Eeee! So one of my favorite authors, Tarryn Fisher, selected me as one of the bloggers to debut the cover to her upcoming novel.


Excuse me for a second while I fan girl because, yes, I fan girl over authors!

Okay *ahem* sorry about that!

"Folsom" is co-authored by Tarryn Fisher, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, and Willow Aster, USA Today Bestselling Author. The novel takes place in a future where the male species is on the verge of extinction, and the main character Folsom Donahue is one of 12 men tasked with repopulating the regions (I mean, of course, with those abs, this guy was selected to repopulate the world). Day after day, having sex with strangers, leaves Folsom feeling empty — until he meets Gwen.

According to the book description, "The injustice (Gwen) sees moves her to help save the men whom no one else believes need saving. A forbidden love, grown in a time of despair, ignites a revolution."

Tarryn is known for her feminist themes in her novels and, from the description of the book, set to be released May 29, 2018, “Folsom” will be no different. It’s a book where it’s not a man, riding in on his white horse to save a woman. In this book, the woman is the hero. As Tarryn says, "Women hold all the power. They should use it like a whip, not offer it up like a sacrifice."

So, I know this isn’t a book blog and this isn’t something I normally blog about. This is a mental health awareness blog. But I have wanted to write about Tarryn for a while because, in addition to being a widely successful author of nine novels and counting, she also suffers from depression. Instead of hiding her depression, she uses her platform to be a voice for those suffering in silence – showing them that they are not alone.

As an aspiring author myself who was recently diagnosed with depression, she gives me hope. She gives me hope that, although depression is an ongoing struggle and battle, it doesn’t have to limit your possibilities and your dreams.

I have a tendency of beating myself up for my depression. “Why are you so weak? Why can’t you just handle it? Other people can handle life. Why can’t you?” are the words I will onslaught myself with when I’m feeling depressed – which of course only makes it worse. But, remembering these words that Tarryn has said has helped me get through it: "You hurt is valid. ... Sometimes we just need to acknowledge it.”

Tarryn knows how to handle her depression – let herself be sad, take a two-hour bath, and make zero apologies for it. She lets herself feel it…and then she looks her depression in the face and tells it who’s boss. And I know that’s the kind of bad ass woman I want to be.

This past autumn, Tarryn wrote a blog post about her depression on her author webpage – a post I have come to reference during my darkest points. She describes depression as a numb hopelessness, a dread, and an emotional and spiritual exhaustion. Check. Check. And check.

“Depression eliminates the possibility of a future; you don’t want it, you don’t need it. In fact, you crave for nothingness because anything is better than the damp fog you’re walking around in,” Tarryn writes.

She said her depression is usually triggered by a perceived failure and inhibits her ability to remember any of her successes and triumphs. But, by learning to ask for help, her friends and family have dragged her out of the darkest points of her life by sharing their perspective, their comfort, and their understanding (same as what my friends have been doing for me).

“I worry about you guys, those of you who don’t have the support system I do. Those of you who don’t have someone reminding you that your life is important, and that this too shall pass. So here I am,” she wrote.

“I want to tell you that you’re not broken and this is not permanent. Your life holds great value. The chances of each one of us being born are slim (1 in 400,000,000,00**). You are a miracle. Take your one life and do something with it. Something big, and bold, and beautiful. It’s never too late.”