Psychological novels call to me. What better to read than books and stories from a person who understands the psychological implications that she includes in her writing? So far I’ve reviewed at least two books by Kenna McKinnon. At least two will be presented here, but she also writes other books, some for children.
An Exceptional Story of Overcoming Life’s Foibles
I loved this story for so many reasons. The first is that it is truly an expose of the struggle of a troubled mind. The story is told in 1st Person. The personality of the main character, Annie Hansen, as established by this author, never wavered. Annie is a strong young woman who suffers with schizophrenia, OCD and hallucinations, not to mention a few suspected other malaise and a deeply troubled family past. She does, however, have enough wits about her to intend to improve her lot. She realizes she’s the only one who can bring herself a degree of stability. Through the story we watch her grow both psychologically and physically. Despite her weaknesses, she becomes wiser and healthier.
The story of Blood Sister is that Annie works for Private Investigator, Lorne O’Halloran. Due to her reputation for helping to solve cases, she is widely accepted by the Justice Department on Serendipity Island where the story takes place. Yes, people with these afflictions can function in this type of setting, as long as they have enough wits about them to make something of their life. That is the way the author has so intricately established. Annie is a very colorful character and, at times, unpredictable. I kept reading to learn what she might do next and hoped her life would turn around.
For Those Who Wish to Understand Schizophrenia
This book chronicles the lives of two accomplished people who received diagnoses of paranoid schizophrenia. Do you suffer, or does someone in your family suffer from this affliction? Maybe you’re a person who simply wishes to understand more about this life-altering condition.
The Insanity Machine, by Kenna McKinnon and Austin Mardon, takes us through how these two people were diagnosed and, yet, made decent lives for themselves, despite the stigma and horror of such a malaise. It was no bed of roses and yet, with their determination—the type everyone afflicted will need—they were able to overcome these obstacles. They can now write about their lives, offering hope to others.
This book is full of help for anyone who will but read. Medicines and therapies are discussed, and how they helped or didn’t. Helpful organizations are mentioned. Much of the information is well-documented. Most important is how we learn what these two people lived through once diagnosed; how they managed to create stability in both their physical lives and mental processes.
I highly recommend this very personal and revealing history by McKinnon and Mardon. If you have any interest in schizophrenia, for any reason, one of the best ways to learn more is to read first-hand accounts of how others cope. Often reading about the experiences of how others cope, can save us from negative experiences we may personally encounter. If you have any curiosity about schizophrenia, get this book. Read it. Learn from it.
Personal Biography
A long and interesting life with death, love, and betrayal sprinkled throughout.
I didn’t travel until a senior, when my daughter arranged a trip to the historic City of Lights in Canada, Quebec City, for Christmas the year my son passed away in 2012. That led to a rented condo in Maui and a luau at Christmastime the next year, and to meet online friends in Palm Springs, California and in Phoenix, Arizona on a couple of occasions thereafter. Trips to Michigan to visit a good friend resulted in the two of us exploring Las Vegas last year (Sin City!). My blue 1979 Mercedes Benz sedan, which sold privately for less than I paid for it, eventually I found was a bucket of rust! A personal trainer helps me budget my time at the gym, and kung fu is fun when the weather permits getting to the studio. I love to cook and try out healthy recipes. My 74th birthday in October 2018 will be spent watching First Man, the original of which I saw with my first hubby in 1969!
Although I’ve written 10 books, including novels, nonfiction, and poetry, my bestseller continues to be a quirky mystery, “Blood Sister.”
My Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Kenna-McKinnon/e/B008M9WITM
Author’s blog: http://KennaMcKinnonAuthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KennaMcKinnonAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KennaMcKinnon
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kennamckinnon
Author Biography
Kenna McKinnon is a Canadian freelance writer, author of SpaceHive; Bigfoot Boy: Lost on Earth; Benjamin and Rumblechum, The Insanity Machine; Blood Sister; Short Circuit and Other Geek Stories; DISCOVERY: A Collection of Poetry; Den of Dark Angels; Engaging the Dragon; and Timothie Hill and the Cloak of Power. Kenna’s interests include fitness and health, volunteering, reading, writing, music, cooking for friends, and caricatures. She lives in a high-rise apartment in the neighborhood of Oliver in Edmonton, Canada. Her most memorable years were spent at the University of Alberta, where she graduated with distinction with a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology (1975). She has lived successfully with schizophrenia for many years and is a member of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta and the Canadian Authors Association. She has three adult children and three grandsons.