Q&A with Linda Vigen Phillips

 

 

Linda Vigen Phillips is the author of the young adult novel in verse Crazy, now available in a 10th anniversary edition. Her other books include Behind These Hands. She is the co-founder of Charlotte Clubhouse, which focuses on helping people with mental illness. She lives in Savannah, Georgia.

 

Q: What was the reason for this 10th anniversary edition of Crazy, and are there any changes from the original version?

 

A: In September 2023, I received this totally unanticipated email from my editor at Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Kathleen Merz. It began: “I hope this finds you well! I’m writing to let you know that we’re hoping to release an updated edition of Crazy. Your book is one we’ve been proud to have on our list, and we think releasing a fresh edition will help it find its way into the hands of a new group of readers.”

 

Really no explanation here, but in subsequent conversations with Kathleen, we agreed that the need for mental health awareness is greater than it was pre-Covid, and that a fresh appeal to readers would be beneficial given the greater occurrence of mental illness in our society.

 

Her letter went on to ensure that no changes would be made to the text, but that there would be a new cover, a list of recommended resources, a discussion guide, and an author interview.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Crazy, and how was the book’s title chosen?

 

A: After my mother passed, I wrote a collection of adult poems, mostly as a cathartic exercise to process my relationship with her and my understanding or misunderstanding of the bipolar disorder she struggled with all my growing-up years. My best friend and writing buddy, Carol Baldwin, critiqued them and encouraged me to turn them into a novel.

 

I owe a debt of gratitude to Patty Gauch, author and former editor-in-chief at Philomel, who worked with me at Highlights Foundation Chautauqua Institute to mold the adult poems into a YA voice.

 

I originally thought the title should be Breakdown, but Eerdmans liked the idea of Crazy, and going with your publisher’s strong recommendations is always a good idea!

 

Q: The Guardian review of the book called it an “eloquent and compelling novel-in-verse that tackles complex themes and emphasizes the importance of an open, honest dialogue about mental health.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I am honored that they thought it "eloquent and compelling." I hope new readers will agree.

 

The word "complex" in terms of mental illness is spot on. Living with a person with mental illness spills over into every aspect of life, and if you are a teen, you are already dealing with finding your own identity, testing your emotional strengths and weaknesses, planning your future, following your dreams.

 

Being sidetracked by the unpredictable, unstable, undefinable circumstances of a family member in the throes of strange medical issues you do not understand is indeed a complex and scary problem.

 

I'm so glad the Guardian stressed the importance of an "open, honest dialogue about mental illness." That is exactly what can and will begin to melt away the stigma that still exists to this day. We have made great strides in treatments, therapy, medications, and acceptance, but we still have a long way to go.

 

Talk therapy works well with the persons who are experiencing mental illness, and talking or dialoguing within our communities strengthens the very fabric of our society. I have a passion to keep the conversation going by opening the dialogue through Crazy.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: I want readers to know that mental illness can be treated and understood, and that with a strong support network and the right medical and psychosocial interventions, persons living with mental illness can attain a stable and satisfying quality of life.

 

In my book, Laura's mother's case occurred in history before many of the successes in the treatment of mental illness took place. But Laura was on the right track, creating a support system that worked for her, digging for answers to dispel her fears that she would end up with a condition like her mother's, and opening a conversation in a family prone to silence.

 

When the book first came out, many of my former classmates and friends began sharing with me that similar circumstances were playing out in their own families under a dark shroud of silence. Nothing gets solved in the dark, and I hope Crazy can put the spotlight on better mental health for all of us, teens as well as adults.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I am working on my next book, tentatively called How to Build a Clubhouse.

 

As a result of my journey into mental health advocacy, beginning with the publication of Crazy, I co-founded Charlotte Clubhouse, a unique, data-driven program modeled after Clubhouse International, with over 350 clubhouses around the world.

 

The Clubhouse model offers persons with mental illness a safe place to find community, form relationships, learn new skills, and develop a more stable quality of life.

 

Charlotte Clubhouse opened in October 2022 as the first and only official Clubhouse in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. This evidence-based program adds alternative non-clinical solutions and complements other services in the area.

 

Even though I have relocated to Savannah, I remain actively involved on the board and passionate about sharing this part of my journey into mental health advocacy. For the first year of operation, I was the onsite manager, daily witnessing how broken and interrupted lives responded to a program that gave them purpose and structure and renewed self-esteem.

 

As with Crazy, I want this next book to keep the conversation moving in the direction of encouragement and hope for persons with lived experience.  

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I invite readers to join my quarterly (more like sporadic ) newsletter here:  lindavigenphillips.com and to check out the Charlotte Clubhouse here: charlotteclubhouse.org. I'm not as fond of social media as I once was, but you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb