Shelby Lamb's Blog

The Reader = An Odd Rarity Even for Literary Fiction

Praised by Oprah’s Book Club, Bernhard Schlink’s The Reader is arguably a loveable and unlovable book of literary fiction. The story itself is unbearable, cold, and just like the numbness Bernhard describes the main character feeling about Hanna eventually, there is a detachment about the way he writes. It is like you are supposed to really feel the distance, the long-ago, far-away, historical space between you and the book. There was a whole lot of historical information, vague as they may be in their abstract poetic depictions. Often very philosophical, as the MC’s father was said to be.

The Opening

Unlike most literary fiction I’ve read, here I was welcomed amicably into Bernhard’s tale. The crisp, snippy chapters easily grip you, the perspective honest and real. A young boy, sick in Germany, a strange stranger who is cold but nurturing. A woman much older and very different from even other women her age, almost like a wild animal, yet she is somehow graceful. It appeared to me that Hanna was perhaps simple. Not dumb, but she was just awkward and didn’t care much about the outer world. Only when it came to shame of being unable to… well, I don’t want to ruin it for you.

I Felt Sad for Hanna

As the story unfolds you will realize shame is one of those things…
Those painful though rarely spoken of, it is real. And people do bad things to
escape feeling it. It is almost as heavy as sadness, and I should think as equally
painful, because it attacks the person’s sense of self. It came as a surprise
that Hanna would feel it for something out of her control yet not feel any way
about how people observed her otherwise. She had no qualms about being in vogue
with her time. She carried herself almost like the hunchback and when I thought
of her that’s who I saw.

“Not that she was particularly heavy. It was
more as if she has withdrawn into her own body, and left it to itself and its
own quiet rhythms, unbothered by any input from her mind…”

My Verdict

3.5 stars because I was unsure of how to feel by this novel. It was
great unbiased philosophy if that’s what you are looking for, because Bernhard Schlink
doesn’t impose anything on you. It was freeing but at times I was, in my reader
brain, (no-pun intended) left lost and scattered, clutching for something to hold
on to. Anything.

I loved and yet was repulsed by Hanna, an unsuspecting villain, who is
also a…victim?

In either case this was a nostalgic, painful, and sharp as glass read about star-crossed lovers, life in it’s unapologetic plainness, the Holocaust, and death. Read with lots of tea and sunshine. Though it is written well, good Lord, this one is Holocaust-depressing.

The post “The Reader” Book Review appeared first on Busy Reading, Sorry.

 

WANT YOUR BOOK REVIEWED NEXT? CLICK HERE=> Get my indie book reviewed.

A Magical Experience
OVERVIEW:

I’m always up to read or re-read a J.K Rowling, so scheduling a Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets book review was fun! Reading the words written from J.K Rowling’s pen is a truly magical experience. Her language coils and flares like a beautiful plant that wildly twist around every which way.

Harry, in his second year at Hogwarts, must find out who is behind very mysterious and dark occurrences. And he must do so fast; the life of his friends are at stake!

Desperate along with Harry to unbury the truth in all the madness that is taking place, you are taken on rides over England in a car that soon lands in a very angry, flailing tree, and into the Forbidden Forest where you meet spiders as big as houses.

The Suspense

The suspense in this book is real. J.K Rowling is famous for leaving you on your toes virtually in every development stage of the plot. The book is full of life and mystery.

The questions at hand are 1) Where is the chamber of secrets? 2) Who is opening it? And 3) What monster lurks inside? Brave and determined to set things right again, Harry follows a sketchy trail of clues and past secrets to save his friends and put an end to the reign of terror. 

Blurb:

The Dursleys were so mean that hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he’s packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry’s second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls’ bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley’s younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone–or something–starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects…Harry Potter himself?

THE VERDICT:

CHECKS

Well-written

There should be more fictional characters with borderline personality disorder. But if you are looking for just one, here is the Wisteria series. Aubrey Golding is the main character in this dark fantasy series and she has BPD. The following is the cover for book one in the series.

*fiction characters with borderline personality disorder*



Have you ever seen fiction characters with borderline personality disorder? You can learn more about the wisteria series here after reading this post and even see the trailer for book 1.



learn more about borderline here

Characterized by intense fluctuating moods, this disorder is so stigmatized it’s no wonder why we don’t hear about it and have much fiction characters with borderline personality disorder. Many celebrities have even been suspected to have the disorder that I prefer calling “emotion regulation disorder” such as Lady Gaga and Marilyn Monroe. But we only here about bipolar, depression, and anxiety and what not. If I am wearing my unprofessional psych goggles I would even see Charlie Sheen and Mel Gibson as a borderline sufferer. But don’t take my word for it, I’m no doctor (though I did major in psych at one point).

Everybody is Scared of Borderlines

They even say not even the hospitals want borderlines. And I know from experience that this might even be factual. You see borderlines are often seen as “evil” and manipulative drama queens or kings when that is far from the truth. Borderlines don’t have the mental stability to be “manipulative” in the calculative sense. They just operate out of desperation sometimes and their “manipulation” is more like a child’s when they are stressed. So they may lie just to protect themselves. You see us borderlines are sometimes in a constant state of fight or flight as our amygdalas are in overdrive.

Without the proper treatment (I love mindful meditation) we can have the emotional intelligence of a child even though or IQs can be in the extreme highs. We can tend to be not very likeable at times. This is perhaps why fiction characters with borderline personality disorder are rare. When it comes to books, many authors want their character to be likable to the masses. Not I. I don’t care about sales. I’m here for my fellow borderlines or any non-borderline looking for an interesting, original story.

Every human on the face of the earth is manipulative at some points, I guess borderlines in the heat of a moment are just more “obvious” in their desperate attempts to get what they want. So let’s have some grace and stop the stigma. Though I know we can be the ultimate Mr or Mrs. Jekylle and Hyde, we don’t mean to and are quite sensitive and caring people!

Image from Something (Wisteria 1)



“I will find true love and everything will be okay. I will find true love and everything will be okay…” she chanted.

They say be careful what you read. Something is wrong. Something is very wrong. It can happen to anyone. This is just four teenagers’ story. 

Aubrey Golding hates her face, her body, and is devastated after Nathan Silva leaves her. Alone and desperate for love, she discovers a book called Something and unknowingly links others to a dark and terrifying curse that is beginning to consume her. 

Nathan is glad to be moving on with someone new and can hardly believe what is happening now. Wild child Bella Broadhurst, aspires a career in adult film and enjoys making fun of Aubrey, the “emo whore” when terror arises. And last but not least, Kendra Coke is just a new teen mother working on a delicate relationship as her world become utterly bizarre. 

All teenagers’ lives are interrupted at some point, right? But trouble begins with a capital T when Something gets thrown into the mix. As their day-to-day story unfolds in a series of increasingly dramatic events, shadowy entities hiding in their rooms are just the beginning of the true terror that awaits them. 

Touching harrowing real-life subjects, Something is a raw, often poetic narrative written in multiple perspectives. Primarily dark fantasy in nature, it takes teen angst and drama to whole new horror-driven level.

Not suitable for those under 18.

“Extremely well-written and almost Gothic in nature, Something (Wisteria #1) is horror at its best. -Bestselling author N.N. Light 



“This isn’t just another teen book. It dives deep into problems most people like to just skim over without a second thought.” -K & J 



“I have never read anything like this book before, and I’m sure I won’t read anything similar for a long time”-Wren

Some might think Aubrey Golding’s character is too whiney and immature and that this book is too mature for coming of age. But I got to stay true. Not all 18-year-olds are into straight-laced stuff. Some have problems deeper than what is going on around them (read: mental health issues). More importantly, if you really look into the book you will see that Aubrey is suffering from what is known as borderline personality disorder.

BPD is a severe mental illness and Aubrey wasn’t created to glamorize this disorder. I think there should be more fiction characters with borderline personality disorder. It is a very painful existence. In a lot of ways, Aubrey is me. Parts of this book reads almost like an addiction memoir of a very psychologically disturbed young lady. I wrote Aubrey for anyone else out there who goes through the same battles.

