My book, Emotional Paramedics, comes in at just about two hundred pages, yet
it took me almost five years to finish and finally publish it. There were
several reasons why it took me so long and I’d be lying if I said
procrastination wasn’t one of them. As a book marketer/book reviewer, I find
myself living the life of a shoemaker. I’m sure you’ve heard it…the shoemaker spends
so much time making shoes for everyone in the village that his own family goes shoeless.
In other words, I was so busy helping other authors publish and market their
books, I had little time to concentrate on my own writing.
A couple of other things had me at a
standstill with my latest book. Emotional
Paramedics is unlike anything I’ve written before. I’ve also written three
children’s books and three non-fiction books and, as proud as I am of them all,
a coming of age novel was an ambitious undertaking for me. I struggled with the
content and dialogue. The book deals with some very serious social issues and
uses strong language at times. Although any strong language in the book is most
definitely not gratuitous, I’d seen the scathing reviews where readers
condemned a book after a couple of pages simply because they didn’t like the
language used. The truth of the matter is that some subjects are just gritty
and real, which means they warrant some gritty and real language. Emotional Paramedics is (at times) one
of those books. Yet, it’s not all doom, gloom and swearing. Not by any means.
At the heart of the book is a young
girl, August, who struggles to overcome some truly awful life experiences,
while trying hard not to let the world change her into something she wasn’t meant
to be. It’s about a young girl who is determined not to give up and who
believes there is something better just around the corner.
I also wondered if anyone else would
be as invested in my main character as I was. Would people enjoy the book? Or
would they groan and say, “ugh, not
another book about a kid with a bad childhood.” Or would they accept it for
the story that it truly is – a story of hope, courage and perseverance?
Maybe you’ve been considering
writing a book and are filled with the same concerns and doubts that I was when
I first began writing Emotional
Paramedics. I’d like to encourage you to continue writing. Do it for
yourself and then share your story with everyone you know. Be like August and
don’t give up!
Wishing you much success and
happiness in all you do!
Susan
Barton
August Gallagher is a sweet and intelligent Brooklyn girl just trying to find her place in the world during the turbulent 1960s. Unfortunately, her mother Alis doesn't make things easy for her. Bad choices, poor parenting and abusive men create chaos at every turn. Yet, through it all, August reluctantly remains a devoted daughter and continues to be Alis's emotional paramedic.
Along the way, August finds friendship, romance and makes a few dangerous enemies. When Alis hits rock bottom, August is forced to come to terms with the fact that it's finally time to cut the dysfunctional cord to save herself from Alis's emotional grasp. This is a wonderful coming-of-age story that will appeal to a wide variety of readers.
*This book deals with serious social issues. It includes some strong language and mature situations. It is recommended for readers 17 and up.*
PURCHASE EMOTIONAL PARAMEDICS ON AMAZON.COM
ABOUT SUSAN BARTON:
Susan Barton is an author, book promoter, marketer and coach. Susan has written several non-fiction and fiction books with several more books in the works. She currently resides in North Texas with her husband and their two dogs. She invites readers to connect with her via her website and on social media:
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