Dark Fiction Author

  • Home
    • About Shah Wharton
    • Freelance Services
      • Testimonial: Peter7171 – Ghostwriting Customer
      • Testimonial: Leilalacey – Ghostwriting Customer
      • Testimonial: Barb4writers – Ghostwriting Customer
      • Testimonial: Leilalacey – Ghostwriting Customer
  • Blog
    • Insecure Writers Support Group #IWSG Posts
    • Mental Muse Posts
      • Mental Health Resources
    • Celebrate the Small Things Posts
    • Features
      • Book Tours
      • Book Reviews
      • Book Features
      • Guest Posts
  • Writer Resources
    • Scrivener Software
    • Publishers & Agents Who Accept Previously Self-Published Fiction.
    • My Self-Publishing Tips & Useful Links
    • Links To Use For Book Promotions
    • Literary Related Hashtags For Authors (& Readers)
    • #AuthorToolboxBlogHop Posts
  • Subscribe
  • CONTACT
    • My Poetry Blog
    • Show Me Your Support (For FREE)
  • Horror
  • Shorts
  • No Kindle?
  • Buy Links
  • All Books By Shah Wharton

Meet This Month’s Mental Muse: #Fantasy Author, Caitlin O’Connor #mentalillness #depression

18th November 2015 By Shah Wharton 4 Comments

After a couple of months break, please join us today to welcome the latest brave and bold Mental Muse. New Adult fantasy author, Caitlin O’Connor will share her answers to the five Mental Muse questions, along with her latest publication, Finding the Phoenix (The Celestial Talisman Book 1).

 

[asg-content-box boxcolor=”gray” boxtitle=”What’s Mental Muse all about?” boldtitle=”true” boxexpand=”true” showcontent=”true”]Mental Muse: The Mental Health Advocacy Meme for Authors invites writers who experience mental health issues to share their answers to five simple questions. Find them (along with more information on this meme) HERE. I went first in May 2014, you could be next. [/asg-content-box]

Welcome Caitlin O’Connor

Caitlin O’Connor searches for truth in fiction, and drags her characters through hell to find it.

A proud eccentric who aspires to be omniscient, she enjoys listening to music, trying to understand physics, and admiring unusual works of art.

She lives in South Africa with her son and a malevolent lovebird that requires daily libations of blood.

Connect via her website, Inspired Chaos | Like her Facebook Page | Or follow her on Twitter

 The Mental Muse Questions & Answers

  1. What is your mental health issue?

I was diagnosed with Depression as a child. I also suffered from intense social anxiety and rages. I’m a lot better now than I used to be, but it still gets to me sometimes.

  1. How long have you been writing fiction? Tell us about your career so far.

Writing became a serious hobby around ten years ago, but it’s only recently that I decided to publish my work.

  1. How has mental ill health helped your writing? 

Artistic expression has always given me an outlet for my emotions. I used to draw when I was younger, but now I write. I favor flawed characters, and I’ve found that my own mental health issues make it easier to crawl into the dark places of my characters’ minds. Writing emotional scenes when I’m depressed often enriches my prose.

  1. And how has it not?

I push myself way too hard. This is something which I believe traces back to a childhood belief that I could be normal if I just tried harder. I’ve learned to look after myself enough to avoid burning out, and I’ve become pretty good at holding off panic attacks, but I struggle to escape the feeling that I’m broken on a fundamental level.

  1. What advice do you have for other writers with mental health issues. 

Knowing yourself is key to managing mental health; from there comes a greater ability to care for yourself. This is an illness like any other, and it can often be treated so don’t be ashamed or afraid to seek help.


Check out Caitlin’s New Adult Fantasy Novel

Blurb: Descended from humans and a vanished race of elemental beings, only the Awakened know the truth about our world. Only they can hold back the fanatic Handmaidens of the Skaath Diurga—shadow creatures born from an ancient betrayal.

However, the Circle of Awakened is incomplete without the Child of Heaven: a human destined to Wield the Spirit element. Before she can Awaken, she must die.

Heaven has no memory of dying, except the experience of death itself. It’s that memory, of a place called ‘The Between’, that convinces her the man claiming to be her Guardian might not be completely crazy. Besides, even crazy is better than the life she’s leaving behind to be the Circle’s Wielder of Spirit. All she has to worry about now is her training, and figuring out how to fit in with the Awakened.

