Book Review + Author Interview: What's Wrong with Me?

Title: What's Wrong with Me?

Author: Daree Allen

Genre: Non-fiction

Review:

This is an excellent nonfiction book perfect for a young girl in her early-late teens.  The writing was easy to follow along and the information helpful.  Although this book was specifically aimed towards Christian African American teen girls, I believe any girl trying to figure out their place in the world would gain positive insight by reading this book.

First of all, I LOVED the interior set up of the book. It neatly divided the book into chapters dealing with different topics (ie. money, friends, family relations, boyfriends). Within the chapters, each topic is further divided into sections. Also, there are mini "pit stops" within each chapter titled "Consider This."  Basically, the main idea of the chapter is boiled down to 1-2 sentences and a question may be posed to make the reader think about what she just read.  There are also handy little flow charts scattered throughout the book.

I think the author really hits home on all the major topics a teen girl will face. Also, the author shares her own experience in a way so that readers can somewhat relate. Extra reading material is also provided at the end of each chapter regarding its respective topic.

Another thing I liked about What's Wrong with Me? is the quotes provided at the beginning of each chapter. I find them to be very informational and inspiring...plus this book is totally full of quotable quotes! (and we all know how I love quotes...)

Over all, I think this is the perfect Christmas/birthday gift for a young girl either transitioning into her teenage years or someone within the 11-14 age range.

Rating:

And below is an Author Interview with Daree Allen:

The Book Landers: What's your favorite aspect of writing?

Daree Allen: Collecting data. I like research, whether it's my own reading or interviewing others like a journalist. The way I inadvertently kept myself accountable was to tell anyone and everyone I knew that I was writing a book. So the next time I would see any of my friends, whether it was a week later or a month later, they asked, “So how’s the book coming along?” And that simple, benign question kept the project at the forefront of my mind, even in those months that I felt “stuck.” Another motivator was seeing all the self-help books get released every quarter that were similar to mine.

TBL: Is there something you MUST have to write? (ie. coffee, music, silence)

DA: I cannot concentrate unless it's quiet in my environment. I often get inspired when my mind is calm and not working, e.g., when I'm taking a shower, falling asleep or just waking up.

TBL: Cat or dog?

DA: I have no pets, but I have a daughter that loves animals, and my siblings each have American Eskimo dogs.

TBL: Have you learned any lessons from writing? What are they?

DA: Don't undermine your value. Someone somewhere wants and needs the information you have--even if you think a million others have already said the same thing.

If you are going to publish your book independently, I suggest you get a mentor to help you make sense of things during your first go-round. People will offer to “help” you do different things (for a fee- marketing, publicist, etc.) that you may or may not be able to do on your own. Make sure you have adequate savings and a good team in place, whether you’re hiring a project manager, editors, photographers, indexers, proofreaders, or graphic designers. TEST your referrals—I had disappointing experiences with many of the people I hired, and almost all of them were referred to me by people I trusted.

What I will change with my next book is the way in which I approach the publishing process. I will form a more solid team and give myself more time to create the book without feeling pressured or not having a plan B if there is an issue with one of my service providers.

TBL: Who/what inspired you to write?

DA: I'm always inspired by personal development stories and tips from others. My "What's Wrong With Me?" book set (book and journal) started out from a session with my former life coach, but the deep need for me to write it came from the lost girl I used to be. The books are something I needed back in the day when I was growing up. I felt so misunderstood, unloved and out of place. I didn't have a mentor to guide me and rely on, and although I became a Christian at age 10, I didn't fully accept everything about what comes with a relationship with God. So all of these elements had a hand in motivating me to produce "What’s Wrong with Me?"

The issues I grew up with are not much different from those of girls today—there’s just a little more bluntness, and our media and communities often help to desensitize or downplay issues of teen girls and young women today. These issues--when left unchecked--often continue into adulthood, as I know many women my age and older who still struggle with these same issues. I never had a mentor or a big sister to help me navigate through the tumultuous years of teen angst, so I'm now stepping into that role.

TBL: What types of books do you like to read the most?

DA: I read a lot of personal development, relationship, and how-to books and magazines.

TBL:  What's the hardest part about writing a book?

DA: Some people think that writers don't have a hard time, that everything comes easy.  If you ask people if they want to write a book, then compare that to how many of those same people have actually completed the project, you'll get a smaller number every time. Writing is not for the faint of heart! And we are often our own worst critics.

I spent several months trying to figure out how to take the ton of information I had to share and organize it into sections and chapters that made sense. I can't tell you how many drafts I've revised--adding things, taking them out, then putting them back in. I had a good sense of focus but not always a good sense of perspective to see what the end product would be. I had a life coach but I did not have a writing mentor to help speed along the process and help me get clarity on the project.

I also had numerous fights with self-doubt and cynicism. I would constantly battle with myself thinking, "Who cares?" Who cares about my life? I'm not a celebrity or a top expert in the field. I haven't risen up from the ashes of poverty or abuse, and I don't have a rags-to-riches story. But I got over it and wrote the book anyway. When I write, it is always about something that I care about to some degree, and often, it's a revelation that I'm sharing, or information that I want to use to encourage others with similar circumstances. My writing is as much for me as it is for others, so I no longer get disappointed if someone doesn't read what I wrote, or feels that my opinions or experiences are invalid.

TBL:  Any tips for aspiring writers?

DA: Keep at it. Don't wait for the "right time." Whenever you think about writing, jot something down--even if it's voice-to-text into your phone or a notepad. Collect everything that comes to you so you can capture it for your book.

I don't have a schedule like some people who will write a set number of hours or words per day. But what I always do is keep paper handy. It's normal to see me in any scenario carrying a small notebook or a pad to record ideas, thoughts and quotes. I sometimes keep one in my purse, and I always keep one in the car. I also keep paper on my nightstand at all times, because typically my brain will come up with ideas when I am resting. It never fails. I get ideas on what to write about from books I read, sermons and speeches I hear, lessons I've learned, blogs, magazines (I have over 20 subscriptions!), and occasionally TV. I may be interested in something, read about it, and then involve myself in it so I document the experience on my blog or in an article elsewhere.

TBL: Any last thoughts/facts you would like readers to know about you?

DA: You are enough! God has put everything in you to equip you for your purpose, so that you can live a joyful  successful life. You don't have to look for validation or self-worth in other people or material things.

When you believe you can do something, nothing can stop you except you. But first you've got to believe it, then you create a plan, and you have to act on it. Every step of the way may not be smooth, but you will learn and grow because of it. And when you look back, you'll see your progress. You may get tired, you may want to take a break (I certainly did both with this book!), but once you have your goal in mind, don't stop until you get there!

Plug: In the spring my third book will be released, title Ending the Blame Game. It's another nonfiction book that focuses on the perspective of single Black fathers in America. There is so much emphasis on single mothers in the Black community (which is fine—I am one and I identify), but I want to bring Black families together for those who want that. The Black community is struggling so much because of broken homes.  I want to tell the single dads’ side of the story, through the many voices of the real Black America.