I agree Aubrey’s and even Bella’s “Mean Girls” character can be triggering, as they are another layer to the horror and psychological roller coaster ride of this book. But in the end, if your heart makes it through the suspense, you will see how Aubrey gets through. I hope it will help anyone who is suffering the same. Having borderline personality disorder is no walk in the park. In the end, I wasn’t writing for everyone. I wrote this suspenseful dark fantasy series for other girls and boys like me. I tried to find books out there with other characters like Aubrey, a fictional version of Elizabeth Wurtzel and Susanna Kaysen from Girl, Interrupted. But I couldn’t.

They all felt cookie cutter (to me) and like I couldn’t relate. So warning, if you get offended by “dramatic” or “sensitive” girls seen as “weak” and not people actually suffering from an emotional disorder and STRONG to still be alive, then I’m sorry this book series (Wisteria) isn’t for you.

Wisteria 3 is coming around October 2019!

The post Borderline Personality Disorder in Literature appeared first on Busy Reading, Sorry.

“I will find true love and everything will be okay. I will find true love and everything will be okay…” she chanted.

They say be careful what you read. Something is wrong. Something is very wrong. It can happen to anyone. This is just four teenagers’ story. 

Aubrey Golding hates her face, her body, and is devastated after Nathan Silva leaves her. Alone and desperate for love, she discovers a book called Something and unknowingly links others to a dark and terrifying curse that is beginning to consume her. 

Nathan is glad to be moving on with someone new and can hardly believe what is happening now. Wild child Bella Broadhurst, aspires a career in adult film and enjoys making fun of Aubrey, the “emo whore” when terror arises. And last but not least, Kendra Coke is just a new teen mother working on a delicate relationship as her world become utterly bizarre. 

All teenagers’ lives are interrupted at some point, right? But trouble begins with a capital T when Something gets thrown into the mix. As their day-to-day story unfolds in a series of increasingly dramatic events, shadowy entities hiding in their rooms are just the beginning of the true terror that awaits them. 

Touching harrowing real-life subjects, Something is a raw, often poetic narrative written in multiple perspectives. Primarily dark fantasy in nature, it takes teen angst and drama to whole new horror-driven level.

Not suitable for those under 18.

PRAISE FOR SOMETHING:

“Extremely well-written and almost Gothic in nature, Something (Wisteria #1) is horror at its best. -Bestselling author N.N. Light 



“This isn’t just another teen book. It dives deep into problems most people like to just skim over without a second thought.” -K & J 



“I have never read anything like this book before, and I’m sure I won’t read anything similar for a long time”-Wren



Backstory:

Some might think Aubrey Golding’s character is too whiney and immature and that this book is too mature for coming of age. But I got to stay true. Not all 18-year-olds are into straight-laced stuff. Some have problems deeper than what is going on around them (read: mental health issues). More importantly, if you really look into the book you will see that Aubrey is suffering from what is known as borderline personality disorder.

BPD is a severe mental illness and Aubrey wasn’t created to glamorize this disorder. It is a very painful existence. In a lot of ways, Aubrey is me. Parts of this book reads almost like an addiction memoir of a very psychologically disturbed young lady. I wrote Aubrey for anyone else out there who goes through the same battles.

I agree Aubrey’s and even Bella’s “Mean Girls” character can be triggering, as they are another layer to the horror and psychological roller coaster ride of this book. But in the end, if your heart makes it through the suspense, you will see how Aubrey gets through. I hope it will help anyone who is suffering the same. Having borderline personality disorder is no walk in the park. In the end, I wasn’t writing for everyone. I wrote this suspenseful dark fantasy series for other girls and boys like me. I tried to find books out there with other characters like Aubrey, a fictional version of Elizabeth Wurtzel and Susanna Kaysen from Girl, Interrupted. But I couldn’t.

They all felt cookie cutter (to me) and like I couldn’t relate. So warning, if you get offended by “dramatic” or “sensitive” girls seen as “weak” and not people actually suffering from an emotional disorder and STRONG to still be alive, then I’m sorry this book series (Wisteria) isn’t for you.

Wisteria 3 is coming around October 2019!

The post Something (Wisteria Book 1)- A fiction character with borderline personality disorder appeared first on Busy Reading, Sorry.

Hinduism vs Christianity has been debated for centuries. But what if you didn’t have to choose between the two most notable religions in the world? Is it okay to call yourself a Hindu Christian? Is it pagan or new world and will I go to Hell for it?

