Blog Tour: STAY ALIVE by Min Deng

 

Stay Alive

by Min Deng

 

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GENRE: Non fiction: depressionand suicide

 

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BLURB: Inher brave and compassionate non-fiction book "Stay Alive," Min Dengexplores the depths of depression and the ominous specter of suicide. She shedslight on the hidden struggles experienced by those suffering from this silentillness by drawing on personal experiences shaped by childhood mental andemotional abuse.

 

These pages are filled with moving stories aboutpeople battling their own demons, struggling with thoughts of self-destruction,or dealing with the grief of a loved one's tragic death. Min Deng bravelybreaks down the stigmas associated with mental health by exposing the invisiblechains that bind.

 

This succinct yet potent book illuminates thecomplexities of depression with heartfelt honesty and unwavering empathy,urging readers to understand the silent battles fought behind seeminglyunremarkable lives. It serves as a powerful reminder of compassion'stransformative power and that saving lives and healing broken souls requireslove, understanding, and empathy.

 

“Stay Alive” urges us all to work toward cultivatingmental health rather than ignoring it. It teaches us that by illuminating thedarkness, we can aid in dampening depression’s hold and giving those who aresuffering hope.

 

 

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Excerpt One:

 

Taylor came outas trans to their parents on the Saturday following Thanksgiving in 2019 whenthey’d just turned fifteen. They wished to take testosterone blockers andestrogen right away, before their next birthday to maximize the chances thattheir transition would be smooth and successful. Their parents were in completeshock and disbelief.

 

In one of theangry exchanges my husband and I witnessed between Taylor and their dad when wevisited them a few weeks later over Christmas, waving a kitchen knife defiantlyin Hector’s face, Taylor screamed in rage and condescension, “You want a son?!Well, I’ll make sure you won’t have one!” The bitterness and resentment inTaylor’s thundering voice scared me.

 

In the hallwayon the fifth floor of the psych ward, I finally released Taylor from myembrace. It was time for me to say goodbye and exit the ward.

 

“Stay alive,Taylor. Get well! Call me once you get your phone back. Stay alive!” I walkedaway hurriedly and asked the front desk to buzz me out. Once I stepped out ofthe hospital, I cried uncontrollably on the sidewalk, crouching next to thebrick edge of a flower bed, having a complete mental breakdown on the street inManhattan, keenly aware of the curious looks of passersby. But I didn’t care.

 

It would likelybe the last time I’d ever see Taylor. The eighteen-year-old teenager whom I’veknown for their entire life, whom I’ve loved as my own child. The five-year-old who clung onto me in terror, their sweaty small hand tightly holdingonto mine as their father screamed at them in rage, waving his big hand tothreaten to slap them on that hot, humid summer morning in Cozumel Mexico in2009. I was no longer able to be the mental health advocate I wanted to be forTaylor, to help them get the psychic care they desperately needed.

 

My heartshattered in pieces; I felt utterly helpless and hopeless.

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Dr. Min Deng was born and raised in Wuhan, China on September11th, 1973. She earned a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the Universityof North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2008.

 

As a developmental psychologist, she is interested in parenting,child development, parent-child relationship, marital relationship, domesticabuse, suicide prevention, gender and sexual identity, etc. This book onraising awareness about suicide and its risks is her first of a series onmental health she plans to write.

 

She is the founder and CEO of Mental Health CPR (MHCPR), anon-profit organization that serves to improve quality of life by increasingthe accessibility to mental health resources. MHCPR does this througheducation, advocacy, and the creation of mental health

resources available to all.

 

She lives with her husband and their beloved dog Coco inCharleston, South Carolina. In her spare time, she loves walking on the beach,learning to surf, hiking, traveling, listening to audio books, and fashion.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Stay-Alive-Min-Deng-ebook/dp/B0CJ5SQ8KY

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1144051363

 

 

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GIVEAWAY

Min Deng will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winnervia rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway