[stylist] More Information: Helen's book "Everyday Cruelty"

[EJ Kobek]

Hi, all, sorry for the wrong key hit...here's more:

Who did you go through to publish? (Is this self- publishing? Which
out-fit?) *See previous. But adding, I would go with Create Space
again...But there are a great many self-publishing, Print-On-Demand
outfits,...you just have to know what they do, what their contracts
say....customer service is key...And ask the same question of thre same
customer service people before making an expensive decision...I learned the
hard way.*

How long did you work on this project?* I began interviewing people (blind
folks, etc.) a year and a half ago....began the writing in July, 2013. I'd
started it as one focus, and then changed it: from "Everyday Evil" to
"Everyday Cruelty" having nearly completed the former by mid-March, when I
decided I was really writing about cruelty....for all sorts of reasons,
needed to rewrite the whole book, basically, but it felt right...more
people relate to cruelty than evil.....*

Did you have others to perform editing functions? (Major and/or just
sections; looking for "the right way" to do this part.) *I used a mix of
JAWS, ZOOM functions, and The Sighted :_) to edit, layout. I co-designed
the cover, telling someone what colors I wanted and why....What font
features I wanted and why.,...*

Do you have a professional background in this topic area, or a related
connection? *I'm a [happily] former psychotherapist, and there's some
critique of the mental health system in this book, just a warning for
therapists....Otherwise, lots of connection, like there is for
everyone....I include many elements in looking at Everyday Cruelty,
including bullying, greed manifest daily, scapegoating in families...so I,
like everyone, has direct experience with everyday cruelty. I look at how
it affects people physically, cognitively, emotionally, spiritually, and
behaviorally, and then make hundreds of suggestions for dealing, from all
those perspectives....many of which I've used myself...and I note in the
book those ideas that came from other people....As they say, ":Write what
you know..."*

Is this your first? Got another one coming? *This is my first book,
although I've done a lot of other writing.* *Right now, I'd say another
book is not immediately forthcoming, but that might be my, "I need to be in
a nice coma for a month" attitude. There are some ideas percolating,
though...Right now I'm focusing on recovering :-) and distributing the
book....My goal for this book has been to have a personal connection with
people I sell it to...hence the self-distro....when people hold the book
(as they have with the proofs), they hold it a long time, flip through it,
often cry...it's a very validating book, and very hopeful, while touching
the pain.....it says, "This is hard stuff, but here's how to find your way
through, most of the time...try some probiotics..." So it's very personal,
as is all of my writing...The loss I feel with people getting it via
Booskhare is I cannot have that connection....I cannot inscribe or touch it
or be personal with it......that matters to me..  So I hope that people who
read it on Bookshare will be in touch, for a personal connection...that's
what the book is about...*

*BTW: the book cover looks like this: It's 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 softcover...The
text is bold, italicized....There are bands of colored light coming from
upper left to lower right...the bands alternate light pink (for innocence)
with white/yellow (for clarity, all-colors) with teele (mature, wise
sophisticated color)....innocence and wisdom...what need in this
world...when dealing with cruelty...*



 Thanks (Just wanting a clearer picture of all you have done, and hope to
accomplish.)....*With pleasure, Robert.*

Respectfully yours,
Robert Leslie Newman