about me

MY KIND OF CRAZY was chosen as Honorable Mention in the Writer's Digest 17th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards in the Inspirational category.

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My book has just been reviewed by the Editor's Desk of HarperTrue. You can find their review in my comments.

For any agents or publishers who might be interested in my story, I can be reached at:

straightjacketllc@hotmail.com.

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I am not a doctor, celebrity or prize-winning author (okay, the latter is not true anymore) who can use mental illness as a platform. What I am, however, is an expert on being crazy. I am a 44 year-old wife, mother and self-acknowledge crazy person. In fact, I have over fourteen years of personal experience.

The medical term for my kind of crazy is known as Bipolar Disorder aka Manic-Depressive Illness. My experience on being crazy include a series of psychotic breakdowns, severe bipolar mood swings, lengthy lists of medication regimens, countless therapy sessions, routine psychiatric hospital stays, a suicide attempt and electroshock treatment.

Although my case is more severe than most, I am not alone. I am only one in 5.7 million adult Americans who suffer from a mental illness in a given year. I don't have to be an Einstein to know that this figure does not include the global statistic. Mental illness has no borders. No one, in their right mind, can deny such staggering statistics, yet the stigma attached to mental illness persists. Those diagnosed with a mental illness suffer in silence due to the shame associated with it. There are many books that approach the subject from a clinical and/or psychoanalytical perspective. My book, however, focuses on the human experience of living with a mental illness.

The journey on which I take the reader is not one of a brooding, depressing nature. There is much humor to be found and lessons to be learned when one is diagnosed as "crazy." Being bipolar brings with it the very highs and lows of emotion. My story is written in the same way. I bring the reader on the adventure of the emotional roller coaster which is my life.

In the process, I hope to dismantle the shame and isolation that one with a similar illness might experience. I believe one must embrace their inner-craziness in order to heal, evolve, and move forward in life to help change the perception of mental illness. Not unlike diabetes, mental illness should be understood on a biochemical level and not be viewed as a character flaw. Mental illness is a human condition that is so prevalent in our society, yet remains a taboo topic for discussion.

favourite books

my websites

http://www.amazon.com/My-Kind-Crazy-Living-Bipolar     http://www.amazon.co.uk/MY-KIND-CRAZY-Living-Bipol