LANSING, MI – Marybeth Smith, mother to a son suffering from Bipolar Disorder, as well as someone battling the illness herself, writes a novel aimed at helping young adults understand mental illness.
“Too many teenagers today feel alone in coping with depression or other mental illnesses,” Smith comments. “They should know there are others out there who understand what they are going through.”
Whereas many books about mental illness show the disorders through the viewpoint of the person suffering from the illness, FALL GIRL explores Bipolar through the eyes of a sibling, demonstrating how bipolar disorder not only affects those suffering from the illness, but also their loved ones.
“After witnessing the interactions between my son and his siblings, I felt it was important to share the difficulties they each struggle with,” she says. “I wanted to show how my son’s illness could impact who they are as teenagers and determine who they will become as adults.”
During a month long promotion on Amazon.com, where the Kindle version was temporarily listed for free, FALL GIRL sold over 25,000 copies in two weeks, ranking her number #3 on the Kindle’s Best Seller List for FREE Children’s eBooks.
In 2010, Marybeth Smith founded the website www.askabipolar.com, where she and a group of authors suffering from bipolar disorder answer readers’ questions about mental illnesses. FALL GIRL is her first published novel, with a sequel in the works, and she hopes that one day, through her books and website; she will be able to help bring an end to the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Available in paperback or eBook at www.amazon.com
To arrange an interview or book signing please contact Marybeth Smith at
616-644-5621 or mb@marybethsmith.com
This was printed in the July 31, 2011 – August 13, 2011 Edition
