Excerpts with Aayushi Mehta, author of Balance — The New Religion (Clever Fox Publishing)
Clever Fox Publishing : Tell us something about your background.
Aayushi Mehta : I am a young Indian girl, who was brought up in a small town in Belgium — Antwerp. I am currently studying fashion in Amsterdam. Having dealt with Psychosis myself, I decided to write this book.
Clever Fox Publishing : When and how did you start your writing journey?
Aayushi Mehta: Growing up, I was never a heavy reader; however, I was passionate about writing. Writing was a form of expression and meditation for me. As a child, I loved writing poetry and short stories in English classes. Little did I know, that I was actually manifesting the formation of an entire book.
Clever Fox Publishing : What is your book all about?
Aayushi Mehta :My book is a symbol of hope for those undergoing mental health problems or those that are just simply on the verge of giving up. Through portraying experiences, emotions and solutions the book displays a young girl’s fight with Psychosis and how she was able to find the light at the end of the dark tunnel.
Clever Fox Publishing : What prompted you to write this book?
Aayushi Mehta : When I was undergoing mental health problems, I struggled to look for people like me — people who shared their experiences in detail. I looked for someone I could relate to, so that I would not feel alone in the fight to overcome my illness. This book came into existence in order to help those struggling with mental health and to highlight to them that the are not alone.
Clever Fox Publishing : How was your pre-writing experience? What urged you?
Aayushi Mehta : I started off writing the book as a journal. However, after making family and friends read it, they realised how good and impactful it was. They encouraged me to write more, and eventually it manifested into an entire memoir.
Clever Fox Publishing : How was your writing experience? Smooth or bumpy?
Aayushi Mehta : My writing experience was very smooth. This is because it was a sort of therapy that helped me reflect on my experiences with a third eye. Also, I wrote at my own pace and with comfort. This ensured that I fulfilled my potential and that the book was at the level I wanted it to be at.
Clever Fox Publishing : How much did your publishers contribute? Did they ease the process for you?
Aayushi Mehta : The publishers were very helpful and always kept me on my toes. From proofreading, to the cover design, the book is exactly how I dreamed it to be.
Clever Fox Publishing : What is the reaction of your family and friends to you writing this book?
Aayushi Mehta : Satifaction. They were in this fight with me. Having this book is like a emblem of being free from Psychosis. They were also proud of how I took the hardships and weaknesses of my life and turned it into something that made me stronger and wiser.
Clever Fox Publishing : Mention the people who supported you in this journey.
Aayushi Mehta : My mom, dad, brother, cousins, aunts and uncles, godmother, helps, therapist and doctor, personal trainer and a few friends.
Clever Fox Publishing : How is your book going to impact the readers?
Aayushi Mehta: Reading this book will be an eye opener. It will not only show you how to support your loved ones struggling from mental health, but it will also give you perspective as to why certain people might act the way they do. It will help destigmatise mental health by giving you less of a reason to be judgemental and more of an open-mind. Also, if you are going through mental health problems yourself, this book will help you get out of it.
Clever Fox Publishing : How do you deal with negative comments if any?
Aayushi Mehta : Negative comments only come from those who fail to understand the gravity and truth beyond what you went through. In any situation, there are always going to be people who want to pull you down or be prejudiced. However, it is your choice to succumb to this or use it to rise even higher.
Clever Fox Publishing : Who are your literary mentors and role models?
Aayushi Mehta : I wasn’t much of a reader growing up. But, I loved to write. For this book, I was very inspired by the movie “Brain on Fire” and Jay Shetty’s health podcasts.
Clever Fox Publishing : What are your upcoming writing ventures?
Aayushi Mehta : For now, I want to focus on university, but who knows, maybe I will come out with a sequel after graduating?
Clever Fox Publishing : Any piece of advice for our aspiring writers?
Aayushi Mehta : Don’t let anyone diminish your voice. Do not be scared of judgement if you want to talk about something that might help people. Take your time.