Tragedy strikes when one of the Guardians is killed, and ulterior motives thrust Heaven into the middle of the Circle’s quest for justice. She’ll have to decide just how far she’ll go for the people she’s come to care about.

[asg-button color=”yellow” link=”http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Phoenix-Celestial-Talisman-Book-ebook/dp/B0112H9L5Y” newwindow=”true”]BUY NOW[/asg-button]


If you are an author/writer who experiences mental health issues who would like to share how this impacts you professionally/personally, then please click this link to download The Mental Muse questions and instructions. Then, get your answers back to me using MENTAL MUSE ANSWERS as the email subject header. I’ll be in touch.

* This meme will continue monthly so long as I get enough participants, so please help me to spread the word and support this meme by linking the following button to THIS LINK in your sidebar. Thanks!
MentalMuse

Want to discuss an issue anonymously with a forum community of other’s in the same boat?

CLICK HERE.

Thank you Caitlin, for being this month’s brave & bold mental muse!

And thanks to all readers for your continued support.

*Join us in our fight against stigma.* 

X

 

Filed Under: Books and Authors, Fantasy, Features, Fiction Books, Fiction Writers, Indie Authors, Interview, MEME, Mental Health, Mental Muse, New Adult Books, Paranormal Books, Speculative Fiction, Urban Fantasy Tagged With: author advice, Author interview, book tour, books, Depression, Fantasy, Finding the Phoenix (The Celestial Talisman Book 1), Mental Health Meme, Mental Illness, Social Anxiety

About Shah Wharton

Shah Wharton is the author and publisher of horror and speculative fiction, and a ghostwriter of most other genres. For information, peruse the tool bar above.

Consider signing up to her growing email list for a free horror story, her writing/publishing news, and to keep abreast of other author's speculative book releases, tours, guest posts, author interviews, and giveaways.

Writing Improvement Software

Subscribe Here (Your Choice of a FREE STORY!)

Comments

  1. Alex J. Cavanaugh (@AlexJCavanaugh) says

    18th November 2015 at 6:04 pm

    No such thing as broken, Caitlin. Just wired differently.
    Glad you found a creative outlet you really enjoy.

    Reply
    • Shah Wharton says

      15th January 2016 at 8:35 pm

      Wired differently is right, Alex. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Jan Hawke says

    18th November 2015 at 6:32 pm

    Kudos Caitlin – those dark places can always stand being explored! 🙂

    Reply
    • Shah Wharton says

      15th January 2016 at 8:34 pm

      Thanks for stopping by Jan. X

      Reply

What do you think? Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Shah Wharton: Dark Fiction Author & Freelancer

Welcome! Get involved, learn a thing or two, and support authors. :) **Shah Wharton writes dark stories and poems, has been a freelancer since 2012, and blogs about her life, writing, spec-fic and horror. Between 2016-2018 she studied for a Masters in Creative Writing. Shah's work has been published by Siren's Call Publications and by numerous anonymous clients.**
[Read More…]

View My Blog Posts

Subscribe Here! (FREE SHORTS!)

New Posts The Same Day, CLICK HERE!

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,697 other subscribers.

  • Bloglovin
  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • StumbleUpon
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Tweets by @shahw1

This Blog is on the 'Top 50 Blogs List For Writers'

Please Like My Page

Please Like My Page
Dark Fiction Beta Reader & Critique Group

Scrivener for Scriveners

Buy Scrivener for Windows (Education Licence)
QUORA
FEEDLY
BLOGLOVIN
MY SERVICES
Comprehensive Mental Health Resources

Latest 'DARK FICTION' News Curated From Awesome Tweeters

What’s been going on…

  • Looking beyond my reflection. #coercivecontrol #domesticabuse
  • Wishing For Better Beginnings & Endings #IWSG #AmWriting
  • Some fave #horror & #darkfiction articles from this week.
  • Wow. This blog made the list for Top 50 Blogs for Writers! (And other news).

AuthoToolboxBlogHopPOSTS

RSS Shah’s Scribbles

  • The Metaphor of Language | Spoken Word #Poetry
  • Architecture of Culture | Spoken Word #Poetry
  • Long Live Phoenixes by Jasmine Farrell #poetry #poet @justbreathejas

RSS LINKS & META

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

GOODREADS

Shah Wharton's books on Goodreads
Finding Esta: #1 The Supes Series Finding Esta: #1 The Supes Series (Urban Fantasy Paranormal & Mystery)
reviews: 29
ratings: 57 (avg rating 4.05)

A Slow Burn: A Post-Apocalyptic Horror A Slow Burn: A Post-Apocalyptic Horror
reviews: 3
ratings: 7 (avg rating 4.86)

Rosa And Bella's Journal of Decline Rosa And Bella's Journal of Decline
reviews: 2
ratings: 7 (avg rating 4.57)

The Dead Party The Dead Party
reviews: 2
ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.00)

Dread: A Horror Collection Dread: A Horror Collection
reviews: 1
ratings: 5 (avg rating 4.40)

Horror Treat!

