Many aspects of my early life trying to survive in an abusive and dysfunctional home are difficult to write about, but I believe the many years that have passed have allowed me the perspective to view my life through new eyes.
Beverly J. Armento – 5 July 2022
The Back Flap
As the Seeing Eye Girl for her blind, artistic, and mentally ill mother, Beverly Armento was intimately connected with and responsible for her, even though her mother physically and emotionally abused her. She was Strong Beverly at school—excellent in academics and mentored by caring teachers—but at home she was Weak Beverly, cowed by her mother’s rage and delusions.
Beverly’s mother regained her sight with two corneal transplants in 1950 and went on to enjoy a moment of fame as an artist, but these positive turns did nothing to stop her disintegration into her delusional world of communists, radiation, and lurking Italians. To survive, Beverly had to be resilient and hopeful that better days could be ahead. But first, she had to confront essential ethical issues about her caregiving role in her family.
In this emotional memoir, Beverly shares the coping strategies she invented to get herself through the trials of her young life, and the ways in which school and church served as refuges over the course of her journey. Breaking the psychological chains that bound her to her mother would prove to be the most difficult challenge of her life—and, ultimately, the most liberating one.
About the book
What is the book about?
Seeing Eye Girl: A Memoir of Madness, Resilience, and Hope is my memoir. Here is the description from the publisher: From a young age, Beverly Armento was responsible for her blind, artistic, and mentally ill mother. Though from the outside she seemed to excel at school and in the world, inside Beverly was cowed by her mother’s rage and delusions. Seeing Eye Girl is her harrowing story of growing up in an abusive, dysfunctional home, and also a story about the teachers who empowered her and gave her the resources and spirit to survive and thrive.
When did you start writing the book?
I started actually conceptualizing and writing this memoir about a decade ago, after I retired from my career as an educator.
How long did it take you to write it?
It’s taken me about a decade to master writing creative non-fiction by participating in classes, critique groups, attending conferences, and learning a new style of writing.
Where did you get the idea from?
I always knew I wanted to write about my early years and the role my teachers played in my survival and success as an educator.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Many aspects of my early life trying to survive in an abusive and dysfunctional home are difficult to write about, but I believe the many years that have passed have allowed me the perspective to view my life through new eyes.
What came easily?
Each chapter is framed around a turning point in my life; identifying these turning points was relatively easy for me to do.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Seeing Eye Girl is a memoir, a true story and all the characters are real people, some now deceased. In some cases, names have been changed to protect privacy, but in the cases of my family and my teachers, the names are true.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Memoir writers such as Mary Karr, Jeannette Walls, and Sue William Silverman have influenced me with their storytelling power, their total openness and frankness, and their depth of reflections. In terms of writing style, I have been influenced by: William Zinsser’s On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction, Vivian Gornick’s The Situation and the Story, and Sue William Silverman’s Fearless Confessions: A Writer’s Guide to Memoir. These three authors influenced me to think about the point of it all, writing honestly, and figuring out just what events meant in the big scheme of things.
Do you have a target reader?
Anyone who is or who knows someone who is among the “Invisible Walking Wounded” or who is a mentor/educator are the first folks who will pick up Seeing Eye Girl. However, anyone who is interested in an inspirational story will also want to read this book.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I try to recreate the scene in my mind. Where were we? Who was there, what was happening, and what did the characters say and do? What do the characters look like, how old is everyone, and what are the circumstances of the event I’m writing about? I try to re-envision the event, and scribble notes on a white composition pad of paper. I always hand-write notes and drafts of a scene or the components of a chapter before turning to the computer. The transition from the scribbled notes to a typed draft is truly magical, as I start to form complete sentences and paragraphs. Finally a draft appears that usually goes to a critique group for early feedback. Then, the revision and refinement process begins.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I framed each chapter around a turning point in my life. Once these turning points were identified, I did write notes about each. From that point, I free-write without an outline.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I try to free-write until I have something that looks like a draft of the chapter. At that point, I tend to edit as I go.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Once the book was “complete” I hired a Developmental Editor who told me in short order, hold on, not so fast. He urged me to reconsider the opening chapter and to slow down and reflect on each turning point in more depth. This was great feedback and my revisions were extensive and meaningful to me, and hopefully, to the readers.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I prefer to be surrounded by silence as I write, even though I might sing to myself the songs of the times or music that was popular during a particular scene.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I met many agents/editors at Writing Conferences, where I often was often presented with Best Manuscript awards. I submitted to those agents/editors who indicated an interest in my work and then also submitted requests to agents I found on lists who were accepting memoirs. In many cases, there were positive nibbles but no bites.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I researched small independent publishers and were impressed with several of these groups, and eventually selected She Writes Press, an independent/hybrid press because I had read many positive and glowing reports of their high standards and high-quality books. I submitted an application to them, and the rest is history.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
She Writes Press has an impressive, highly qualified team all around, and the folks who design covers are top-notch. They designed my cover, incorporating a personal photo of my mother and me when I’m about 4 years old.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I’m working with Books Forward, a professional team of publicists and others who have designed a marketing/publicity program for Seeing Eye Girl. I conduct my own share of the work by identifying local bookstores and leaders of book groups to expand the interest in the book and to set up local events.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Working with a small independent publisher may give the author a closer look at the publishing process, and perhaps more decision-making ability than would be the case with a larger press. In the highly competitive world of publishing, I’d recommend keeping yourself open to all options.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up along the East Coast, from Yonkers, NY to Miami, Florida, to New Jersey.
Where do you live now?
I live in Atlanta, Georgia, where I’ve been since 1975.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I’ve had a fifty-year wonderful career as an educator, working with upper elementary students as well as prospective and current educators. I have the wonderful privilege of maintaining contact with many of my students, including those 9-10 year-old fourth graders in my very first class (1963-64). You can figure out how old they are now! What a joy.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a second memoir: Will Power. It’s the story of my father and me. Another interesting story from the growing-up years.
End of Interview:
For more from Beverly J Armento visit her website.
Get your copy of Seeing Eye Girl from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
