39

by Amanda Green

After recovering from mental illness and many other adversities, Amanda Green published her true story ('My Alien Self: My Journey Back to Me' on kindle). This is the journal of her life during the year following publication.

Dysfunctional and ever more inspiring, this memoir will take you into a whirlwind of love, humour, emotion, depression, adventures, music, animals, family health and relationships, as she strives to stay strong and achieve a life really worth living as a childless woman before her fast approaching 40th birthday.

Due to flashbacks of dark scenes and sexual abuse, this memoir is for adults only and although it's a sequel, it can easily be read alone.

213 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 9, 2013

About the author

I am Amanda Green; a self published multi-genre author.

I've written two memoirs (mental health), a self-help book for sufferers of anxiety and depression, and various short fiction including psychological thrillers, suspense and drama - thought provoking, inspiring stories with the theme of overcoming adversities (abuse, homelessness, mental health, relationships and more).

I am a therapeutic Counsellor, MBACP (British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists) member, and offer one-to-one counselling sessions (specialising with anxiety issues), plus group and individual personalised Life Writing Workshops in Essex, England.

Aside from writing and social networking, I spend a lot of time with my pets; a big, handsome cat called Titus, a pretty little cat called Millie and my tropical fish. I strongly believe in pet animal therapy as being good for our mind, body and soul and I promote the fostering and adopting of animals as opposed to private breeding and purchase. I detest animal cruelty, and spent years campaigning against palm oil use; it's unsustainable growth is the reason the precious Orang-utan is critically endangered in Sumatra and Borneo.

I have travelled on/off across the world, taking in twenty five Countries - living and working at times in Japan, Thailand and Australia and have enjoyed a very mixed bag of jobs.

I run three personal websites for which I write all copy and articles and provide all photography:

www.amandagreenauthor.co.uk
www.essexdepressionandanxietycounsell...
www.sandramdean.co.uk

I have had my writing and photography work published in various magazines and local newspapers. I enjoy the challenge of getting published.

I regularly post blogs about coping strategies, inspirational things to do, Borderline Personality disorder, depression, Obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety/panic attacks, thyroid issues, eating disorders (Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia), alcohol and drug abuse, sexual abuse/rape, Quetiapine (Seroquel anti-psychotics) and Citalopram (anti-depressant), therapies such as Cognitive behavioural therapy and paranoia, dissociation and psychosis - all of which I have experienced in one way or another either myself or those I know. Also info on mental health charities, forums, campaigns, the stigma surrounding mental illness, some of my personal experiences, celebrities with mental health issues and mental health in the family.

Reviews

[Chris Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I tend to do, both for my own writing and now for writing reviews for other writers - to keep my mind fresh and alert - is to read a different genre per book, as in each book should always be completely different to the last.

This book was certainly different: non-fiction, memoirs; dealing with mental illness, in your face, no holds barred, says it like it is... and you can't help but go with its intensity, its candour.

That's the remarkable thing: its candour. It doesn't set out to be a work of art - and you may say why should it, it's non-fiction? - but simply tells us where the author is 'at', at given junctures, via a stream of intensive consciousness.

What is interesting, too, is that, although someone suffering with a mental illness would find this book very beneficial, to a degree also, disturbingly enough, we can each find ourselves in there somewhere. They say there's no such thing as a normal family, only those you haven't met yet. This book reacquainted me with mine.

Thanks, Amanda.

[Simone Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Amanda Green's My Alien Self I was left thinking what a truly inspirational lady she was!!
Amanda opened herself up & was brutally honest in this memoir dealing with multiple mental illnesses, drink and drug abuse, and so much more.
I was left thinking I really want to know more of this very interesting, kind and most of all inspiring woman's life.
I have since started to tweet with Amanda and follow her Facebook page to see how her life has panned out so far, and to also educate myself more on mental health issues, and also found out we have a common love of animals, and family.
I was so excited when Amanda announced that she would be releasing a sequel called 39, which is about her life during the year following publication.
I absolutely loved this sequel it carries on with Amanda's life and her recovery of mental illness, which again I find truly inspiration and her fight against the stigma against mental health through her campaigns/blogs/twitter plus also campaigning to stop cruelty to animals! These are all subject that have touched my life through my family and friends and also my jobs and truly feel even if they have not touched your life, these memoirs give you a real inside view of what it's like to suffer with mental illness, and I feel everyone should be educated in this area to help people talk about these issues, so they do not feel isolated from the world and people in it.
This book also transports me back to my era as a young party diva with Amanda love of her music and how songs remind her of certain times in her life. (They certainly bought back some of my memories, strutting my stuff on the dance floor) *blushes*
A brilliant sequel to My Alien Self, I know I keep saying it but when I think of Amanda Green I always think kind,strong & truly Inspirational.

[Bill Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is unlike my normal fiction I consume but I was tempted by the synopsis and within a few pages I was hooked.
I do not share the same challenges the author has experienced but still found the book extremely interesting to read. It helps that the book is very well written in terms of the flow of the language and description of her life. It is a very personal book and comes across as a very honest portrayal of her life. No subject is taboo and as a result you really feel you get to know the author.
The book is ultimately very uplifting. Despite the very difficult challenges the author has experienced, she has not been defeated and this is inspirational for the majority of us who will never experience such difficulties.

[Christoph Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"39" by Amanda Green is an impressive and all-bearing honest memoir that shows a life of mental health issues, depression, crisis and how the author has come to terms with her past and her problems and learned to master and enjoy her life.
It is written in compelling and easy flowing prose that takes you wherever the author wants to take you, back to the past, into her head, into the analytical chair and to the present, so you can see the world as she sees it.
Inspiring and upbeat this is a very personal and uncompromising declaration of strength, insights and positivity that should help many people on their own path and allow others to understand each other better.

[Emma Paslawska · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is completely different to her 1st book.a positive outlook on life on how thing do get better.well worth reading and you don't need to have read her 1st book to enjoy.

[Hemmie Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed My Alien Self, so I was keen to see how the author's life progressed. It's an inspirational book with a dash of humour thrown in.

[Amanda Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, yes, I know it's my own book, but if I published it, it's the best it could be, so it's five stars from me! :-)