“Have you ever wondered what life is about? You can search the world and never figure it out…” (Hilary Duff – “What Dreams Are Made Of.”)

Life can be confusing. It is already a brain loop but throw in religion and you can find yourself going down an endless rabbit hole. I sure have… various times!

I use to be strictly christian (by default growing up in a pentacostal family) but turned athiest after I went to a Catholic school. Since then I have went back and forth from non-believer to believer more times than I can count. I couldn’t explain why there were so many religions if my religion – Christianity – spoke of avoiding other Gods. And even condemned them.

Then I found Hinduism.

Hinduism

At first, I was skeptical. All those different Gods and all those colors. Huh? I thought, this is a Casino for believers!

But I realized something. If I was born somewhere in, say, Nepal, where Hinduism is the main religion — Nepal hosts the largest percentage of Hindu population in the world followed by India — I wouldn’t even give it a second thought. I would have believed in that. I realized another thing later: that everyone finds God their own way.

Individualism

In Hinduism, though there are many Gods, some choose to only worship a particular God of their liking. It’s the beauty of Hinduism that is gravitating people toward it like moths to a flame— the individualism. Even more and more people in the Western world are joining Hinduism. I think this is what really caught my attention more than anything. The religion is both humbling, yet inspiring, as it speaks of having the divine in you. The Bible also agrees we are made in God’s image.

But wait… in life, no two people are the same. So wouldn’t that give reasons for many Gods?

And if no two people are the same, if every fingerprint is different, then why should there be one religion? Given that idea, If I could say for certain what my religion would be, I would call it Humility, as humility is accepting that you know nothing for certain. Absolutely nada!

So What Does Hindu Christianity Really Mean?

 So what does it mean to be a Hindu Christian, then?

Formatting Your Kindle Book Images Made Easy

Are you an indie author looking for ways around creating a picture book? Do you need to know how to insert your pictures into mobi or epub format without getting a nervous breakdown?

Well you have come to the “write” place! Busy Reading, Sorry is an online book club for both authors and book bloggers. In this blog post for indie authors I am gonna break down the simplest way to start creating a picture book/or a book with illustrations today. You can do it in minutes!

Creating A Picture Book in the Past= Nightmare!

Historically, people have relied upon Microsoft word or paying professionals a pretty penny just to format their picture books with some fancy photoshop tool. But Amazon has come a long way and I only see it getting better and better.

First time I tried creating a picture book I used Microsoft word then I went with Kindle Create. But there is something ten times… no, 100 times better.

Amazon’s
Kindle Kids Book Creator software.  

System Requirements:



• Windows 7 or later

• Intel Mac OSX 10.9 or later

Once you’ve downloaded the software, all you really need to do is feed it your Word file. I use Microsoft print to PDF to get a nice, error-free PDF. I use an old 5.5 by 8.5 Createspace template where I paste all my books. Keep it simple!

The Steps – Creating A Perfect Illustrated Kindle Masterpiece

Get some tea indie authors, this is going to be fun and change the way you see publishing forever. Thanks Amazon, you are really looking out for your authors! By the way, if you are starting out in your indie publishing journey, I recommend sticking to Amazon. I will talk more about being exclusive with Amazon on another post and why it is an indie author’s safest bet.

Step 1: Download the Software

Don’t
worry this software is free and it will change your bookish life!

Step
2: Arrange your images exactly how you want them in your Word
file.

Tip: Double click your images and press on the position or “text wrapping” options. They will help you move your images around free-style.  

Step 3: Print to PDF



Step 4: Create a “new book” with Kindle Kids’ Book Creator



Step 5: Upload Your PDF

Tip: Make the PDF with your book cover so the picture book software can pick it up and add it into the mobi. When you are ready click on “file” and press “save for publication” and that’s it! You are set!

Now it’s your turn to make a picture book with kindle! Tell me how it’s going!

Grab Mary Had A Little Shadow: a picture book for adults

The post Creating A Picture Book for Kindle appeared first on Busy Reading, Sorry.

Need a little push to get into at least 5 romance books to read in 2019? This blog post is going to be weird coming from Shelby, writer of some of the darkest books out there. I know. I know I get it. I even feel weird writing it. But what is life without a little romance literature?

