James Lindsay interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

Hi I'm James, 32 years old and living in Watford (Hertfordshire) with my fiancee Holly.

I also work in the marketing team for Hertfordshire Mind Network, a mental health charity (affiliated with the National Mind Charity).

I love going to the cinema, supporting Watford FC, visiting new places and socialising with friends!

When did your love of books begin?

I enjoyed reading as a kid; Roald Dahl, Harry Potter, Goosebumps and things like that.

I've always loved reading people's stories as well, then after I had my first psychotic episode at age 26, I became particularly fascinated with mental illness memoirs; Matt Haig, Bryony Gordon and Jonny Benjamin for example. It made me realise that books have the power to give you hope and inspire you!

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

So in 2018 I read a particularly good book that resonated with me a lot.

It is called "Let me be Frank" by Frank Bruno, who like myself was sectioned under the mental health act.

I had already started writing a lot of mental health blogs at this point, then I discovered there were specialist mental health publishers out there. I realised I wanted to write a book to help people, just like books have helped me. 

I would not wish mental illness on my worst enemy, so I feel very compelled to help people either avoid it, or recover from it. 

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

It certainly hasn't been easy or plain sailing. Initially I sent my manuscript to so many publishers and agents, I didn't have any luck. 

Then I discovered Cherish Editions who offer self publishing packages, so I decided to submit a proposal to them and was delighted when they agreed to publish!

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

Go for it! Apparently there are loads of unfinished/unpublished stories out there. One of the things I love about having my book out, is that it is essentially a lasting legacy that will be around longer than me. I like the idea of my kids/grandkids reading it. 

By choosing to be an author, you are leaving your positive mark on the world/in society, which to me is such a beautiful thing.

Tell us about your book/books:

Befriending My Brain is my mental illness memoir and self help book. I am no stranger to stress and anxiety. But leaving those struggles untreated led to a full psychotic episode that hospitalised me for the better part of a month. With the help of medication and therapy, I was able to overcome this dark period and thankfully I am now living a much happier life.

But my story doesn’t end there. Now, I want to help others avoid the same fate by sharing my experience, including the red flags I now recognise in hindsight and the path I charted to recovery. No matter where you are on your own journey, I hope my story will resonate and remind you, that recovery is always possible, and hope is never far away.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

So many things, they are the best community!! I really enjoy seeing and taking part in endless 'Writers Lift' posts on Twitter. Everyone is so supportive and we all share and champion each other. 

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read, and particularly in a cost of living crisis taking the decision to buy my book if you have. We always say in my mental health charity that helping even just one person makes everything worth it. So if my book helps someone with their journey, I will be more than satisfied! 

Where can people connect with you?

https://linktr.ee/jameslindsay - this contains all of my social media profiles, blogs, videos etc :)