Writing Is Like a River Trip

My blogger friend, the ever-inventive and imaginative and wildly funny Greenwoman, has come up with a new challenge. It's called Writing Is Not Like a Box of Chocolates: A Meme.

These are her rules:
"Take the phrase “Writing is like . . .” and finish it. Post it on your blog. Tag three others to do the same. That is all. See how easy that is?"

I know that Greenwoman expects me to say that writing is like dancing with goats wearing spangly pants, or like battling a woodchuck who keeps taunting me with a blank sheet of paper and rude hand gestures, or like wandering into a drainage ditch wearing my best Lilly Pulitzer frock—but finding a crop of diamonds and a chilled martini shaker at the bottom of the ditch.

There, now I've said all those things to please her, because she deserves it. But I'm going to write something else. Something "not silly" and "not funny." (Hold onto your party hats!) I'm used to being funny, so writing something "not funny" feels like I just tossed my pants into the hog pen and am standing here looking wan and dumb, and the scarecrow is giving me the leery eye. (Maybe this happens on Greenwoman's farm?)

Sometimes I don't gotta be funny. Here you go.

Writing is like paddling a canoe through a tract of waterways as vast as the world. Your boat moves through glades and narrow channels, whisking down rapids. You move north, ever north, through a landscape that you made and lost once in a dream.

At times, the river widens and spills you out onto a great body of water, and you are a small thing under a hollow and terrible bowl of sky. The distant shore cannot be seen, although you shade your eyes with your hand. You pull forward all the same. There is the outlet, there is the way home. The river closes around you once again, and the current takes you.

Sometimes you hear laughter and voices over the hedges that line the banks. One morning a dragonfly settles on the gunwale, and stirs its blue wings. You are lost, quite fully lost, and you know it. You can let the canoe drift in lazy, spinning circles, or you can paddle fierce and hard for the far shore.

Either way, you’ll get there. You will be carried. You will carry yourself, when the drought comes and dries up the riverbeds.

You emerge into a bright patch of sunlight and hear the buzz and fall of summer heat. Sometimes your boat slips down dim alleyways of water lined by stately trees. Sometimes it rains on the big lakes, and you pray you’ll make it home alive.

You might look over the edge of your boat one day and see a gift on the bottom of the shallow river, shot through with light. A bag of stones. A letter from a loved one. A ribbon, a coin, a flash of fish scales in the murk, falling down and down. Trivial, lovely.

You pull up your treasure. Your boat drifts, and the dusk falls. Your hands are dripping with discovery. You wonder: Who put this there? Who left this gift? Then you remember: You yourself dropped that bag of memory into the dark waters. You hid it there. Everything beautiful is waiting to be found.

________

Now I'm tagging three people who shall take this meme and run with it. They are:

Mary Frame
Because her excellent and helpful blog posts about the craft of writing lead me to believe her answer to this will be thoughtful and thought-provoking. (No pressure, Mary--if you want to say that writing is like a jar of pickles and not explain why, you go right ahead.)

Kalen O'Donnell
Because he's crazy! And he threatened me for my ARCs! So now I have him dart-gunned, bagged, and tagged. (By the way, his threats have paid out, and ARCs will be given away next week. Stay tuned.)

Tracey Hansen
Because she will do what I should have done and write something lewd, rude, and soaked in wine! I hope. Yes, please?

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How to find mental health care when money is tight

This is a great New York Times article looking at how to approach mental health care when you can't even really keep up with your regular bills. The lede:

IMAGINE this situation. You fall into a deep malaise. Friends say you need help, but you don’t have insurance (or the insurance you do have has very limited mental health benefits), and you worry that extra bills will only add to your malaise. So you do nothing.

And that’s what many people do. According to a recent survey by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Samhsa, pronounced SAM-suh) , the leading reason that people with mental health issues don’t seek treatment is cost. They fear the fees.

It doesn't have to be that way, though. You can take a variety of free and low-cost steps to improve your mental health -- making one small change in your routine per week, joining a support group, joining an online group, and so on. And if you still need help, the article suggests a number of mental health care options, from seeking out providers with sliding fee scales, school psychologists, crisis hotlines, and the likes.

Guest Post Is Social Media Offering a Safe Haven for Disordered Eating in Teens

Anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders are generally frowned upon and discouraged among teens, and skin and bones isn’t attractive to the majority of people, no matter how you cut it. So why are so many teens still engaging in this harmful behavior? Log onto any social media site and you’re bound to see pictures of food, links to weight loss tips, and people complaining about their weight. That’s just normal, everyday life, right? Maybe. But maybe not. While you and I may seem these acts as normal, people who struggle with disordered views of their body may see it as an open door to encouraging eating less and working out more, to the point that they’re battling for their lives, even though they may see it as battling for a better body. 