Truthfully, in the past, I hated reading happy-ending romance books. Maybe it was a self-esteem issue. Maybe I didn’t like reading about the perfect husband or boyfriend because I was sensitive and didn’t like putting those ideals in my head as I thought I would never be able to have that guy. So I am just really getting on the romance thing.

I mean it is a thing, right? It is a thingy. XD Totally confirmed!

For some strange reason, people like to sniffle or drool over sexy boys or put themselves into Anastasia Steele’s shoes. Strange, I know.

So let’s get to it shall we. UPDATED: Of course I have to start off with one of my first ever romances that I think both die-hard romance fans and thriller fans might love to devour.

#1 Her by Shelby Lamb

I had hesitations about sneaking my book in but seriously if you want both that happy ending but something that is true to life with a character you want to root for, then I do suggest this little bullet fast-paced romance series. Not to be concieted, but I’m sure it is perfect for anyone just dappling into romance books upon leaving darker reads.

Blurb:

Tinsley had always been a free spirit, until one side of her face and body got badly disfigured in an accident that killed her best friend. She has always blamed herself for Becky’s death, as she had been the one behind the wheel. Now twenty-five, she’s down and out, most of her past friends are married or engaged, and she hardly leaves the house.

Then everything changes when she meets Jax.

Jax is sexy, tall, dark and handsome, and a dream all wrapped in one. He fills her with more hope than she’d ever imagined. But Tinsley is not used to feeling so close to someone and she’s going to need all of Becky’s help to be true to her heart.

Luckily, Becky is all around. She’s in the trees, the grass, the earth. Becky is the only outside love Tinsley’s ever known, and she’s saying it’s time to discover something new.

But can and should Tinsley really let go of her?

Pick it up here===> click away!

#2 Beautiful Disaster By Jamie McGuire – Romance Bestseller from the start

I have heard only good things about this book and if you are an indie author like myself, then the Jamie McGuire story must inspire you to keep writing.

So, I think it is time I get with the program and give it a try. Why don’t you let me know if you want to pick this one up, too? Hey let’s start our own Beautiful Disaster book club.

Blurb:

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

Grab the book!

#3 Drinking and Dating by Brandi Glanville

This is not a romance novel in the old fashion sense but more of a memoir from a reality tv-star turn socialite. Brandi Glanville has always been one of my favorites even if she has some major unlikeable moments.

Still, I read her first book Drinking and Tweeting where she described herself as “ghetto rich” oh you gotta love her! It was phenomenal. She is hilarious, raw, honest, and personal. And she loves drinking which is a plus. I am a wine-aholic myself and I can remember what I loved most about reading her work was sipping champagne with it, and how it felt like we were just two old friends gossiping over drinks. Because crazy chicks understand each other!

Comment below if your also guilty of binge watching reality shows while you should be writing or reading?

Blurb:

America’s favorite hashtagger has gone through hell, but now she’s back, hilariously sharing what she’s learned—why a man would wear his hat during sex, why you should close your legs when you get out of a car, and why yes is the new no.

#4 Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

It should be illegal that I haven’t read this book yet. UPDATE: So I got through the audio book version. Wow Jane is adorable, smart, and funny and I relate to her hermit-day-dreamy lifestyle a ton. Lol. Enough said.

Blurb:

Charlotte Brontë’s impassioned novel is the love story of Jane Eyre, a plain yet spirited governess, and her employer, the arrogant, brooding Mr. Rochester. Published in 1847 under the pseudonym Currer Bell, the book heralded a new kind of heroine—one whose virtuous integrity, keen intellect, and tireless perseverance broke through class barriers to win equal stature with the man she loved. Hailed by William Makepeace Thackeray as “the masterwork of a great genius,” Jane Eyre is still regarded, over a century later, as one of the finest novels in English literature.

#5 Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

Okay, I know what you are thinking, this is so yesterday right? But there are seriously people out there who have not read the Christian Grey books yet. Or who have just watched the movies. They’re surprisingly written with spunk and actual literary flare. Indie authors delving into erotic romance could gain some tips. They’ve basically exploded the book industry ever since they hit the shelves. So, yeah even if EL James is not J.K Rowling, there is a level of respect I will always have for them. I have yet to read the third one but have seen all the movies. I am definitely going to try to be normal and finish the 3rd in the series. Isn’t reading them a kind of rite of passage now in the bibliophile word? No?

