CALIFORNIA HERE I COME
I am getting very excited about traveling to California on Monday and can't wait to meet up with everyone. As a reminder, I will be hosting a "Meet and Greet" on April 17, 2019, at the Sheraton Park Resort. Please come and say hello. I will be giving away free autographed copies of several of my books. If you already own one of my books and you want me to autograph them, I am happy to do so. See details below.
Bri
McKay "The Grey World: Understanding Bipolar Disorder"
Today's author interview is of particular interest to me as I have friends and family members who suffer from Bipolar Disorder. This book gives clarity as to how they suffer and is an honest and straightforward account. Please take the time to read this interview from author Bri McKay and her book Bri McKay "The Grey World: Understanding Bipolar Disorder."
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Name of Book: The Grey World: Understanding
Bipolar Disorder
Year Published: 2018
Publisher: self-published
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nightmckay
Pinterest: b_sho3s
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18614472.Bri_McKay
Pinterest: Bri McKay
Tell
your readers a little about yourself, where you grew up, where you live now,
where you went to school etc. Let them
get to know the personal you.
My legal name is Brittney Kay Shoemaker. I
took the name Bri in 5th grade because there were so many Brittney’s
in my class. I wanted a way to stand out. Now my parents and siblings are the
only people who call me Brittney anymore. I was born on the Keesler Air Force
Base in Biloxi, MS. I only lived in Mississippi for six months and grew up in
Arlington, Tx. I spent all of my school years in the Kennedale ISD; a small
town outside of Arlington. I’m 25 years old (Jan 26 and an Aquarius for anyone
interested) and about to move to Dallas.
I have a huge passion for music and
performing. I frequent the musical theatre, film, and music industry.
Technically I started writing when I was about 13 years old in the form of
lyrics. I talk more about this in the book. I thrive on creativity and
adventure; it feeds my soul.
What inspired
you to write this book?
Being Bipolar myself and being diagnosed at
such a young age, the illness has become a critical piece in shaping who I am,
my experiences and how they are handled. When another family member was
diagnosed a couple of years ago, that part of my family had a hard time
understanding and coping with what to do and how to move forward. Hearing about
their feelings and confusion got me thinking. I have experience from over half
my life. Why not write a book answering the big questions and use my story to
help others. So basically, it started out as I wanted to help my family
understand and have some hope, and then it turned into a much bigger
initiative: wanting to bring awareness and hope to the world. It was a very
healing experience for me.
Where
did you get the inspiration for your book’s cover?
When I came up with the title of the book, the
cover is what instantly popped up in my head. It’s all symbolism. The tree
represents life. The split between color and black and white represents the polars. The color represents the good
days where everything seems bright and okay in the world. The grey (hints the
title of the book) is the hard depressive days where the illness takes its
toll.
My father has his foot in the photography
industry, and he was gracious enough to lend his skills in making the cover
come to life so magnificently. For more of his work you can follow him on Facebook
and Instagram: Shoemaker Photography.
Who
has been the biggest influence on you
personally and as a writer?
As a writer, all the biographies and self-help
writers are a huge influence. No one in particular honestly, but it’s the
complete opposite when it comes to my songwriting. I won't dive into that
though, because that could take a while ;)
Personally, my grandmother is my most
significant influence. She helped raise me when I was younger and we’ve had
such a close bond. Her and my grandfather have always been so supportive of my
passions and my career. Their love, encouragement, support, and everything else
in between are diamonds in my treasure chest.
What
were your struggles or obstacles you had to overcome to get this book written?
My biggest obstacle in almost everything I do
is myself. I had to deal with insecurity about my writing skills, and if
anybody really cared about what I had to say. I had to make sure the book
didn’t come across as “all about me.” Also, this book is super personal and has
information and experiences that one usually doesn’t talk about in everyday
conversation. Getting through that and writing openly and honestly was a
process all on its own. It’s still uncomfortable sometimes to know that such
personal information including my flaws, bad decisions, and things that I’m not
proud of are out there for anyone and everyone to know.
I had to take a step back and get out of my
own way. This book was written to help people and as soon as I let that sink
in, I knew no matter how scared or apprehensive I was, I had to write it AND
get it out in front of the public. No matter what my family or friends would
think of me or if I was going to be judged, this book needed to be written and
shared.
Looking back, the whole process helped me grow
in ways I never thought possible. Not only will it help the community but it
helped me too. I found bravery and courage that had been buried deep.
Tell
your readers about your book.
“The Grey World” is an educational,
inspirational, and biographical book all in one. The book goes through the
need-to-knows about Bipolar, debunks myths, and has my personal touch immersed
within. People should be able to walk away with a better understanding of
Bipolar and how it affects those who have it. It is short but filled with
valuable information and some insight you can’t get just from googling it.
Who is
your target audience and why?
As I wrote and reviewed the finished product,
I realized that yes, this book is about Bipolar Disorder and my experience with
it but, the content inside is relevant to everyone. The target audience is people
with experience with Bipolar, but the “coping” and “loved ones” section of the
book are great for all mental illnesses. The short answer, I guess, would be
people with or touched by mental illness.
If you
were going to give one reason for anyone looking at your book to read, why
should they buy it?
Look, if you’re looking into this book- just
buy it. If you don’t suffer or know anyone with the disease, this book is still
relevant to you. It is a book meant for inspiration and motivation. Not tooting
my own horn, but the lessons and experiences I’ve lived through are great
lessons for anyone in a tough spot looking to make things better. This book is
so much more than just another book talking about Bipolar.
What
do you consider your greatest success in life?
My greatest success in life is growing from a
pessimistic, insecure, scared human being into a vibrant, positive source of
encouragement. I aspire to be a light for people in hard times. That was a
difficult journey of transformation and the journey is not over, but
ultimately that is what I am most proud of.
Everyone
has life lessons to learn, tell your readers one or two of yours and how they
make you the person you are today.
My hardest life lessons are in the book. They
are not spelled out for you perse, but how I got to learn those lessons are
there.
One of them is that you absolutely cannot lose
yourself and who you are in a relationship. I went through some significant
growing pains to learn that one.
Another major lesson I had to learn (that’s
not in the book) was financed. If you had met me a few years ago, you would
know I was not as financially savvy as I am now.
What
one unique thing sets you apart from other writers in your genre?
My book is easy to read, follow, and understand. Most
books on Bipolar that I have come across are written by experts: doctors,
therapists, and the like. I don’t have a degree in psychiatry or medicine. I’m
not using a bunch of terms that look like a foreign language. I’m not watching
and writing my observations. I’m living it. I live with and around this illness
every day, and that’s why this book is so valuable. It’s an inside look into my
life, and how I think woven into the information people need to know about
Bipolar.
Tell
your readers anything else you want to share.
This book is very near and dear to my heart.
It’s my first one after all, and it’s over a subject that means so much to me.
I love hearing feedback so feel free to follow me on Facebook, Instagram,
Pinterest, etc. and join me on this journey of stopping the stigma.
Subscribe today for a chance to win KRONOS RISING. Next week the winners will be announced.
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