Cynthia Baseman
Weirdos Welcome
Library lover and author of three books, including the debut YA romance, Weirdos Welcome
Los Angeles, CA
BOOK COVER
BOOK DETAILS
Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
Genre: YA Romance
Publisher: River Grove Books
Page Count: 330
Format/13-digit ISBN/Price: Paperback / 978-1-966629-70-2 / $18.95 Ebook /978-1-966629-71-9/ $9.99
Awards
- #1 Amazon New Release Young Adult/Teen – social issues
- Editor’s Pick at PW BookLife
ABOUT THE BOOK
This debut novel told from alternating points of view offers a young adult love story that’s messy, awkward, and weirdly wonderful—just like life.
Rae struggles over masking her autism, navigating social situations and telling people exactly what she thinks—whether they like it or not. Braden acts Just Fine even as his anxiety sends him spiraling over things like quitting the basketball team and the air quality in the cafeteria. Braden and Rae don’t quite fit in, which makes it even harder to survive high school. When they meet as student aides in the Special Needs classroom, their worlds collide. Together they face down bullies, fake bomb threats and the terrifying vulnerability of first love.
For anyone who’s ever been called a freak, felt too much, or wondered if their quirks made them unlovable, this raw, funny, and fiercely compassionate neurodivergent love story champions owning your oddness, standing up when it’s easier to disappear, and finding that person who doesn’t ask you to be, or pretend to be, “normal.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cynthia Baseman writes stories that sit at the intersections of healing, humor, and humanity—in her memoir of a mother’s journey through grief, a children’s picture book, and her YA novel celebrating neurodivergent first love, she’s drawn to the moments that make us feel most alive. Again and again, her work returns to a central question: where do we find truth?
That question has also led her into library advocacy. As a library board member at University of Southern California, she champions libraries as rare public spaces where information is curated with care, context, and accountability. To her, libraries are both sanctuary and engine: places where questions are welcomed, and where communities discover not only books, but tools, resources, and one another.
An Emmy-nominated producer and a Nicholl Fellowship Finalist for screenwriting, Cynthia lives in Los Angeles with her husband, their spirited rescue dog, and four endlessly chatty cockatiels. Between her two grown sons and her vocal pets, her household is much like a good library: never entirely quiet and always full of stories.
PRAISE
“[A] fiction debut with a heartfelt story told from two main viewpoints: Braden, who deals with sometimes crippling anxiety, and Rae, who is autistic. Weaving the two perspectives together, Baseman taps into what it’s like to be considered “different” at 17 years old, capturing the importance of supportive, encouraging connections when facing the nightmares of high school…. Their paths to comfort and peace are bright examples of the power that comes with unconditional, genuine self-acceptance.”
—PW BookLife Editor’s Pick
“A thoughtful portrayal of high school life that will speak to readers who appreciate character-driven stories rooted in emotional honesty and social awareness.”
—Readers’ Favorite, 5 out of 5 stars
“An often enjoyable and relatable novel for teens looking for a read that tackles real-world issues.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“In the hopeful novel Weirdos Welcome, a young couple struggle with their personal and interpersonal issues, striving to enact social justice.”
—Foreword Clarion Reviews
TIMELY TIE-INS
JUNE
- Neurodiversity Pride Week – 11-17
- Neurodiversity Pride Day – 16
- Learning Disability Week – 15-21
JULY
- World Brain Day – 22
- Summer Reading
AUGUST
- Back to School
- National Romance Awareness Month
- National Friendship Day – 2
- Book Lovers Day – 9
- Romance Awareness Day – 14
OCTOBER
- ADHD Awareness Month
- World Day of Bullying Prevention – 5
- National Day Without Stigma – 9
- World Mental Health Day – 10
- Invisible Disabilities Week – 18-24
SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
- This is your debut novel. Why a YA romance with high school-aged protagonists?
- Why did you decide to have your teen protagonists be neurodivergent, what did that bring to your storytelling?
- What sort of specific research did you do for this novel?
- In Weirdos Welcome, Rae has a special affinity for dogs. What made you add that element to her character?
- You’ve authored a memoir, a picture book and a YA novel. Tell me a little about the differences in writing each and what you’ve learned as an author across genres?
- Your bio says you’re a fan of books with themes of friendship and kindness. What inspired that?
- Did you always set out to write a romance?
- You write about an environmental social justice theme in a book that’s already focused on mental health. Why was this important to include?
- Weirdos Welcome has a big cast; who is your favorite secondary character?
- Libraries are a passion in your life; what do they mean to you, or represent?
BOOK DETAILS
Pub Date: May 17, 2022
Genre: Memoir / Christian Inspirational
Publisher: She Writes Press
Page Count: 304
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1647429003
Price: $15.99