Blurb:

You know what the ducking blurb is!

The post 5 Romance Books to Read This Year – 2019 appeared first on Busy Reading, Sorry.

Writing/Reading out the pain

Horror books and mental illness go hand in hand. Aubrey in Something (Wisteria 1), my debut book is a testament of that. I wrote her character for my own therapy at the time, and, believe it or not, my actual love interest at the time name was Nathan. He knows this and hasn’t yet reported me to the authorities for being the ultimate creepy psycho chick (thanks Nathan). Now when it comes to reading, it’s safe to say my genre selection goes by my mood.

Oh, and did I say the C word?

Truly, I say it with a grain of salt. I don’t think anyone is crazy anyway, I think we are all just confused and in pain, some more than others.

WE NEED SOMETHING TO RELATE TO!!!!!!! (AGAIN NO PUN INTENDED)



Relatability

This is another reason why horror books and mental illness go hand in had. When it comes to books it is hard to imagine reading anything “light” and “lovey-dovey” when you are going through a dark period. That’s why I think even though we should stay positive, there is no harm in dark fantasy and horror books. Being able to relate to a character can literally save lives. I’m sure in the past my Elizabeth Wurtzel obsession saved my life. Her book Prozac Nation got me.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The Psychology Behind It

It is safe to say that I can speak a bit on this as I once went to university for psyhology and love to study the area. But don’t just take my word for it.

An assumption was always that people will typically choose pleasure over pain. Dark fantasy and horror books then cause confusion. Why do people want to be scared and isn’t “positive vibes only” a better option? Avid romance and clean Christian or clean YA romance readers may be among the variety that views things in this way.

Depression and Horror Movies/Books

Researchers have found a few theories to explain why people gravitate to horror books and movies. Let’s just say horror in general, be it documentaries like Deadly Women and Fatal Vows. The first is that certain people are excited by adrenaline and stimulation. People with ADHD for example, might find the adrenaline rush from being frightened (albeit in a safe way) enthralling. Another theory is that people who suffer from depression find it comforting to see characters make it through a hard situation.

Oftentimes people in a helpless situation, or who is suffering from depression might find comfort in comparing their life with the lives of the characters they read about. This goes for horror movies as well. It is not that these people like to see people suffer/lack empathy (though that also could be the case) but it is that euphoria of knowing that you can make it through even during the most frightening of situations.

A study by Eduardo Andrade (University of California, Berkeley) and Joel B. Cohen (University of Florida) argues:

“The assumption of people’s inability to experience positive and negative affect at the same time is incorrect.”

Happy to Be Unhappy

In theory, the authors argue that horror addicts are happy to be unhappy. This is, in my opinion, a cool radical acceptance approach to life. A skill that I learned in my dialectical behavior therapy to treat my borderline personality disorder. Because to live is to suffer, you can’t escape it and the whole “positive vibes only” might just coddle people into a fake sense of reality. But hey, that is their prerogative. I find a healthy balance of both is needed. Which is why in some ways I love having borderline personality disorder. Sure it can cause intense emotions but it opens my eyes to a broader range of tastes in things that I find most people don’t consider.

I still love my horror-addicts and clean romance addicts the same. But just want them to know that it is possible for people to experience both negative and positive emotions simultaneously.

There Is Hope

There is light even #Withinthedarkness. Aubrey will recover as I am from my own borderline personality disorder and I hope my fiction writing can help anyone else out there dealing with their own inner demons and mental health struggles. I know it isn’t really standard to make your fiction fantasy books slightly autobiographical, but hey I am not conventional. Literally writing Something saved my life. It was therapy for me and I hope it can be for anyone else out there. And as I get better and more understanding about what BPD is I promise that book three in #thewisteriaseries will be a book of healing. This is a passion project. I intend to write as best as I can, growing up on literary fiction, but also try to make the book easily readable/relatable to other victims of trauma. #aubreywillheal #hopeforall.

The post Horror Books and Mental Illness: The Link appeared first on Busy Reading, Sorry.

