Just checking in (and about my new book)

Hi everybody,

It’s so funny: Sometimes I think that my not posting anything here or on Instagram for days and days is more telling about ADHD than any post I could write!

I rarely know what to say on IG, which is kind of unbelievable considering that I’m nearly at the end of writing a second book on Women with ADHD that’s at least five times longer than my first little book. I mean, I think and think and write about woman with ADHD all the time, and then when I go to post something on IG, I don’t know what to say!

Anyway, it’s all okay.

Here’s the proposed name for my upcoming book: “MORE Help for Women with ADHD: My (Thoughts on, and) Simple Strategies for Conquering Chaos, Claiming Our Assets, and Calming Our Critical Selves — in Bite-Sized Pieces.”

I can’t decide whether or not to include the parenthetical words (Thoughts on, and) in the title. I want to include them, or something similar to them, to indicate to people that some of what I say in the book is eccentric. I guess I’m trying to ward off getting some mean reviews that criticize me for including suggestions that aren’t specific to ADHD but more like general wellness hacks.

Most of the reviews for my first little book have been wonderful and I’ve gotten hundreds of loving letters from women who’ve read it. But then a couple weeks ago, I got one abysmal review and I was momentarily crushed. I got over it quickly: I know that peoples’ needs are all different and that I can’t be everybody’s cup of tea. But I have to say it made me realize that by putting out a second book, I’m opening myself to criticism. The first book has been charmed, but it doesn’t mean this second one will hit the same sweet spot.

But, I’ve got to get it out there! I’ve been working on it for three years.

Why the title says “in Bite-Sized Pieces” is because the book has 150 individual entries — meaning that each entry stands on its own. Each entry is a couple pages long and you don’t have to have read the whole book to get something out of any one of them.

The 150 entries are roughly grouped into four parts: The first part contains entries about how the challenging parts of ADHD feel to me. Part ll contains entries about how the remarkable assets of ADHD feel to me. Part lll contains entries about how to position yourself — physically, emotionally, and psychologically — toward ADHD and the fact of your having ADHD. It also offers ideas on how to situate yourself in various environments so you feel supported in a world that can hold you and your ADHD in a loving way. And Part lV contains tips, strategies, and everyday hacks to help with organization, time management, self knowledge, self care, feelings, and relationships.

At this point, I’m editing and editing it before sending it off to my editor. I’m also putting “rockets of desire” out there to the universe that the people working on the cover will come up with something very beautiful.

So, that’s it for now.

What’s up with you?