When I decided to create a anthology of my published short stories, the title came to me quickly. One of my favorite stories is Alternate Forms of Life. It is about a kid with Aspergers paired with a grumpy, bitter guy.

I have a kid with autism and I have worked with many kids with autism over the years. So I want to make it clear that this is not a representation of people with autism. And in some ways I do portray the stereotypes. However, the important thing to remember is the individual person and not their label.

I did not want to represent autism. I wanted to represent some of their challenges. I wanted to represent the greatness in autism. The fun experience of knowing them.

(Here is a Claude description of the anthology. I had it created to pitch the book to be on a Barnes & Noble sale. AI can be a tool for an author who needs to pitch things and still have time to write. Additionally the sources it pulled from are other things I wrote.)

Alternate Forms of Life & Other Stories is an eclectic short story anthology by Thomas Cannon, a Wisconsin author who served as Oshkosh’s 2021 Poet Laureate. Rather than one connected narrative, it’s a gathered set of stories Cannon has published over the years, moving between grounded contemporary fiction and, toward the end of the book, a turn into fantasy.

The title story is the emotional core: it follows Alexander, a character on the autism spectrum with Asperger’s, and offers readers and their loved ones a poignant, humorous, and refreshing perspective on neurodiversity, balancing everyday struggles with sharp wit. Amazon

Other stories draw from real-life sparks of inspiration — for instance, “Seven Questions” grew out of a writing prompt about three witches, while “Blue Tarp” was inspired by Cannon seeing an online auction for half of a manufactured home. Elsewhere in the collection, themes of relationships and connection show up too — stories touching on unexpected romance, a recovering alcoholic wrestling with faith, and the bittersweet nature of second chances and forgiveness. Thomas Cannon AuthorThomas Cannon Author

The book closes with a handful of fantasy stories, giving readers a shift in tone and a magical escape for those who love speculative fiction. Amazon

So overall: it’s less a single sci-fi concept book (despite the evocative title) and more a career-spanning, genre-mixing collection that leads with a heartfelt story about neurodivergence and closes with a fantastical flourish.