will share my words so there can be more positivity here. A thread: I’ve been bombarded with hate messages the last few days. I’ve been accused of supporting AI from an author which has resulted in absolute devastation to me…

@angiecthomas This is the darkest timeline. 🫤

They are failing kids and it’s sad.

@BrobergMatthew I’m one of ‘em! 🥰

@sonnyjanewise @autistic_dutske Well said! ❤️

Saying autistic people have high empathy is as much a myth as saying autistic people have low empathy. In fact, the real myth is implying all autistic people have the same level of empathy.

@adoughtyimages @adamfare1996 Same thing happened to me when I was diagnosed 6 years ago. It’s so much better now, and I hope it will be for you too. ❤️

@adamfare1996 I have found this. Diagnosed last year at 44. Completely unconsciously dropping the masking. It's like my brain is saying "we don't need this shit anymore". I have days of embracing it, and days of hating myself.

@sensorystories_ Yes! And for me, the most intense “you don’t look autistic” people are the ones who spent my adolescence harassing me into masking. The way that “don’t be who you are” transforms into “you aren’t who you think you are” is dizzying.

Undiagnosed autism is spending your whole life doing things that make you uncomfortable or that are just not "you" (conforming) to avoid being mistreated (bullied) until you're so good at it that when you finally do get diagnosed, people around you don't believe you.

@BrobergMatthew I’m so glad to have found you here. You are a constant source of warmth and delight. 🥰 And while Twitter may have made so much possible for you, the effort, the creativity, the authenticity … those are all YOU. ❤️