The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations - A Chat with A.S. King; Coming Face-to-Face with Those Who Judged

A Chat with A.S. King; Coming Face-to-Face with Those Who Judged

Explicit content warning

07/17/24 • 97 min

The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations

Today I am releasing a conversation that I had recently with Amy King - Grace's mom. Amy also happens to be an incredible writer and award-winning YA author (psst... see down below) But the role she cherishes most in life, is being a mom to her two kiddos... she now bothers, like many of us, from both sides of 'the veil'. Gracie died by suicide in 2018.
Amy's "other" episode _ Season 4 Ep. 3 "Suicide is Normal AND Tragic"

And today, just a few things we chat about are:

First, she talks about her loss survivor group & how it has influenced her
Coming face-to-face with a mom who had previously) judged her family - and how hearing her say it out loud - impacted her.
The myths and realities of 'prevention' & stigma & shame...
Meaningful conversations everywhere - incl. LGBTQA+ spaces...
Living in a community where she is still 'targeted' and yet, her resolve is stronger than ever!
Judgement, safe spaces, Gracie's House, soup and more ...

Speaking our truth, judgement, creating safe spaces & having meaningful dialogue with teens (& others in our community) are key takeaways here. Take good care good you, my friend!
"A.S. King has been called “One of the best Y.A. writers working today” by the New York Times Book Review. King is the author of highly-acclaimed novels including 2021's SW/TCH, 2020 Michael L. Printz Award winner and LA Times Book Prize finalist DIG, 2016's Still Life with Tornado, 2015’s surrealist I Crawl Through It, Glory O'Brien's History of the Future, Reality Boy, the 2012 Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner, Ask the Passengers, Everybody Sees the Ants, 2011 Michael L. Printz Honor Book Please Ignore Vera Dietz among others. She also writes Middle Grade fiction as Amy Sarig King, including Attack of the Black Rectangles. She has edited an anthology of weird stories, The Collectors, which won the Michael L. Printz award in 2024, and will release a new YA novel, Pick the Lock, in fall 2024. In 2022, King received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. In 2023, she accepted the ALAN Award from The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE for her "artistry, courage, and outstanding contributions to the field of adolescent literature." She is a former faculty member of the Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts and spends many months of the year traveling the country speaking to high school and university students, educators, and humans who care about the mental health of young people. After a decade living self-sufficiently and teaching literacy to adults in Ireland, she now lives in Pennsylvania."

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My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.
PS....The FIRST SESSION of the Legacy Writing Project in 2024 has finished BUT you can get on the list for the FINAL Group of the year starting August 14 group NOW!!For a way to leave a Legacy of your child - GO HEREIf you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA

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First, she talks about her loss survivor group & how it has influenced her
Coming face-to-face with a mom who had previously) judged her family - and how hearing her say it out loud - impacted her.
The myths and realities of 'prevention' & stigma & shame...
Meaningful conversations everywhere - incl. LGBTQA+ spaces...
Living in a community where she is still 'targeted' and yet, her resolve is stronger than ever!
Judgement, safe spaces, Gracie's House, soup and more ...

Support the show

Previous Episode

Grief Hangovers are Real; Are You an Intervention or Prevention Griever?

Today I am down the rabbit hole to discuss the concept of a grief hangover. Yep, it's a real thing ....at least I say it is. I did not coin the phrase but i also don't recall ever hearing it before, yet a simple internet search tells me that I am not the only one who thinks it's that 'thing'. The day before, of and after a "day" (birthday, loss, day, holiday...) can be absolute hell and you may be left with a massive grief hangover if you aren't prepared. Let me offer some thoughts that may just help! (turns out, I needed the reminder too!)
Today, I have three top takeaways on this subject:

First, give yourself plenty of space and Grace. You need flexibility, time for yourself.... These will all lay a foundation for the other. 2.
Second have a backup plan... this will give you a safety net as well as a way out - or at least relief -when a 'hangover' happens
3rd, make a plan.... Intentionality and mindfulness go a long way in the prevention. of a hangover, or perhaps keeping it at bay more than if you didn't use these tools

Forethought, mindfulness and participation/planning are keys here. Take good care good you, my friend!
_____________________________________________________________________
My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.
PS....The FIRST SESSION of the Legacy Writing Project in 2024 has finished BUT you can get on the list for the FINAL Group of the year starting August 14 group NOW!!
For a way to leave a Legacy of your child - GO HEREIf you, or someone you know, is struggling with suicidal thoughts PLEASE reach out:
CALL 988 OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA

Support the show

Next Episode

"The REST of My Story; Was It Free Will, or Not"

SPECIAL NEW EPISODE DROP! New today! This is Part 1 of 3 (the other two will be released only two days after the previous one). I am getting very 'up close and personal' as I do something I have not done since I began the podcast in 2020-- tell "the rest of my story ."

Putting this out there has taken way more 'guts' than I anticipated. I have been sitting on this episode, frozen, for over a week. Even eight years in, it seems I am still learning about my new self. But it's time.

I am finally pushing the button today...officially entering my own new era.

Today, I am transitioning from sitting on the sidelines (albeit strategic & necessary for years) to now getting up (high) on a soap box and telling anyone who will listen to what started in August of 2016 at Truman State University with my son Alex's suicide... and what we had no clue about that became a nightmare on top of a nightmare, for many, not just us. "Free will" serves as a center point of this story: free will and a disturbed individual with a death obsession and malice in his heart. I think the question of free will is complicated - just like suicide - in most suicides, but how does it factor in when another person is right there - influencing or bullying or even reasoning and coaxing...?

So, it's time to tell the story. The world needs to know because I KNOW I am not alone in this, or similar, situations - and that pains me. We need to draw attention to bullies, toxic relationships, and more that lead our kids straight to taking their own life. We need answers, accountability, and so much more. Let's have THAT conversation too! This is just my springboard, but I have to start somewhere. Thank you for listening and supporting the podcast and me!

Find the Essay I read in this episode HERE. It's called Talking Suicide Blues by Jeannette Cooperman, published on January 31, 2022. In my opinion, it's the most accurate article written to date. There is still So. Much. More. to the story, but this is a starting point.

You get Part 1, "The Rest of My Story" today. Then, Part 2 - "My Response - The Analysis" (to the Essay I read in Part 1) will be out in 2 days, and that will be followed by Part 3 two days after that, which will be called-- "Why is This Relevant for You - My Audience."

Please have a gentle day and be good to yourself. Talk Soon! - Melissa

_____________________________________________________________________
Go to my WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.
PS....The FIRST SESSION of the Legacy Writing Project in 2024 has finished BUT you can get on the list for the FINAL Group of the year starting August 14 group NOW!!For a way to leave a Legacy of your child - GO HEREIf you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA

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