Writing/Reading out the pain

Aubrey in Something (Wisteria 1), my debut book will heal. I wrote her character for my own therapy at the time, and, believe it or not, my actual love interest at the time was Nathan. He knows this and hasn’t yet reported me to the authorities for being the ultimate creepy psycho chick! Ha, I say that with a grain of salt. I don’t think anyone is crazy, I think we are just confused and in pain, some more than the other. When it comes to books it is hard to imagine reading anything “light” and “lovey-dovey” when you are going through a dark period. That’s why I think even though we should stay positive, there is no harm in dark fantasy and horror books. Being able to relate to a character can literally save lives. I’m sure in the past my Elizabeth Wurtzel obsession saved my life. Her book Prozac Nation got me.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The Psychology Behind It

It is safe to say that I can speak a bit on this as I once went to university for psyhology and love to study the area. But don’t just take my word for it.

An assumption was always that people will typically choose pleasure over pain. Dark fantasy and horror books then cause confusion. Why do people want to be scared and isn’t “positive vibes only” a better option? Avid romance and clean Christian or clean YA romance readers may be among the variety that views things in this way.

Depression and Horror Movies/Books

Researchers have found a few theories to explain why people gravitate to horror books and movies. Let’s just say horror in general, be it docomentaries like Deadly Women and Fatal Vows. The first is that certain people are excited by adrenaline and stimulation. People with adhd for example, might find the adrenaline rush from being frightened (albeit in a safe way) enthralling. Another theory is that people who suffer from depression find it comforting to see characters make it through a hard situation.

Oftentimes people in a helpless situation, or who is suffering from depression might find comfort in comparing their life with the lives of the characters they read about. This goes for horror movies as well. It is not that these people like to see people suffer/lack empathy (though that also could be the case) but it is that euphoria of knowing that you can make it through even during the most frightening of situations.

A study by Eduardo Andrade (University of California, Berkeley) and Joel B. Cohen (University of Florida) argues:

“The assumption of people’s inability to experience positive and negative affect at the same time is incorrect.”

Happy to Be Unhappy

In theory, the authors argue that horror addicts are happy to be unhappy. This is, in my opinion, a cool radical acceptance approach to life. A skill that I learned in my dialectical behavior therapy to treat my borderline personality disorder. Because to live is to suffer, you can’t escape it and the whole “positive vibes only” might just coddle people into a fake sense of reality. But hey, that is their prerogative. I find a healthy balance of both is needed. Which is why in some ways I love having borderline personality disorder. Sure it can cause intense emotions but it opens my eyes to a broader range of tastes in things that I find most people don’t consider.

I still love my horror-addicts and clean romance addicts the same. But just want them to know that it is possible for people to experience both negative and positive emotions simultaneously.

There Is Hope

There is light even #Withinthedarkness. Aubrey will recover as I am from my own borderline personality disorder and I hope my fiction writing can help anyone else out there dealing with their own inner demons and mental health struggles. I know it isn’t really standard to make your fiction fantasy books slightly autobiographical, but hey I am not conventional. Literally writing Something saved my life. It was therapy for me and I hope it can be for anyone else out there. And as I get better and more understanding about what BPD is I promise that book three in #thewisteriaseries will be a book of healing. This is a passion project. I intend to write as best as I can, growing up on literary fiction, but also try to make the book easily readable/relatable to other victims of trauma. #aubreywillheal #hopeforall.

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So I finally decided to read this famous I-screwed-up-my-life book. I was very excited about getting my hands on it. After all, it has millions of fans worldwide so it must be something! But after reading the first page I knew I was in for a surprise. This was not at all what I expected. It was very snippy, vague and left me yawning A LOT. I ended up just smoking a lot of weed (as you can see by the picture) trying to get through the snoozefest. The effort that went into this book is…. questionable but I guess it was meant to be that way? The plot and the trail of events are also perplexing to me. Like how do you go from getting a slip of acid into a full-blown junkie just in the blink of an eye? And what’s with the annoying repeated words that SO does not read like a teen girl’s thoughts by the way. Or maybe it’s just me, after all being 27, my teen years are long gone. It could be that I wasn’t THAT kind of teen. Haha. I given it a three on Goodreads because much like the ending, the whole thing can be summed up by three words: abrupt, effortless, and disappointing.

3/5 coffee on a book stack. 

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