Get all 3 for £2.99 (In PRINT for 6.99)

Dread: A Horror Collection

This is a deeply unsettling collection of British horror. Each story features a post-apocalyptic theme, though each is starkly different from the other.

A Slow Burn:
“I will admit to having read this with the lights well and truly on!! Such vivid imagery[…]I highly recommend this novella to all lovers of this genre.” 

The Dead Party:
“One of the best political satires that I’ve come across in a long time!” 

Rosa and Bella’s Journal Of Decline:
“Brilliant and addictive. Yet another fantastic book from this author.”

 

*All are UK based and available individually.

View Book

Writer Tools, Tips, Links

  • My Self-Publishing Tips & Useful Links
    • Publishers & Agents Who Accept Previously Self-Published Fiction.
    • Links To Use For Book Promotions
    • Get more reviews
    • Literary Related Hashtags For Authors (& Readers)
    • Writer Search Engine
  • Audacity
  • Seventh Sanctum
  • Chaotic Shiny
  • RanGen
  • Phrases.org
  • Dialect Blog
  • Accent Checker

Help Fight Stigma With 5 Simple Questions

CLICK FOR INFORMATION / TO SIGN UP

All Visitors Welcome! :)

AfrikaansShqipአማርኛالعربيةՀայերենAzərbaycan diliEuskaraБеларуская моваবাংলাBosanskiБългарскиCatalàCebuanoChichewa简体中文繁體中文CorsuHrvatskiČeština‎DanskNederlandsEnglishEsperantoEestiFilipinoSuomiFrançaisFryskGalegoქართულიDeutschGreekગુજરાતીKreyol ayisyenHarshen HausaŌlelo Hawaiʻiעִבְרִיתहिन्दीHmongMagyarÍslenskaIgboBahasa IndonesiaGaeligeItaliano日本語Basa Jawaಕನ್ನಡҚазақ тіліភាសាខ្មែរ한국어كوردی‎КыргызчаພາສາລາວLatinLatviešu valodaLietuvių kalbaLëtzebuergeschМакедонски јазикMalagasyBahasa MelayuമലയാളംMalteseTe Reo MāoriमराठीМонголဗမာစာनेपालीNorsk bokmålپښتوفارسیPolskiPortuguêsਪੰਜਾਬੀRomânăРусскийSamoanGàidhligСрпски језикSesothoShonaسنڌيසිංහලSlovenčinaSlovenščinaAfsoomaaliEspañolBasa SundaKiswahiliSvenskaТоҷикӣதமிழ்తెలుగుไทยTürkçeУкраїнськаاردوO‘zbekchaTiếng ViệtCymraegisiXhosaיידישYorùbáZulu

Get it signed…

International Linkage Thingy

I’m a Member of The Association of Ghostwriters.


Association of Ghostwriters


IndePENdents.org Awards ‘Seal of Approval’ to Finding Esta!

IndePENdents.org Seal of Approval
IndePENdents.org Offers Seal of Approval for Finding Esta!
I'm an Ethical Author
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Don’t Copy

Creative Commons License
Shah Wharton's WordsinSync by Shah Wharton is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

ARE YOU AN INSECURE WRITER IN NEED OF A COMMUNITY?

For All Your Description Needs

Writers Helping Writers (New Home of Bookshelf Muse)

Author Marketing Club

Find Me Elsewhere

  • Bloglovin
  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • StumbleUpon
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Archives

Categories

My Posts

  • Looking beyond my reflection. #coercivecontrol #domesticabuse
  • Wishing For Better Beginnings & Endings #IWSG #AmWriting
  • Some fave #horror & #darkfiction articles from this week.
Writing Improvement Software

Search The Blog

Subscribe Here! (FREE SHORTS!)

© Copyright 2014Shah Wharton's WordsinSync · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Tech Surgeons · ADMIN

Cookies

This site uses cookies: Find out more.