Seeing Ourselves in Fiction: Neurodivergent Characters That Actually Feel Real with Author Luna Westish
Representation isn’t just about labels—it’s about feeling seen. Today, I sit down with debut author Luna Westish to explore how fiction can shift how we understand Autism, ADHD, anxiety, and ourselves.
You’ll hear how Luna wrote a character readers either relate to deeply or find frustrating and why both reactions matter. I reveal the surprising moments that made me rethink labels, we compare “token” characters to fully human ones, and you’ll discover how inner monologue, sensory detail, and own voices storytelling can change empathy without turning pain into plot armor.
We also talk about growth that doesn’t erase struggle, the lines between honest depiction and drama, and why reading outside our comfort zones prepares us for real life at home, in classrooms, and in community.
If you’ve never seen yourself on the page, this conversation offers a starting point and a few questions that might change what you pick up next
About the Guest
Luna Westish is the author of Meet Me at the Ruins, a character-driven novel that threads anxiety, relationships, and messy growth with care. She’s also taught business to kids and adults, worked in federal policy, and made jewelry because one lane was never going to cut it.
Key Timestamps
0:03 – Why fiction can change how we see our own minds
2:06 – The first time a character felt “too familiar”
6:49 – What representation gets wrong (and what’s finally improving)
10:01 – Sensory layers that make characters believable
11:22 – Real vs. tokenized: the role of inner life
13:07 – Do labels help—or do subtleties matter more?
15:19 – Writing Meet Me at the Ruins: when representation found her
19:10 – Writing as healing (and why it can feel like therapy)
24:27 – Honoring struggle without exploiting it
29:04 – Showing growth without minimizing the hard stuff
32:50 – Why “just a story” isn’t just a story
44:14 – Readers who felt seen—and why that matters
51:46 – Where to find Luna’s book and connect
Resources: lunawestish.com • bookshop.org • Available via libraries on Hoopla and Libby
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#Neurodiversity #Fiction #MentalHealth #Autism #ADHD
Hosted by Reid Miles.
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