A life-long dream has turned into reality for a Campbell River mental health therapist and advocate.
Connie Greshner will soon be a published author when her book “Borderline Shine: A Memoir” is released through Dundurn Press next month.
What began as free-hand writing in a journal in the summer of 2018 rapidly progressed into something more.
“I wrote for four months every time I went camping,” Greshner says. “At the end of that time, I transcribed it into my computer and did some editing. Then in February of last year, I submitted it to publishers to see if there was any interest.”
Dundurn Press sent an expression of interest just 24 hours after Greshner reached out.
Once the manuscript was sent into Dundurn, contracts were quickly signed and the process of publishing the book began.
The goal behind “Borderline Shine: A Memoir” is to advocate for recovery from mental health and to combat the stigma that is still attached to mental health and substance use.
The book revolves around complex trauma and is the story of Greshner’s life from her perspective, beginning at eight years old when her father murdered her mother.
“It follows what happened after that, all of the different things. The struggling, the suffering and what I went through. Trying to figure stuff out and eventually working my way to create a life that I really want to live and getting to the place where I can help other people now,” she says.
Greshner believes the book will attract the interest of many, including people who have experienced trauma in their lives and those who have mental health issues.
“It will also appeal to mental health professionals because it gives that first-person lens into what a person is experiencing. In addition, I think it will appeal to the general public because it lends an understanding as to why people make the choices that they do make when they are in the midst of suffering.”
Set to release on Feb. 15th, a launch party for “Borderline Shine: A Memoir” will be held the same day at Campbell River’s Crooked Spoon Cafe from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm.
The book can currently be pre-purchased through Amazon and once published, it will be available for purchase from CoHo Books and through Dundurn Press.
“I’ve been wanting to write a book my entire life. However, my motivations have shifted over time as I have grown as a person. I am very pleased with how it came forth quite naturally at this point in time,” Greshner added.
To learn more about Connie Greshner and her memoir, visit this website.
