My friend and tireless California NAMI advocate Mark Gale recently asked me in an email if I had retired.
Well, no and sorta.
I have written a weekly blog about mental health for the last 16 years. As of today, that’s 1,688 blog posts. While I will continue posting my thoughts on this page, I will no longer adhere to a weekly schedule. Instead, I will post blogs sporadically. That might be once a week or none for a month.
Last month, my newest book, NO HUMAN CONTACT: Solitary Confinement, Maximum Security, and Two Inmates Who Changed the System, was published. It is my 22nd book and, most likely, my last.
Available on Amazon
Because of my book, CRAZY: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness, I have spoken in 49 states (still waiting for that invitation from Hawaii), and five foreign countries. A highlight was speaking at the White House during the Obama administration. While I will continue to do some speeches, I am limiting them too.
So why am I cutting back?
I have been a working journalist/author for 52 years. And while I have enjoyed every bit of my writing career, especially engaging in mental health advocacy with many, many of you, none of us can stop time.
I’m turning 72 this September and I would like to spend more time with my wonderful and supportive wife, Patti, our family and our grandkids. I also intend to continue checking off items on my bucket list and I can’t do any of that if I am in my office working six days a week. (Thanks to my son, Evan, I recently hiked with him in the Grand Canyon!)
Hiking with my son, Evan
So Mark, I am not going to disappear. You will hear from me, but it might be in a while.
Thank you Mark and everyone else who has supported me and continues the fight for much-needed, better mental health services. Hope have, help others, change lives.
I encourage you to write about your experiences and share your stories, however, I cannot help you find a literary agent or publisher. I also do not read manuscripts or offer editorial suggestions. Unsolicited manuscripts will be returned unopened and unread.
You can contact me through Pete Earley Facebook.
