Meet Tylia Flores | Author & Disability activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tylia Flores and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tylia, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
Of course, I have favorite quotes as an author and that follow me through my every day life “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart…I’ll always be with you.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh Library

I say to myself, “whatever I’m going through, I’m braver than I realized and I can get through anything as long as I don’t give up despite the challenges and obstacles, that I faced because of my cerebral palsy.”.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I first fell in love with writing when I was just 15 years old, after discovering that it was an excellent way for me to cope with my obstacles and challenges, I faced as a young lady with cerebral palsy. By writing, I found a way to express my emotions and thoughts without being judged or criticized. I was able to make sense of the world around me and gain a better understanding of myself. Writing has been a great source of comfort and inspiration for me ever since.

When I was sixteen years old, I published my first book James ticking time bomb. At the age of 18, I began writing about Cerebral Palsy, and I became a disability advocate, because I realized society was disconnected from disability and Cerebral Palsy.

When I was 25 I wrote and published my autobiography in a series of books. I contributed to many sites about my Cerebral Palsy experiences.

Over the years, I have written fiction and non fiction books about a wide variety of disabilities and Cerebral Palsy. Through each character, I share a reflection of my experiences and raise awareness about a condition that most people don’t seem to understand. This is the same thing with my autobiographies.

My biggest challenge is dealing with the soreness of typing with my swan neck deformity sometimes, which can make things a bit harder, and I sometimes use accessibility features to help me type, so it makes things a little more complicated because technology isn’t always your best friend.

As well as my chronic illness that affects me and other complications of my Cerebral Palsy, I sometimes cannot get up to type but I just tell myself it’s only one bad chapter so I have to keep writing. I have to remind myself that these obstacles are only temporary and I have to keep pushing through. I have to tell myself that it is going to be worth it in the end. I have to keep writing and keep going.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I enjoy exploring new places and meeting new people, so it’s hard to pick one place. My favorite place to eat and drink, especially when it comes to eating and drinking, is Cracker Barrel because they always have the best biscuits and gravy.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to thank my parents for their encouragement and dedication to my journey as an author and disability activist, as well as the Cerebral Palsy community and thank them for motivating me to keep going.

Website: https://tyliaflores.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stomping_on_cp_with_tylia/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylia-flores-b84889161/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stompingoncp1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stompingoncpwithtylia

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@StompingonCPwithTylia

Other: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0B3Y83ZJ5

Image Credits
Tylia L. Flores