I had three friends who each committed suicide and each one came to me in a dream and asked me to tell their story.
Dennis Smith – 15 April 2020
The Back Flap
How to Commit Suicide
Knock-knock on the door again!
But this time—tell ‘em it’s me!
Can’t sing that same old rhyme
I’ve spent some time at sea
And I found my voice—I made a choice—
That fool you once knew as me—
I killed him
It wasn’t easy to get lost
It wasn’t easy to resolve the clues
I took every sharp corner
I hid behind every bend
Until the coast was clear
Until the coast was clear
I let my heartbeat still
I let my thoughts flow at will
And the truth came out—
No one knew better than me what I was about—
And I knew this was my greatest power—
Yes I knew this was my greatest power—my greatest power!
So I let you judge me for the man I used to be
And I smile and I nod because I want you to get the greatest pleasure
As long as my soul is protected
And my mind is properly directed
You can laugh at that fool I used to be.
I should talk about a new day
Yeah, I should talk about—my epiphany!
Where all my skies are blue
And every day I experienced true love
I should explain the way I beat the odds of insanity
And ended up in a better place
Able to see your lies before you speak a word—
Superpower—superhuman
Superpower—superhuman
My life! —Is so beautiful!
It’s scary
How to go from self-harm to self-love—self respect!
Dedicated to comedian Robin Williams—the last person in the world I expected to take his own life—this “self-help book in the form of a novel” follows two people in their healing journey: Sarah, a daughter of wealth and power in a process of self-discovery after a suicide attempt; the other, Maurice, a twelve-year-old survivor of street violence willing to take desperate measures to escape from his hopeless home situation.
As they work to put their former lives to rest and build new, brighter futures, How to Commit Suicide demonstrates concrete steps you can take right now to “kick-start” your own recovery; to “end” the life that seems hopeless by re-creating it into something great—a new life and circumstances of your own choosing, without potentially dangerous drugs.
One last thing: if you are truly considering suicide, then PLEASE call the Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255) or go directly to https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/. You can pick up the book on your way back! 🙂
About the book
What is the book about?
How to Commit Suicide is about how to re-invent yourself and “kill off” the negative person you used to be.
When did you start writing the book?
May 2019
How long did it take you to write it?
About six months.
Where did you get the idea from?
A dream I had once. I had three friends who each committed suicide and each one came to me in a dream and asked me to tell their story.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
No.
What came easily?
Everything. I did not “write” the book so much as it came through me. I was used by a spiritual entity.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
I definitely borrowed from my experiences and my hopes and desires for my friends to rest in peace.
Do you have a target reader?
No. but the subject matter is treated in a way that the most depressed to the most positive person can gain something from it.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
It’s visual—”telepathic” would be a good way to put it. My characters show me their lives and I write them down.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I usually do a general outline, yes.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
After I’m finished.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
No. The enthusiasm of getting the story down and doing justice to my characters and the “cause”—the “why” of the story—usually motivates me to get the job done.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
No.
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 did want to write something that I controlled without someone correcting my grammar every other sentence. My main premise was, “Would you pay your hard-earned money to buy this book?” As long as the answer kept coming up yes, I kept writing.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
Professional.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I am winging it for now until I can afford a marketer.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Stay out of the business—I don’t need the competition! (LOL) No—really, I write because I have something to say that matters and can help people either with my stories or the songs included with the stories. I’d advise anyone to write to inspire, solve a problem, or make the human experience better.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Hammond, Indiana.
Where do you live now?
After my travels I am back in Hammond, Indiana.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I’m sensitive, smart, fun, I love my friends, and I’m driven!
What are you working on now?
A musical about four friends who are always fighting and they find out in the end they’re stronger together.
End of Interview:
For more from Dennis, visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
Get your copy of How to Commit Suicide from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
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