Pinterest

Pinterest recently came under fire for inadvertently encouraging “thinspiration” for people suffering from anorexia, bulimia, and other disordered eating habits and views on how the body should look. Jezebel recently released an article detailing this “thinspo” phenomenon, showing how women were congregating together  and creating “thinspo” Pinterest boards where they pinned pictures of women who were bare bones to inspire them to be thinner as well.

Since then, when you search Pinterest for “thinspiration” a warning message will come up saying “Eating disorders are not lifestyle choices, they are mental disorders that if left untreated can cause serious health problems or could even be life-threatening.For treatment referrals, information, and support, you can always contact the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline at 1-800-931-2237 or www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.”

Twitter

A quick Twitter hashtag search for #proana will bring up everyone discussing any and all things related to pro-anorexia. Girls and guys alike post pictures of bones jutting out, siting this as #thinspiration and being #proana. There are tweets showing what #proanas do at restaurants, with a picture of coloring books. And there’s even a new pro-ana Twitter account that offers tips for those wishing to engage in a pro-anorexia lifestyle.

Facebook

Not to be left out, the largest social media site definitely has its place in the disturbing world of encouraging disordered eating and helping people strive for thighs that don’t touch and collar bones that stick out. One search of “thinspiration” and “pro-ana” brings up fan pages and support groups, giving people a place to swap stories and tips, and post goal pictures and (what is deemed to be) success pictures when they achieve a certain amount of thinness.

Encouraging Thinspiration

In our quest to eliminate obesity and encourage healthy habits, there is always the risk of people, teens especially, taking advice too literally and too far, especially with the extreme focus in the media of stars sporting unattainable bodies and going on crazy crash diets. However social media has given these type of people a new outlet and even community that encourages these views. It’s not necessarily the fault of social media, but it is definitely one of the consequences of connecting people around the world.

Author  Byline:

Monta the mother of three children serves as an Expert Advisor on multiple household help issues to many Organizations and groups, and is a mentor for other “Mom-preneurs” seeking guidance.  She is a regular contributor of “gonannies.com”.  You can get in touch with her at montafleming6Atgmail dotcom.

Amnesia is Delicious

In fiction, that is.

In Forget You, by Jennifer Echols, Zoey is in a car accident. She hits her head. And the next day, she can't remember much of anything about the night before. Which is unfortunate, because Doug Fox, her nemesis, is acting like a lot went down.

Post-traumatic amnesia is not uncommon in cases of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Basically, the person is unable to store new memories for a period of time after the accident. Zoey actually has a mixed anterograde/retrograde presentation. She can't remember some events leading up to the accident (retrograde amnesia) and she can't remember most of the events that occurred in the hours after the accident (anterograde amnesia). Hence the drama!

Forget You isn't the only YA book with amnesia at its center: Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, by Gabrielle Zevin, (haven't gotten to read this one yet) is about a girl who hits her head in a fall and loses her memory of about four years of her life. And the upcoming dystopian Memento Nora, by Angie Smibert, involves Therapeutic Forgetting Clinics, where you can take pills to help you kick those traumatic memories to the curb.

Oh! And don't forget the movies! Memento, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 50 First Dates, Dark City (my personal favorite) ...

Why does amnesia fascinate us so? What makes it such awesome fiction fodder? I think it's because there's something compelling about a character having to find his or her way despite having lost a part of the past. There's something ominous about not being able to remember something that happened, especially when that event was particularly important. There's often a certain romance to it, right? And of course, it makes for a great mystery.

In reality, of course, amnesia isn't that romantic or compelling. It's sad and frightening and frustrating.

Bumps on the head, zaps to the skull, and other physical injuries to the brain lead to organic amnesia, and so can Alzheimer's disease, oxygen deprivation, stroke, and long-term alcohol abuse. But then there are some psychological forms of amnesia, often associated with dissociation. These are, as you might expect, more controversial, but they basically involve the mind trying to protect itself by repressing memories of traumatic events.

What amnesia usually doesn't involve (with the exception of dissociative fugue) is the loss of self-identity. People with amnesia don't usually forget who they are (and here is where reality departs so drastically from fiction).

Amnesia is well-covered in novels and movies, so if you've got an amnesia story, you might want to make sure you've got an original twist (my agent is probably laughing at me right now).

How about you? What are some of your favorite amnesia-fic-picks? Any specific to YA? Have you read Forget You or Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac? Did you wonder about the accuracy of the portrayal? Have you read or watched things where amnesia seemed like a contrivance? Have you read or watched things where it didn't matter whether it was medically accurate or not, because it was just so deliciously good?

ITS ALIVE!! Sanctum is loose in the world

Well, hello there.

I need to tell you something.

My book is out. Like, you can buy it. Right. Now.

 

It's time to share my Lela-girl with the world. Oh, and Malachi, too.

This whole thing is surreal for me, and definitely a little bit scary, but I have to say, my overriding emotion right now is: GRATITUDE.

