Love or Suicide and the Life In-Between

by James S.M. Parker

Written by James S M Parker, this is a deeply personal, open and honest collection of poetry, thoughts and short stories created as a direct response to circumstances surrounding family fracture and loss. 'Love Or Suicide and the life in-between' attempts to make some sense of the subject matter as experienced through the eyes of a lost and angry young man fuelled by alcohol and pain.

Genres: Poetry

94 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2012

About the author

So, about me. Well, I started my writing journey through lyrics and episodes of a television series I created (on the page, not broadcast). I then began to write poetry and short stories which culminated in my first self published book 'Love or Suicide and the Life In-between'. A way of tackling the subjects of 'Love' and 'Suicide' with me being the 'Life In-between' and the outpouring of issues I was going through in my life. I entered it in a self-publishing competition and it came third...something I am extremely proud of.
My second self-published book 'this heat, it's hell closing in on me' deals with identity, self harm, counselling and diary writing.
My third 'Words to be performed from under a table by the last of us' is a collection of sketches, poetry, observations and short stories.
My fourth book 'broken will always be broken' deals with reflections, guilt, loss and an attempt to change the past. It is also complemented with drawings and photographs.
My fifth book 'Bimble In Crinklewood' is a journey through my own personal inferno and a reflection of loss and pain over time and settings.
My sixth book 'it's not rain...it's the tears of those you left behind' is either a collection of really rubbish poetry or a clever metaphor for love and life.
My seventh book 'The Hungry Crow' is a collection of poetry and short stories dealing with the breakdown in relationships and the emotions that brings coupled with the feelings of love towards another.
My eighth book 'A Single Poem About Loneliness (The Hungry Crow part 2)' is one long poem dealing with the aftereffects of The Hungry Crow and the loneliness and despair it brings.
My ninth book 'A is for Animal' is an original novel, part sci-fi, part horror, part thriller and focuses on a grandfather and his granddaughter trapped in a mysterious zoo whilst an astronaut returns to a devastated Earth looking for answers.
My tenth book 'Who Are We But The Forgotten' imagines a world struck by amnesia and is part horror, parts classic mythology and a translation of a journey taken.
My eleventh book called 'Selected Works' is a compilation of all the unpublished finished and unfinished projects I have worked on over the last 9 years pulled from my laptop files and USB sticks.
Book twelve called 'ghost' is a story about how the world is affected when death is no longer possible as has been known and has a variety of writing styles used throughout.
Book thirteen called 'ghosts' is not a sequel to 'ghost' but is in fact a massive collection of poetry dealing with all and every subject matter finishing with a written opera/orchestral piece complete with scenarios and lyrics and is about a man facing the end of his life, death and his parents.
Book fourteen called 'Flowers' is a collection of poetry pieces about flowers yet not about flowers, a book of metaphors about the state of my life and my mind in 2025.

I have also been short listed in several poetry competitions and did (finally) win first prize in one.

Reviews

[Christina]

This book was completely not what I expected. It was experimental and autobiographical. I enjoyed certain poems that had more of a contemporary feel to them, the other ones were dark and cold. I admire James S.M. Parker for sharing these heartfelt times of suicide with his readers. I finished the book in one sitting.

[Ruth Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The critic Mary A Murphy wrote that poetry of so-called confessional poets 'are not open wounds on the page. Their work is a crafted response to their overwhelming emotional impulses.' This is what I find here, a level of skill that is to be admired, combined with the often shocking but carefully handled nature of the poems. It makes the work taut, relateable and impressive given the unfolding events that are the subject matter of the book.

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

A picture inside a brilliant mind , a picture inside depression. As the title promises, the topics of suicide, depression and yes, love are covered. A brutally honest work - it is engaging and puts accurately the struggle with tormenting thoughts. Right when needed there is the uplifting, hopeful segments about love as well.

Author worded some things on paper = thoughts I had similar but was too scared to articulate until now. While it is intense reading, it also makes one feel less alone if one has ever had to deal with depression.

[Emma Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such great talent and raw emotion.

I'd say everyone read this. People who have depression to see they can get past this and see the other side, but also others to read and understand and to stop stigma around this illness.

Beautifully written and set out amazingly. Really shows how he was feeling at the time and portrayed well onto paper.

Nice short and long poems and it's a book that you won't read once. This is a book for when you feel down you can pick it up and get to any page and it's great!

Well done! I hope to read more of your work in the future.