There will be a third book. I wrote and illustrated a third book, then decided not to publish it, as it delved too deeply into my present mind. So I started over. I have changed everything. I think in order to further develop the pieces that define me I must look to my past. This book will be a prequel to the first, and will include personal stories from my childhood.
When I was twenty-eight and single, I lived in a studio apartment in the shape of a small cabin. It was one of my favorite residences. My growth was stunted at sixteen, so my interior decorating taste and collections are child-like and colorful. This was my haven. It was a nest, and I shared it with the special people in my life and kept it hidden from those I expected would judge me. It was deeply personal. One day, some of my parents’ friends came to visit, and they wanted to see my space. I allowed them, knowing they would leave with knowledge unlikely to share. I was mistaken. After visiting my home, they described it in detail to the people I did not invite inside, and would have to live with after they left. My insides are kept secret in order to keep me safe, thus I publish the secrets I choose to tell. I do not tell them all.
The third book in my series will be about internal voices. Young adults in middle and high school are my target audience, though I hope others may find this helpful as well. These years are pivotal in their lives, and I wish I had a book like this when I was first experiencing symptoms of psychiatric disorder. People are prone to feel alone when they can see and hear things others cannot.
It is easy to feel “crazy,” though that is impossible.
Stay Tuned…
–SJB