
Ep.141 - Magic, Identity & Belonging
Award-winning author J.M. Shaw joins David D’Arcangelo to explore fantasy, neurodiversity, and the journey to finding your place in the world. ✨ Discover how autism, ADHD, and a passion for storytelling connect with a magical book series about identity, self-discovery, and embracing your abilities. 🐉 ✅ Meet J.M. Shaw, award-winning independent author of the Callum Walker fantasy series, beginning with The Ascension . ✅ Discover how a childhood passion for writing grew into a creative journey spanning more than three decades. ✅ Learn how an autism and ADHD diagnosis in 2019 helped J.M. recognize writing as a special interest and find the courage to share their work. ✅ Hear how an editor’s positive feedback encouraged J.M. to pursue publication and build a successful independent author career. ✅ Explore J.M.’s self-publishing journey through Kindle Direct Publishing, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble Press. ✅ Find out how word of mouth, book signings, and bookstore outreach helped J.M. expand into 10 stores across Alberta, Canada. ✅ Enter the magical world of the Kalimaker series, where our world coexists with a hidden realm separated by a mysterious veil. ✅ Meet Callum Walker, a young man with magical abilities who must discover who he is and where he belongs. ✅ Explore how a fan recognized parallels between Callum’s search for belonging and J.M.’s own experiences with autism and neurodivergence. ✅ Look ahead to J.M.’s planned nine-book series and future projects spanning dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, and thrillers. Your journey to understanding yourself can become a source of creativity, connection, and strength. Embrace your differences and never be afraid to share your story. 🌟 Website: https://jmshawauthor.com/ J. M. Shaw is a Canadian author of fantasy fiction who lives in Alberta with her husband and two young children. She’s been writing since childhood, building worlds from raw imagination and quiet observation, but it took years before she found the courage to share them. For Shaw, storytelling has always been more than a passion. It’s a compass. A sanctuary. A way to make sense of the chaos. In 2019, Shaw was diagnosed with autism and ADHD, a turning point that brought clarity to a lifetime of feeling “too much” or “too different.” Her intense focus, emotional depth, and ability to live inside fictional worlds became not flaws but the superpowers of a neurodivergent mind. These qualities shape her stories, infusing them with realism, heart, and meaning, and giving her the courage to finally share her creative works. Her worlds may be fantastical, but her characters—flawed, searching, and deeply human—resonate on a personal level. When she’s not writing, Shaw enjoys connecting with nature, curling up with a good book, and dreaming up new worlds. She also finds joy in encouraging young writers to pursue their own passions. Website: Disability Employment Solutions Ⓒ 2026 PodPro Entertainment #SaveAsAbility #Ability #Inclusive #Inclusivity #LaborForce #Disability #DisabilityEmployment #ReasonableAccommodation #Accommodation #MagicIdentityBelonging #JMShaw #AutisticAuthor #ADHDAuthor #Neurodiversity #AutismAcceptance #CallumWalkerSeries #TheAscension #IndieAuthor #SelfPublishing #FantasyAuthor #FantasyBooks #TheNewRadio















