Interview With Author Indigo

 

1. What inspired you to write this book? It started out with the journaling of all the upheaval in my life. Over time it transformed into the telling of, not only my story, but the story of travel and of adventure and of being a nurse and, perhaps most of all, the story of loved ones whose lives were torn apart by mental illness.

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for?  "Dancing with Chaos" is a memoir. It is an eclectic tale that covers most of a lifetime of many challenges and the search for meaning and harmony in a life often set off balance and torn apart by mental illness in a loved one. That search for meaning and happiness covers a lot of ground E.G. travel, adventure, nature, the profession of nursing, the making of a homestead, romance and more. It is written for anyone who just enjoys a colorful true to life story. Also, I think anyone interested in nursing as a profession or anyone who loves stories of nature and country living would find it inspiring. I am hoping that people who suffer from mental illness and/or their families will get a sense that they are not alone.

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? I am hoping that readers, first and foremost, will find it an enjoyable read and a momentary escape from the everyday stresses of their own life. It would be great if it inspired some to travel and also to find comfort and solace in nature. I am also hoping that bringing a personal face to the heartaches and tribulations of someone suffering from mental illness will help to bring this very important issue to the public with the goal of eliminating the stigma of mental illness (which makes it harder to treat} and stressing the need for more and better treatments, support and compassion.

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? Funny you should ask. Before it was published a friend read my book and told me "This book is about dancing with chaos!". As to the cover, I painted the picture, and it is reminiscent of the little house in the woods that I dreamed about as a youth. It is also resembles the homestead that has been a sustaining force in my life and that of my children.

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – > other than run!?
I feel like writing is a lot easier if you are writing about something that moves you. In my case I couldn't not write this book. I was "driven" to putting it all down on paper! I think that in many cases you will be disappointed if you are only writing to make money. That is very hard to do!

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? I am grateful to see that in spite of movies, TV, the internet, U-Tube
etc. there are still so many of us that still love to read books! I think many books are being published as e-books but still many of us love to hold our books in our hands. Audio books are great for those who have vision issues.

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in > handy when writing this book? Since this is a memoir, it goes without saying that my experiences are what inspired this book. A life lived in search of ways to turn chaos into harmony, meaning and fulfillment of one's dreams.

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? My writing style is very narrative oriented. I'm not that good at conversation. I also find that I always seek to find the positive in things, kind of like looking at the world through rose-colored glasses. I think that those who enjoyed the book "The Glass Castle" will find my book a good read as well.

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? Time was a big challenge in writing this book. Between 12-hour shifts working as a nurse at the local hospital, tending to an off grid 23-acre homestead and a single mother (part of the time anyway) of 3 children,
it was hard to find the time to write and, in fact, this book took several years to write.

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? Read my book because you like a story with lots of changes. Read it if you are interested in the profession of nursing or love nature adventures or travel stories. My friend with some physical and mental health issues wrote to me that "It is exactly the mental health break
that I need right now"! I do hope that people will take away a sense that following one’s dreams can be extremely fulfilling even if the road is a rocky one. And too, if you know someone who is suffering from mental illness (and who doesn't) or are yourself someone who is suffering from mental illness (as so many do) then you might gain some insight into the issues involved or at least some comfort that you are not alone.

 

About The Author:  I was born and raised in Manhattan by a single mother suffering from
schizophrenia. We were poor and life was pretty chaotic. My teen years were a mixture of "Me Too", heartbreak, instability and at the same time amazing friends and wonderful new discoveries. I discovered my calling in Nursing at a young age and the love of my work has sustained me through much of my journey. I have also followed my dream of a life in the country and live off grid. Nature and travel have also been sustaining forces in my journey. Heartaches resurfaced when my son was 23 and began to show signs that he had inherited his grandmother's genetic predisposition for schizophrenia. For more info, please see: https://www.indigo2019.com

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.3 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.