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A QLD woman who struggled to put pen to paper due to her autism and dyslexia has published her first book.
Chrissy Couper said being published had been a childhood dream.
"I used to write all my sentences and numbers back to front," she said.
"I've had a few struggles growing up with Asperger's, learning disabilities and dyslexia so I had to find a way to get around having to re-read everything.
"It took me a very, very long time to be able to do basic things like talk to people and look them in the eyes.
Ms Couper said her school years were difficult and it was hard to find work because she felt as if no one could understand her.
She said she was inspired by her literary heroes Terry Brooks and J.K. Rowling to create her first fantasy fiction novel released under the name C.M. Couper, Alexander Hazard and the Mysterious Orb.
"I was sitting on my bed one day with a notebook and pen. I was just going to write down some of my goals in life, when suddenly I had this image in my head of an older man in his 50s with long brown and grey hair and a beard," Ms Couper said.
"He was sitting at an old wooden writing desk with a piece of old parchment in front of him drawing this object with earth, air, fire and water inside it and it was the key to time travel.
"I started writing it all down and that's when I decided I was going to write a book about it."
Ms Couper said "lots of faith and will power" was the key to writing a book over the course of a decade.
"It took me over 10 years to write this book, I even had to get a text-to- speech application on my computer to read my words back to me because I can't read properly," she said.
The author said her literary journey had been supported by staff from the Carinity Bunderra disability service and Carinity Fassifern Community Centre in Boonah.
Ms Couper said she wanted to inspire other people living with a disability to follow their dreams.
"I want to let everyone know that no matter what your disability is you can do what you want to do if you keep at it," she says.
"If you have disabilities like me please don't get discouraged, keep trying.
"You will be so proud of yourself when you achieve what you really want."
Copies of Alexander Hazard and the Mysterious Orb can be purchased at the Carinity Fassifern Community Centre in Little High Street, Boonah or online at amazon.com.au and other online and offline stores.
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