Dropped a new excerpt from my free webnovel, Below the Heavens - JiangXi!
I decided to do a mood board just for fun!
Below the Heavens is a high fantasy web novel series featuring a quick witted protagonist and a world and magic system crafted from scratch, incorporating east Asian culture and influences.
This indie novel is available for free on Royal Road via the web browser (link in my bio) or their app! Also available on Scribblehub, and I have a Patreon as well where you can read ahead on a sizeable portion of content!
Below the Heavens is a high fantasy web novel featuring a quick witted protagonist and a world and magic system crafted from scratch, incorporating east Asian culture and influences.
It gets ask oftentimes why an #Autistic person would choose not getting an official diagnosis.
Some clarification first:
“Official diagnosis” = recorded in your file (which also reflects in your government record, usually).
“Unofficial diagnosis” = not recorded in your file
“Self diagnosis” = self-diagnosis, which typically take years of study before the person comes up with their final self diagnosis.
Now back to the topic.
A common reason is: to have an option to not disclose it. Consider the following:
There are countries which won't allow a visitor (regardless of purpose), or a migrant, to enter without declaring someone already living there; or without a companion.
Jobs. While some countries require companies to have at least 1% of their workforce to be from the PWD community, they won't pick an autistic person. (Note: this is a job where the autistic person is safe, and qualified.)
Generally, if your diagnosis is “official” (it was placed on record), and a situation arises where you are obligated to declare your health and disability, you have no choice but to disclose.
But if your diagnosis is “unofficial” (not on record), then you have an option not to disclose. No record = no record. (Of course, some will find a way to justify that “you know it and you still did not disclose it”. Though ironically, if there was no incident, they won't even acknowledge your disclosure.)
There are also disadvantages to it, like not enjoying government and NGO support. For example, in the #Philippines, you'll enjoy tax deductions (income tax) and discounts (public transportation, cinema, grocery, and so on).
So, yes, please remember that #ActuallyAutistics who chose to have their formal diagnosis as “unofficial”, they chose to have an option to not disclose. Not only that, they potentially sacrificed any benefits and support they might need later. (Don't forget, diagnosis is also expensive in many countries and still they chose not to put it on record.)
Bottom-line, don't dismiss, don't laugh, don't discriminate against #Autistics who decided to have an “unofficial diagnosis” and “self diagnosis”. They have their reasons, you more likely than not are not aware of. Reasons that probably doesn't exist in your country, but an issue in theirs.
Example, mine is “unofficial”. For reasons I listed above, there is another important reason, family. (Who, ironically, I'm suspecting to be autistic as well, but is simply of the generation that will be devastated if someone is “officially” recorded as PWD mentally.) As an #Asian, #family is very indispensable for us. I'd rather make the sacrifice because I know I won't pass it to the next generation.
Deeper and deeper into #Japanese#culture and people, I went into the #Kyoto Imperial Palace for a special performance of #Gagaku (雅楽), imperial court #music and #dances of #Asian mainland origin that have been performed there since the Heian Period over a thousand years ago. An acquaintance who is a Shintō priestess (see photo) from Nara played two types of traditional flutes that sustain an eerie or higher-worldly atmosphere. The relatively slow and deliberate movements of the mostly male dancers in many-layered gorgeous contumes stand in contrast with the frenetic tempo of modern #entertainment. We experience #time as the pace of transformation, and that brief time transfixed with the Gagaku performance was but an interlude from an ancient era in a workday preparing for university classes and a keynote address. Photos will have to suffice to evoke the special atmosphere.
Check out this excerpt from the thirteenth chapter of my novel, Below the Heavens - JiangXi.
I have the entirety of the novel published on Royal Road for free. I'm actively publishing the second novel of the series as well! You can find the link to both in my bio.
Check out this recent review of my novel, Below the Heavens - JiangXi.
I have the entirety of the novel published on Royal Road for free. I'm actively publishing the second novel of the series as well! You can find the link to both in my bio.
Check out this excerpt from the fifth chapter of my novel, Below the Heavens - JiangXi.
I have the entirety of the novel published on Royal Road for free. I'm actively publishing the second novel of the series as well! You can find the link to both in my bio.
Check out this excerpt from the eight chapter of my novel, Below the Heavens - JiangXi.
I have the entirety of the novel published on Royal Road for free. I'm actively publishing the second novel of the series as well! You can find the link to both in my bio.
Check out this recent review of my novel, Below the Heavens - JiangXi.
I have the entirety of the novel published on Royal Road for free. I'm actively publishing the second novel of the series as well! You can find the link to both in my bio.
Check out this recent review of my novel, Below the Heavens - JiangXi.
I have the entirety of the novel published on Royal Road for free. I'm actively publishing the second novel of the series as well! You can find the link to both in my bio.
I just published the sixth chapter of the second novel in my series, Below the Heavens - ZhiXia!
The first full novel and all six chapters of the second one are available to read for free. You can find the links to both of my publishing sites in my bio.
Check out this recent review of my novel, Below the Heavens - JiangXi.
I have the entirety of the novel published on Royal Road for free. I'm actively publishing the second novel of the series as well! You can find the link to both in my bio.
Check out this excerpt from the first interlude of my novel, Below the Heavens - JiangXi.
I have the entirety of the novel published on Royal Road for free. I'm actively publishing the second novel of the series as well! You can find the link to both in my bio.
Check out this audio excerpt from the first chapter of my novel, Below the Heavens - JiangXi.
I have the entirety of the novel published on Royal Road for free. I'm actively publishing the second novel of the series as well! You can find the link to both in my bio.
Check out this excerpt from my first full novel, Below the Heavens - JiangXi!
It is fully published and can be accessed for free on Royal Road, and I've just started publishing the second novel, ZhiXia, which is a direct continuation of the first book.
I just published the first chapter of my second book in the Below the Heavens series, ZhiXia! It is a direct continuation of the first, with only a very small timeskip in between.
You can find it on Royal Road, under Chapter 27: Mourne, link in bio!