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2013
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August
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- 5 WAYS TO LAUGH AT OURSELVES
- Rugby in Russia
- Rock from Space
- ALISON BRUCE INTERVIEW WITH A CON
- INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR KAT FLANNERY
- Russia may be right
- Putin Rainbow Themes
- SCHUBERT'S SERENADE AND A SALE
- RUSSIAN FIREBALL REVISITED
- POEM ON LINKY BLOG
- GEEK WEEK: Star Wars Filibuster
- RESULTS WITH TRIBERR
- SUMMER SIZZLES WITH IMAJIN BOOKS
- Boycott of Vodka Wrong?
- Can you get there from here?
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August
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Most Popular Posts
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Memorable Characters Writer's Workshop I went to my first writer's workshop last Saturday, put on by the Canadian Authors'...
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It is my pleasure to welcome author Mari Collier to my blog today. We’ll start out with a few questions. If you choose not to a...
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Today is my son Steve Wild's 45 birthday. He died last year, September 21, 2012, of aggressive esophageal/stomach cancer which went undi...
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A vote: SpaceHive, Space Hive, SPACEHIVE? You'll note there's a new title for my book, and I've chosen SpaceHive. Consultation w...
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We all have to grow up, and Justin Bieber is growing up, I notice. The teen crowd is soon going to be the New Adult group, and I've been...
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Where do I go from here? Where I've been Came from the depths of obscurity and mental illness to that place called author. Ki...
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Comment of the day by Eileen Schuh : Photo of Eileen FROM Memories of Mother Missing our loved ones I'm missing my Mom today...
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This book is called The Insanity Machine because in 1978 Kenna McKinnon chatted with another inmate in the old 5C forensic psychiatr...
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To use or not to use the Oxford comma (serial comma)? It depends. In Canada, don't use it. In the USA, use it. But it's not that s...
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Though it’s a standalone sequel, Penniless Souls is the second half of a two-part journey called the Lost Compass Love Series. Follow Pen...
Monday, August 26, 2013
ALISON BRUCE INTERVIEW WITH A CON
SPACEHIVE eBook 99 cents till the end of the week, including Aug. 31. Get it here.
Excerpt from interview on Alison Bruce's blog:
Kenna, you are a fascinating woman. You are open about your schizophrenia and reach out to help other people dealing with this mental health issue. What impact has this had on your writing career and the stories you choose to tell?
It' s had very little impact other than I suspect the illness has given me a scope of living experience and glimpses of creativity and imagination that made me who I am today, and thus the writer I am. I think I'm more tolerant as a result and hate to see racism or bigotry in any form, as I've been the victim of it too often in the past, and others like me have also been victims of discrimination and ignorance.
You must realize, Alison, that I'm almost 69 years old and have been ill for almost 40 years, part of that unmedicated and misdiagnosed. I haven't always been as open about the schizophrenia nor as well as I am today. However, I've always had a great thirst for learning and new experiences, and this has served me well in carving out a path of recovery, often without a great deal of assistance. That being said, the proper medication is essential, and adhering to a medication schedule and developing a therapeutic relationship with an excellent psychiatrist. This has not always been the case, and only recently have medications and the medical community been more open to admitting the hope and growth that's possible with mental illness.
I've written my story with the assistance of a friend, Austin Mardon, PhD, CM (Order of Canada), who also has schizophrenia. It's a book called The Insanity Machine and is available on Amazon and select bookstores. The book includes the latest research at the time of writing (2012) and anecdotes from our lives including somewhat chilling renderings of manifestations of the illness, reactions from family, friends, and medical personnel, and advice to caregivers. Note I have never had a caregiver nor a great deal of support until now, after I committed in 2009 a criminal act and received help from the legal system to address the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, delusions, and obsessive ruminating.
Excerpt from interview on Alison Bruce's blog:
Kenna, you are a fascinating woman. You are open about your schizophrenia and reach out to help other people dealing with this mental health issue. What impact has this had on your writing career and the stories you choose to tell?
It' s had very little impact other than I suspect the illness has given me a scope of living experience and glimpses of creativity and imagination that made me who I am today, and thus the writer I am. I think I'm more tolerant as a result and hate to see racism or bigotry in any form, as I've been the victim of it too often in the past, and others like me have also been victims of discrimination and ignorance.
You must realize, Alison, that I'm almost 69 years old and have been ill for almost 40 years, part of that unmedicated and misdiagnosed. I haven't always been as open about the schizophrenia nor as well as I am today. However, I've always had a great thirst for learning and new experiences, and this has served me well in carving out a path of recovery, often without a great deal of assistance. That being said, the proper medication is essential, and adhering to a medication schedule and developing a therapeutic relationship with an excellent psychiatrist. This has not always been the case, and only recently have medications and the medical community been more open to admitting the hope and growth that's possible with mental illness.
I've written my story with the assistance of a friend, Austin Mardon, PhD, CM (Order of Canada), who also has schizophrenia. It's a book called The Insanity Machine and is available on Amazon and select bookstores. The book includes the latest research at the time of writing (2012) and anecdotes from our lives including somewhat chilling renderings of manifestations of the illness, reactions from family, friends, and medical personnel, and advice to caregivers. Note I have never had a caregiver nor a great deal of support until now, after I committed in 2009 a criminal act and received help from the legal system to address the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, delusions, and obsessive ruminating.
Any comments, gentle readers? Those of you in another time zone, another country, another culture, what is your reaction to a senior Canadian author who has struggled with a mental illness for the better part of her adult life, and has to show for it a successful life? (Well, almost)...I'd love to hear your comments and any kudos or slams as a result of my honesty.
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Of course, you all may be very tired of my constant advocating. In that case, please reserve your comments for what you truly have passion for, because passion is so important.
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