Looking Out for Me: A Spiritual Journey from Paranoia to Acceptance

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Genre: Spiritual Memoir / Biographies & Autobiographies / Personal Memoirs

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Published by Cherish Editions, part of Trigger Publishers. 

 

Available to buy from July 13th 2023 on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle formats, at Waterstones bookshops or from Trigger publishers' bookstore weblink below:

 

Homepage | TriggerHub Shop No shipping costs if you order the book from within the UK.

 

 

"Big Brother was watching Alastair Gamble. They wanted him dead! The heavenly gods were protecting him from physical harm with their magical powers.

 

At least, this is what he believed....

 

In this compelling memoir, Alastair Gamble recounts his experiences with paranoia and mania. Since 1993, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and later was given the label of bipolar affective disorder. However, he was able to hold down architectural jobs for fourteen years and become an architect. He was also a keen practising Buddhist since his late teens. In 2014, he suddenly and without any warning, left the office he was in, because of a perceived threat to his life. This ignited an oscillating fear that spies were out to get him.

 

Embarking on a spiritual journey, he was still ever mindful of the danger lurking in the shadows, but with determination, proper mental healthcare, and a strong mindfulness practice, he gradually developed a mindset of acceptance."

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Check out the weblink below for a more comprehensive synopsis of my book:

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Alastair Gamble - Looking Out for Me (literallypr.com)

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Up until the age of 16 I was a telly junkie, and I would spend long hours glued to the TV. While slumped in front of the box one spring day in holiday time, my mother came into the room and said the penetrating words, "do you not think you should educate yourself by reading a little, rather than always watching the television mindlessly". These words were like a bolt from the blue, and a wake-up call. It completely changed my path from that moment on. 

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From that age, I immersed myself in current affairs, then the Arts and culture section in the weekend papers. This then progressed to fiction and non-fiction books related to the Arts primarily. Then at university, I devoured commentaries on Buddhism, mindfulness and meditation books, while still engaging in human stories from the weekend supplements. Fictional books and memoirs have also not left my purview. 

 

I particularly got into writing at the University of Warwick, where I was working for 5 years as an architect. Many long emails, reports and a Estates Strategy booklet were created in this environment, which I thoroughly enjoyed. This gave me a taster for the writing to come.

 

I self-published an auto fiction in 2016 about an episode, consisting of mania and paranoia and my parallel architectural and spiritual/Buddhist paths.

 

I received some very complimentary feedback from readers, with one of the commonest being that it was a page-turner. I took to heart one woman's comment that said it would have been better as a memoir, as the lines between fiction and fact would not have been blurred as much.

 

After the publication of my self-published book and a little gap of time, I started on my journey as an artist.

 

In August 2021, I revisited my auto fiction manuscript. I decided to adapt it into a memoir, which is entitled, 'Looking Out for Me: A Spiritual Journey from Paranoia to Acceptance'. This time I would only publish it if I got it done through a traditional publishing house, and so held out for just over 10 months before finding Cherish Editions. This is the self-publishing division of Trigger Publishers.

 

It is a hybrid publishing solution, but not a vanity press. This means that I have the freedom and flexibility of self-publishing with the guidance and experience of a reputable publishing house.

 

Below you can find some experience I have had in creative writing, and interviews.

   

• Affiliated to Writers Bureau course in 2014/2015.

• Interviewed twice on Chat and Spin Radio in 2021 about my first self-published auto fiction book.

• Interviewed by Bernie Keith on BBC Radio Northampton in 2021 about my first self-published auto fiction book.