US: 101 Distractions from Depression, Self-harm (and other Soul-destroyers) by Sophia Gill on amazon.com
UK: 101 Distractions from Depression, Self-harm (and other Soul-destroyers) by Sophia Gill on amazon.co.uk
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| 101 Distractions from Depression, Self-harm (and other Soul-destroyers) by Sophia Gill |
101 Distractions from Depression, Self-harm (and other Soul-destroyers) is a non-conventional self-help book designed to offer friendly, important advice during those moments when it is impossible to see through that oppressive fog of depression. Combining simple, often overlooked ideas with the all-important chance to understand exactly how each distraction has helped the author, think of this book as your springboard to recovery. The snippets of Sophia’s life in each page could be just what you need to feel as though you aren’t alone, or it could be the insight you are after in order to understand how to help yourself or someone close to you.
50% of profits from all book sales are donated to the mental health charity SANE
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Author Quiz interviews Sophia Gill...
Do you ever feel yourself becoming quite emotional when writing and is there a specific passage in particular where this was the case?
As I write about depression and self-harm, I find myself becoming emotional all of the time! When I think about just how many people suffer from mental illness, and know that right now there will be millions of people feeling just as depressed as I was – it brings me to tears. I never, ever believed that I could change - but now I know that this is just one of the many 'tricks' depression plays on us. Writing makes me emotional because it gives me hope that one day, my words will help someone else understand depression and learn to cope.
If you were to write a novel outside your usual genre, which genre would you like to experiment with and why?
I've written two books in the non-fiction genre now (the 2nd is coming later in 2013) and I'd love to continue experimenting in the children's fiction genre. I'm still quite young in terms of my interests and hobbies, so I'd really enjoy writing for the younger audience. I did have a go writing a kids book a couple of years ago, but I never really knew how to get it off the ground. It's an extremely difficult market, and the explosion that was Harry Potter seems to have made it even harder to get a break. I would need to go down the more traditional route of publishing for this, which I do hope to crack one day.
If you could choose someone famous to record your book in audiobook format, who would you choose as the voice and why?
Ah, most definitely Stephen Fry. His voice is perfect for the audiobook format, and I know that my book is on a subject close to his heart. If he knew about it I think he'd certainly approve. My only concern would be that people would hear his voice and think of a computer game!
If you could invite one character from your book to a dinner party who would it be and why?
I guess this question isn't really relevant to me, but I have written about the time Phillip Schofield interviewed me on This Morning, so it seems only fair that I show my thanks by inviting him over for dinner. He'd have to leave the gopher behind though, as we have two very hungry cats. ;)
What do you think stimulates sales the most; positive reviews or advertising?
Both are a bit of a black art, but in my heart I feel that positive reviews help sales the most. I've found it quite hard to encourage people to write reviews - I'm guessing mostly because by the very nature of depression, readers are probably finding it hard to focus on things (I know I did). The feedback I have had has been fantastic though, and I appreciate that stuff like this just takes time.
How do you see the publishing industry changing over the next few years?
I strongly believe that this is now the time for eBooks. Paperbacks will always have their place of course, but more and more people are becoming I.T. savvy enough to plunge themselves into the virtual world of publishing. I just hope that the industry doesn't become so saturated that the choice is too overwhelming for readers to cope with.
What are some of your favourite quotes from reviews that you've received?
I haven't received a great number of reviews yet, but this line from one really did make me feel good about the book - 'The suggestions are all practical and many are easy to put into practice even when not feeling good. There is something here for everyone in an easily accessible format and is also good for carers, friends and family to read.'
It was great to find out that someone else 'gets it', as one of my worries was always 'what if people don't find it helpful?' Every author needs a bit of reassurance that their work has been worthwhile, and comments like this let me know that 101 Distractions is doing its job.
Can you remember the moment when you logged into your author account and discovered you had made your first sale?
I actually made the first sale myself – by accident. I was experimenting with sending the sample to my Kindle, and testing how the links all worked. The next thing I know I'd bought the book and was downloading another copy - I'm sure you can imagine how many drafts were already on my device! After that I'm pretty sure that at least the next 5 sales were from friends and family. From that moment onwards though, seeing the numbers trickle along always makes me feel both proud and nervous.
What advice would you give to a new author who has just finished writing their first book and is unsure as to what steps to take next?
My suggestion is to think carefully about who your target audience is, and whether they would prefer an eBook or paperback. This will help you to focus on the best step forwards, as not all books work well in both areas. I felt that the digital format was ideal for 101 Distractions because it meant my readers could carry the book with them always and refer back to it when they needed help. It also meant they could read it without worrying about others knowing they were turning to a self-help book – but it has been hard for me to let go of the dream of seeing it in print. I'd also advise working on building a tough skin, as we will all receive rejections, comments or reviews that hurt. This is the hardest part.
Why should people buy your book, 101 Distractions from Depression and Self-harm?
Because there truly is nothing like it! The number of books about depression and self-harm are slowly increasing, but none of them are as positive and easy to follow as 101 Distractions. I love reading about other people's experiences with mental health, because it has always given me re-assurance that I wasn't alone. However, it does frustrate me when these books end on a downer, or with something along the lines of 'then I found medication' - as this doesn't give the reader any inspiration or hope of recovery. I got through the serious addiction of self-harm without finding the answer in a pill or deity, and I truly believe that this is what people need to read in order to understand that it is possible to get better. 101 Distractions isn't a traditional self-help book, and nor is it my memoir. It's a bit of both really, which is why it is so unique. The idea of using distractions is not exactly new, but I've made the application of them much more relevant and easier to put into place. In 101 Distractions you can see very clearly how I recovered from depression and self-harm, why the distractions worked, and how they can work for you. It's simple, but so, so effective. :)
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| Sophia Gill, author of 101 Distractions from Depression, Self-harm (and other Soul-destroyers) |
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Check out the official website for Sophia's 101 Distractions book:
www.distractionsfromdepression.com
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Follow Sophia Gill on twitter:
@101Distractions
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101 Distractions from Depression, Self-harm (and other Soul-destroyers) is available for Kindle and the Kindle app from amazon.com and amazon.co.uk:
US: 101 Distractions from Depression, Self-harm (and other Soul-destroyers) on amazon.com
UK: 101 Distractions from Depression, Self-harm (and other Soul-destroyers) on amazon.co.uk
You can also purchase 101 Distractions in paperback format:
US: 101 Distractions from Depression, Self-harm (and other Soul-destroyers) (Paperback)
UK: 101 Distractions from Depression, Self-harm (and other Soul-destroyers) (Paperback)
50% of profits from all book sales are donated to the mental health charity SANE
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