301: Dismantling the Stigma of Mental Illness — Interview with Jeff Garvin

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Garvin. Jeff is an author, musician, and podcaster and his debut novel, Symptoms of Being Human has received a ton of accolades. It is an ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection, Lambda Literary Award Finalist, and has garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly.  Before becoming a novelist, Jeff acted on TV and toured as the lead singer of a rock band. He has a BFA in Film from Chapman University and lives in Southern California. Now, I have been looking forward to this episode since last July, when Jeff and I met at a ThrillerFest cocktail party. We connected right away and when Jeff told me about his new novel The Lightness of Hands I knew I just had to have him on the show. This book grapples with some heavy topics, but one in particular that really hits home for me: mental health. I am so thrilled to be recording this interview (finally! After 8 months!) and to introduce Jeff and his moving (sometimes gut-wrenching) YA novels to my word nerd listeners. In this episode Jeff and I discuss: How real life experiences inspired Lightness of Hands Living with Bipolar II Breaking the stigma around mental illness Starting a book with a question you can't answer Writing a character that is hyper-attuned to her inner life The power of mindfulness meditation The hero's journey, applied to writing and life Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: www.diymfa.com/301