When did you start writing and what inspired you to start?
I began writing a journal during a manic episode in 2007. I wrote periodically in a blog thereafter and then finished my book in early 2013.
What inspired you to write your first book?
My journey with Bipolar Disorder.
How did you come up with the title?
I feel like when we are challenged in life there is an open door right in front of us that we often don’t see due to fear or guilt or a variety of other obstacles. When I finally embraced my mental illness and walked through the open door, I found peace. During manic episodes I walk in Heaven on Earth, so that is what I write about in the second half of my book.
Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?
Heaven on Earth is real and coming soon for all of us, and we will walk there when religion ends. Also, you can be anything you want in this life in spite of mental illness.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The courage it took to be so honest, which was a risk to my reputation as an attorney.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
I learned that to be truthful will bring more reward than to hide who you are.
Who are some of the authors you particularly admire or who’ve had some influence on your own writing?
I like historians like David McCullough. And Lief Enger.
List your favorite quotation or words you live by.
There are two types of people in the world: those who conform to fit the world around them and those who change the world to suit them. Be the latter.
Thinking outside the box, if you could do/be/accomplish anything in the world, what would it be?
I’d like to be a mental health advocate, giving my talk around the world to shine a light on mental illness.
You can purchase Through the Open Door: A Bipolar Attorney Talks Mania, Recovery, and Heaven on Earth through our bookstore.
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