Depression is real. Those who suffer from it know that it is difficult to combat, and often leads to suicidal thoughts. I have lost three friends to suicide over the years and I always wondered what I could have done to prevent each. Suicide affects millions. I think that today's book, "Stay: Your Life Is Precious" by Imaobong Smart, is extremely important and beneficial as it addresses suicide. Mind you, not from a clinical viewpoint, but from through a direct conversation from the author. If you or someone you know suffers from depression and has suicidal thoughts, please reach out to someone -- a friend, a pastor, a doctor, or the suicide prevention hotline.
ABOUT THE BOOK
STAY: Your life is precious Paperback – December 7, 2019
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| BUY NOW ON AMAZON |
Anyhow you think of it, life is all so depressing, it only becomes dangerous when you allow the negativities around you to have a strong hold on you.
The purpose of this book is to expose the delusion of suicide and debunk the myths that we try to hold on to in other to justify the act.
Discover the NINE lies you are believing about your self.
- Discover the truth to overcome them.
- Deal with the voices in your head.
- Discover where your purpose lies in your pain.
- Start enjoying life in spite of your circumstances.
Imaobong
Smart
STAY: YOUR LIFE IS PRECIOUS
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 name is Imaobong Smart, but all my friends
call me Ima. I was born in Bloomington, Indiana but raised in Nigeria, West Africa. All my
schooling up to higher institution was in Nigeria; when I returned to the
United States in 2009, I went to school for nursing and have been a nurse for
about seven years now. I am also a transformational speaker with over twenty
years of speaking experience. I am married with two kiddos.
What inspired you to author this book?
At first, the inspiration to write this book
came from a very personal place as a very close relative overdosed on sleeping
pills but thankfully was found and rushed to the hospital, and her life was
saved. And for some reason, I started to get calls and messages from people who
follow me on social media telling me they were going through depression, and
some had contemplated taking their lives.
I spent so much time encouraging and
giving them reasons to stay alive, and I saw based on subsequent responses that
what I said had a positive impact on them.
I started wondering how many more people in
the world are in a dark place and are just looking for some encouraging words
to be said to them, and that's how this book came about. I just launched the
book on March 7th, and the next day I got a message from one of my buyers who
said if I had released this book last year that his friend wouldn't have
committed suicide.
Where did you get the inspiration for your
book’s cover?
I brainstormed so much and prayed about the
book cover that will make the most impact even before my readers read the book.
Every part of the book cover has a meaning. The black signifies the bad place
we all may be in right now. The ray of light emitting from the top of the book
is that ray of hope that this book gives. The word STAY with the broken rope as
"A" is the impact of the book. The rope is broken; no one is hanging
from it!
Who has been the most significant influence on
you personally and as a writer?
I am more of a motivational writer, and I have
been influenced by one of my mentors Late Dr. Myles Munro.
What were your struggles or obstacles you had
to overcome to get this book written?
I really enjoyed writing this book! But I
wanted to be sensitive to people's different experiences that may have
contributed to their depression while addressing it and giving them reasons to
STAY alive despite what they may have been through in life.
Tell your
readers about your book.
This book
STAY is a nonconventional and thought-provoking book that offers practical
steps to destroy suicidal thoughts. Discover the nine lies you believe about
suicide and the truths to overcome them.
Who is
your target audience, and why?
Although
any age range can read and be impacted by this book, I had the younger
generation in mind as my audience while writing this book, as a matter of fact
my eight year old read a and understood this book. that's how simple it is!
What do
you consider your greatest success in life?
Success
for me in terms of this book is the feedback I have gotten from my book, and
also from my talks, people call me and send me messages about how they have
changed their minds about taking their lives. This for me is how would define
success – impact
What one unique thing sets
you apart from other writers in your genre?
Every writer is unique in
their expression and writing style; I think for me, I try to ensure that my
readers can feel like they can hear my voice as they read. I want them to
connect with me as a relatable human being!