Yesterday I spent a lot of time with my publishers (Margery Cuyler and Tim Ditlow), publicist (Deborah Bass), and editor (Courtney Miller)--apart from my fantastic agent, Kathleen Ortiz, they are the people who have championed this book and who have made it possible for all this to happen. I don't have words for what their support--and their faith in this story--has meant to me.

So many people in the writerly/bloggerly community have helped me, made me better, supported me, cheered me on, cheered me up ... I can't even begin to name everyone. But to each of you, and especially those of you who read and comment regularly, please know I am and forever will be grateful to you for being part of my life and this publishing journey. I wouldn't be here without you.

Now, I'd like to answer a few questions I've gotten lately:

Where can I find SANCTUM?

Sanctum is published by Marshall Cavendish/Amazon Children's Publishing, so you can most definitely find it at Amazon.com, where the hardcover is currently $8.68 and the e-book is $3.99. The audiobook is about $10 and you can find it there as well. I only mention the prices because I think they are pretty sweet.

How about Barnes & Noble? Can I get it there?

You can find the hardcover and audiobook at  Barnes & Noble online (they've matched the Amazon price), but not in their physical stores, because it is currently B&N's policy not to carry Amazon Publishing books. If you're wondering what I think about this, I'll tell you: It is the right of any bookstore to stock what books they like, and it's never guaranteed they'll stock any particular book. I understood this when I chose Amazon Children's Publishing as my publisher. So although I'd love for every bookstore in the entire world to stock SANCTUM, I don't expect it, and I'm grateful to any store that decides to do so.

Can I get SANCTUM for my Nook?

At this time, Sanctum is a Kindle exclusive, which means that if you have a Kindle, you're golden. If you have any device with the Kindle app, actually, you're golden. If you have a Nook or Nook tablet ... what? Hey, don't look at me. I'm just blogging here.

Can I get it at my local indie bookstore?

Maybe (in person) and definitely (online). As I said above, every bookstore chooses what to stock, and some will decide not to stock Sanctum, while some might. If you have a favorite local bookstore, go take a look, and maybe ask if they're going to put it on their shelves (and if they do, by all means, reward them for it!). You can also purchase Sanctum online from your local indie bookstore at IndieBound.org.

And that's about it. Once again, thanks for hanging around. I adore every single one of you.

Guest Post What Happens When Mental Health Care Is Unavailable

Adam Lanza, Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooter

Today’s guest post is by Audrey Willis.

It's a sad fact that mental health care in the United States is becoming increasingly unattainable.

From 2009 to 2012 the mental health care industry saw a $5 billion drop in funds across the country, primarily stemming from national budget cuts. While one in four adults---nearly 62 million individuals--experiences some type of mental illness in a given year, a staggering 4,500 public psychiatric hospital beds were eliminated during the same period. New York, Kentucky, California, and Illinois were among the top cutting states. Additionally, 13 states closed at least 25 percent of their state hospital beds. Unsurprisingly, this has resulted in a steep increase in patients visiting emergency rooms across the country in search of mental health care assistance. States that closed the highest number of mental health care beds also experienced an increase in violent crime over the same time period.

Aside from these budget cuts, there is another concerning issue, as the global mental health care industry is experiencing a shortage in working professionals. Globally, nearly one in ten people has a mental health issue. Who will take care of these people if only one percent of the universal health care workforce is dedicated to mental health?

Some real life examples may help to illustrate the serious nature of this ongoing issue:

-A 19 year old from New Hampshire recently spent 10 days in the common area of a Maine emergency room waiting for a bed to open in the mental health facility.

-A man who allegedly stole the equivalent of $5 in snacks died in jail as he waited for space to open up in a mental health center.

-A woman visited an Illinois emergency room 750 times over the course of 10 years searching for mental health assistance. The cost was a sobering $2.5 million.

These are problems that could be easily eliminated by integrating mental health care professionals into the emergency room staff of every major hospital.

With examples like this, it is easy to see why deep budget cuts have negatively impacted the quality of treatment for those who suffer from chronic mental illness. A recent heartbreaking report from the Treatment Advocacy Center found that at least one in four fatal police encounters involved the death of an individual suffering from a severe mental illness.

Individuals suffering from various mental illnesses who do not receive proper treatment often find themselves in the country's criminal justice system. Aside from the very real concern that these people will fail to recover without treatment, this also results in a significantly higher cost to taxpayers and makes for a more dangerous landscape, both for patients and law enforcement professionals.

While a tragic event can often increase public attention to mental health needs, the passion is rarely sustained after the news media cameras stop rolling.

A solution to this healthcare problem is to staff hospitals with mental health professionals, and find a way to open additional beds in treatment facilities---places that are specially trained on how to handle the vast spectrum of mental illness. Until that occurs, tragedies, much like the gut wrenching 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting---that claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults---may continue to happen. The perpetrator of this specific incident is known to have suffered from various mental illnesses, and was not able to obtain successful help.

Here is an infographic from the Cummings Institute (http://cummingsinstitute.com) that goes into more detail. Please Zoom in to see: