We need to market my book

My book is out.  It has been getting excellent reviews.  Scott and I need a planning session to market the book.  There are some book fairs coming up in Jan., Feb. and March that we are looking at getting a booth to sell books.  Also, we should do press releases and target local news programs that have health sections.  Wish me luck.  The publisher wants me to write another book.  This one will probably also deal with bi-polar disorder as it affects us on a daily basis - the ups, the downs, and looking for even ground.

I'm on YouTube

My book has a trailer on YouTube.  You can view it at YouTube Trailer Another Biscuit Please

I love my publishers, Mystic Mustangs Publishing.  The ladies I've worked with a great.  Big thanks to Candace and Linda.  We're working on an announcement to send to our clients - a home shot.  And we're going to see about getting me an interview on What's Up SWFL?  Wish us luck on that.  Gosh, I hope people like the book.

I'm a Published Author

I'm so excited.  My book came out as an ebook on Thursday, August 23.  It is available through Smashwords and Amazon for Kindle.  It will be out as a paperback soon.  Never thought it would come to fruition.  I hope this book helps someone who has bipolar disorder or helps a friend of someone with it to help his or her friend through understanding and support.

This book is probably the bravest thing I have ever done.  I expose all my emotions and deepest secrets with the hope of acceptance and understanding from my friends and family.  It's a sensitive book in many ways, laced with humor at myself.

My book is available at:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/218731
It's also available at Amazon for Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Another-Biscuit-Please-ebook/dp/B0091K70L2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345827193&sr=8-1&keywords=another+biscuit+please


And my author profile is available at: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JoleneJacobs

Please check out these websites.  I can't wait to share my story with you.  Have a great weekend.  And if you are in the path of Tropical Storm/Hurricane Isaac, stay safe.  Bye.

Had a tough day today.

 I've been trying to work at a law firm doing estate planning and probate and I'm feeling very overwhelmed and afraid I'm going to miss something important.  There just doesn't seem to be any time to get organized.  I started behind the 8 ball on day one and have never caught up.  I'm all over the place - chasing my tail, so to speak.  I started shaking and feeling like I needed to cry and stick my head in the sand.  Then I realized I forgot to take my meds this morning.  I really don't think I should have had that reaction just because I was late taking my pills.  I called the psychiatrist's office to find out if I need to come in earlier than the 15th of the month or if I should adjust my medication levels until I can get there.  I'm waiting for a call back.  I really think I need a new therapy dog.  Our current dog is named Debbie Harry.  I think I'll ask her if she'd like the job.  I'll let you know.

Pondering stopping the meds.

This has been a difficult week, much chest congestion, coughing, etc., but I still went to work.  Grueling.

Anyway, I was thinking just yesterday about my Bipolar Disorder.  I was re-reading my manuscript for the last time before publishing and remembered how numb I felt when I was first on my medication.  I didn't feel like I had any energy or emotions.  A black hole. At that point, it never occurred to me to stop taking my meds because I couldn't handle the "downs" of my disease.  Now that I am stable and my emotions are more normal - although I never cry at the movies anymore - I can understand why people would stop taking their meds.  Just to get the highs again would be great.  Unfortunately, the highs are soon followed by very deep troughs.  That's a very scary place.  And that's what keeps me on my meds.  I do sometimes wonder if my creativity would be better without the meds.  Even in the depths of my despair, I had very creative periods.  It's an ambivalence - being at my best and worst almost simultaneously.  Forgive me, I'm rambling.  Just wanted to get that out there for anyone who is considering stopping their meds.  It's not worth it.  Just keep working with your doctor to get the right meds for you and you will find a peaceful place to exist where you can be happy and not have to deal with the suicidal thoughts.  Take care of yourself and be the best you can be.  It will be enough.

The book cover revealed

Feeling more like myself, finally.  Went back to work today.  It was hard.  I wanted to nap.  I was hot, then cold, then hot, etc. - all day I met myself going to or coming back from turning on the fan.

So excited last night.  Saw the book cover yesterday and it is great.  My publisher did a great job capturing the essence of the book.  Also saw the website for the book and the extract.  It's really happening.  I got the final draft of the book to review this morning, so I'm going to work on that this evening.  Have a wonderful evening.

Weird tricks your mind plays when you are sick.

When I got home from work on Wednesday, I was very sick.  Sore throat, coughing, high fever, sinus congestion.  Basically I felt like crap.  Have slept a lot these past few days and let me tell you that probably any one of my hallucination dreams would be a best seller if only I could remember them.  Wow.  What insight.  Once I actually felt I could understand what it's like to have people talking inside your head.  Not actually to you but in the background.  You find yourself straining to hear what they are saying and hoping it's not about you.  Whoa!  Scary.

My mind generally is like an amusement park.  During the day all bright and shiny, but at night all scary with unexplained happenings.  Was that head chopping block there this morning?  And if it's ketchup, why doesn't it smell like tomatoes instead of making you want to gag?  And the haunted house sways as if it is alive.  Who wants to go inside?  Who's brave enough to step inside my mind and take a ride at night?  Come on.  Be brave.  I have to go every night, but when I'm sick and on medication with a high fever, it's no fun.  Can't wait to leave this fun house and go back to the Carousel.  Hope to see you in the morning.

Remembering my son.

Last night I was working on final touches for the publisher.  Played with the idea of putting a picture of Jason in the book, but due to the cost, I settled for a statement that he will always be with me in my heart or something like that.  Some of my friends and family thought I should dedicate the book to Jason, but in all honesty, I'm a little angry with him for leaving us and causing me such pain.  I chose instead to dedicate the book to the person who kept me alive during my deep depression - my husband Scott.  Without him the book would never have been written and my daughter would have lost not only a brother, but also her mother.  But I do need to have the in memory of Jason page because he's forever in my heart and always on my mind.  My sweet son.  I always had such a strong connection with him, maybe because he was a lot like me.  Maybe it's the mother and son thing.  I don't know.  I just know that I love both my children who are very different from each other - almost polar opposites.  So naturally my relationship with each one is different.  Shannon is my role model - and I am in awe of her and all she achieves each day.  She's everything I wish I could be - beautiful, goal oriented, driven and extremely organized to get more done in a day than I can do in a week.  She's my hero.

Got to get showered for work.  Maybe I'll post some more later.

Another Biscuit, Please - available soon

I am so excited that my book is being published.  Another Biscuit, Please will soon be available as an ebook and in print.  If you haven't heard, this book is about my recovery from deep depression and a mental breakdown after my son's suicide.  I couldn't face journaling about how terrible each day was, so I journaled from my dog's viewpoint instead.  Brandy became my Therapy Dog and coached me through my difficult road to recovery.  She was with me through a very difficult time in my life and although we only had her for a few months before she died of pancreatic cancer, she will always be remembered in this book.  I hope you like it.