Marije Pietersma was born on a freezing December evening in Scheveningen. And, like everyone in Scheveningen, with sand between her teeth. In 2022, she wrote her debut novel, “Once Upon A Broken Wing.” Marije’s goal is to support people in their search for understanding themselves, particularly in relation to a late autism diagnosis.

The story is inspired by her own life experiences, where the typical behaviors of women with autism (such as masking, avoiding, and going against the current of emotions) have shaped the book into a quest for the main character’s own “self.”