I’m 43 years old and have been very happily married for 15 years. I live in Michigan. We don’t have children, but we have five cats that we rescued. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when I was 19, and I’ve been battling it every day since. Currently, I’m devoting my time to writing and photography. I write to give my feelings a voiceand possibly help others. That is why I started a blog in 2013 after I survived a suicide attempt. My book, It’s Not Your Journey is based on my blog, and was published in August of 2015This was my first book, and it’s a memoir. I’m not sure if I will branch out into other areas yet.The Book: It’s Not Your JourneySummary:“In her first published work, Rebecca Lombardo collects her internationally followed blog into the pages of It’s Not Your Journey. Rebecca shares her struggles with bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, self-injury, and recovery from a suicide attempt.
Rebecca candidly reveals her real and raw feelings on these subjects, as well as addressing other issues that have contributed to her downward spiral and eventual climb out of her own pit of despair. Issues such as the loss of her mother to lung cancer, the death of her brother, abandonment from friends and family members due to her hospitalization, and more.
At 43 years of age and happily married for nearly 15 years, Rebecca can finally say that she is on her way to reaching her dream. Not only does she hope to help people that are struggling with depression, she hopes to help everyone realize that you are never too old to find your voice.”Book Facebook page: www.facebook.com/notyourjourneyTwitter: www.twitter.com/BekaLombardoBook Website: www.rebeccalombardo.comLink to purchase my book on Amazon: http://amzn.com/0692509739
1) When did you start writing and what gave you the inspiration to write?
I was always a creative kid. I’ve often told the story of writing my first little book in 3rd grade. I knew back then that I wanted to keep writing. As I got older, I would often be inspired by experiences in my own life, usually painful experiences. When I could write about it, it helped clear my mind.
2) What is writing to you?
Writing is how I express myself. I’m not always great at verbal communication, so I keep writing about my feelings. Writing is also a release for me. It feels almost as if I’m exorcising the demons when I write. Once it’s written down and purged from my brain, I often feel much better.
3) How do you handle negative reviews/comments?
That is always very difficult for me. Especially when I first started. My first instinct was to confront the person and ask them why. Especially if they were someone I knew, at least casually. That is not the right thing to do. I learned the hard way. Now if I get a bad review, I read it and consider whether it has any value to me for the future, and then I move on. Some people can be downright rude with the things they say, and when your book is about your life, it feels like a personal attack. I can’t say that the bad reviews no longer bother me at all. I still get upset, especially when people are particularly cruel. I just think back to an article that I read that stated some bad reviews are actually good. If you have all 5 stars from everyone that ever reviews your book, it seems unrealistic.
4) What would you say is your pet peeve when reading someone’s story?
Blatant grammar and spelling errors. It’s just a general pet peeve of mine. Also, an author that is far too descriptive. I like to find a balance between too descriptive and not descriptive enough.
5) What would you say was the biggest writing challenge for you? (could be a story, a writer’s block etc)
I would have to say that writer’s block is a huge challenge for me. Dealing with mental illness the way that I do, I often have trouble concentrating or calming the racing thoughts in my head. Not to mention, my book and my blog both touch on painful situations that I’ve had to deal with.
6) What keeps you motivated? Or better what motivates you the most, in order to keep writing?
My motivation to keep writing varies. I feel like writing makes me feel more at peace. I have been extremely motivated by all of the wonderful people that have reached out to me about my book. I’m grateful to them every day. My husband also helps to keep me motivated. He’s a very positive person and is always trying to encourage me, whatever the situation.
I would also like to present you a local author event that I’ll be in Michigan on April 12th. As requested by Rebecca. For more information check their Facebook page and see the flyers below.
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