Many thanks to Nina for answering my questions. She maintains a blog and can be found on Twitter.
Why did you start writing?
My life coaching clients inspired me to write my recovery workbook, Never Enough. A lost love inspired me to write Aphrodite’s Cup: Passionate Poems. Needing to be “realer” as a writer inspired me to write Living Out Loud: Outspoken Poems, and God on Fire: Spiritual Poems was written after discovering J. Rumi’s spiritual poetry. BIG Rumi fan! My 5th book published March 2015, Once The Storm Is Over: From Grieving To Healing After the Suicide of My Daughter
was written so I could share my journey from grief to healing with
other suicide survivors, and with teens and young adults struggling with
depression.
What kind of writing do you do?
I write non-fiction, because I am an avid reader, but have
always preferred to read true-to-life stories that offered answers to
life’s challenges. I have been most inspired by autobiographies that
served to inspire me. One of the most influential books has been Dr.
Elyn R. Sak’s, The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness.
Her book saw me through my darkest hours of grief, and gave me the
courage to find my voice, to speak out about my own struggle with
depression, and my daughter’s suicide. It’s ironic that I have written
an autobiography and honored that Dr. Sak’s wrote the title review of
my book.
What would you like readers to know about your new book, Once The Storm Is Over?
It is raw and honest, sharing my painful past: an abusive
alcoholic father, a failed marriage, the rejection I suffered after I
came out as a lesbian, and my own brush with suicide. What could have
been a story mired in self-pity and misery, ultimately is a story of
hope. This book is not only for survivors but for anyone facing
depression. The book has garnered outstanding reviews from suicide
prevention organizations, expert psychiatrists, best-selling authors on
suicide, mental health and parenting magazines, as well as grief
recovery organizations. My hope is that it will lessen the stigma of
mental illness and comfort those who are grieving, so they know they are
not alone.
Many times, writers find a creative niche and community. What do you think is yours?
I see myself as a part of the movement to fight the stigma
of mental illness worldwide, specifically that of suicide. My community
is a world-wide and large: I’m part of the Suicide Club-survivors of
suicide, a terrible club to be a part of. And although we have been
silenced in the past by the societal taboo about suicide, if all
survivors do their part by speaking about their own journeys, their own
experiences, we can lessen the stigma of mental illness so that more
people will come out of the shadows and feel safe about reaching out for
help.
Why do you think your book would be a good choice for a book club pick?
Because there are so many misconceptions about mental illness and
suicide. Case in point: there’s a myth that says mentally ill people are
dangerous or violent. We see this depicted in the media, especially in
the past in movies such as Fatal Attraction (which Glenn Close
starred in, and who started “Bring Change To Mind,” a mental health
organization that she leads with her sister who has Bipolar Disorder).
The fact is that only a very small percentage of the mentally ill ever
become violent; we just hear about it because the media has perpetuated
this myth. What we should be emphazing is that 90% of suicides are
completed by people with mental illness, such as depression. The stigma
of mental illness can be reduced by book clubs, schools, mental health
and grief organizations and businesses as they read real
accounts written by suicide survivors.
Are there aspects of your writing that readers might find challenging to them?
Once The Storm Is Over is being described by
reviewers as: raw, honest, shattering, healing, and important. This is
an emotional read, especially for suicide survivors. But to have an
impact, sensitive topics like mental illness and suicide need to be
genuine and caring; they also need to be brutally honest. I believe this
is one of the few books that manages to be both.
To see all of Devi Nina's books: http://www.amazon.com/Nina-Bingham/e/B008XEX2Z0
To see all of Devi Nina's books: http://www.amazon.com/Nina-Bingham/e/B008XEX2Z0
