Stop That Foolishness & Eat: Tale of a Black Anorexic by Mariah Shannon

11/26/2023

Amazon debut author, Mariah Shannon introduces us to her first book, “Stop That Foolishness & Eat: Tale of a Black Anorexic”:

For decades, the African American community has viewed eating disorders as a problem that we just don't have. But I am here to tell you that it's just not so. Starving in both body and spirit, my issues gobbled me up, one pound at a time. I share my journey from the internal depths of hell in my mind to health and sanity.

Let's not pretend that our communities are immune to mental health problems. I hope to help you, the reader, or someone you know to conquer this soul-sucking disease and rise like a phoenix from the ashes of self-loathing.

This story has been ignored for much too long. Mental illness doesn't care about skin color. Anorexia and bulimia are not lifestyles they are mental illnesses.
Thank you, Mariah, for explaining this clearly and unequivocally.
I shed several tears while reading about the abuse endured by the author as a child.
Almost everyone knows someone who might be suffering silently but visibly from a disorder of one kind or another. Don't ignore or enable this person. They need help.
I give 4.8 stars to Stop That Foolishness & Eat.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Stop-That-Foolishness-Eat-Anorexic-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-stop-that-foolishness-eat

Copyright © 2023 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction.

66 Comments

Mariah Shannon

11/27/2023 02:41:36 pm

I appreciate the review!

Mark

11/27/2023 04:24:49 pm

You are welcome. Your book moved me in a mighty way.

Thank you for being on the Word Refiner channel. Let's get right to it.

First question.

Are you a full-time or part-time writer?

11/27/2023 05:57:41 pm

I am currently part-time writing but would love to be full-time.

11/27/2023 06:08:30 pm

The only authors that haven't expressed the same idea are writing full-time. That is the dream of nearly every author.

My dream is to read all of the books and correct their spelling errors. To achieve that I need to discover immortality real soon because more than a million books are published each year.

New question.

How has writing changed your life?

11/27/2023 06:29:26 pm

Writing has allowed me to create worlds I wish I lived in, have a confessional on paper yet entertain too. I feel sheer ecstasy when I hear someone say my book was good or helped someone.

11/27/2023 06:56:12 pm

That has to be a great feeling! Many authors have used similar descriptions.

New question.

Does your work have any influence on your writing?

11/27/2023 07:01:50 pm

It has. I based a short story off some women I worked with. There’s lots of good material to be found with coworkers. :o)

11/27/2023 07:54:41 pm

Co-workers, friends, strangers, family members all can provide inspiration for stories without even knowing they are doing so.

I am reminded of an author who told me when he was writing a story, a long time ago, he based many of the characters on family and relatives. He told them and the news excited all of them. He kept them updated on the progress of the story. Until an aunt told him that the character based on her wouldn't do what the writer had planned. That relationship was frosty for several years.

New question.

How many drafts did your book go through before publishing?

11/27/2023 08:49:00 pm

Roughly 4 drafts. That’s my average. I find editing & rewriting harder than writing. But it’s fun to see the stories take shape in the process.

11/28/2023 09:04:12 am

More authors than not have echoed a similar sentiment. They are happy to get the story out of their head. For a few, it is a necessity to quiet the voices in their head.

New question.

Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.

11/28/2023 09:20:43 am

I designed the cover myself & my husband is a wizard with graphic design. He brought it to life.

11/28/2023 11:27:27 am

I love the cover! It is stark and conveys the idea of the book very graphically.

New question.

How many drafts did the cover go through?

11/28/2023 11:49:52 am

I’d say about 3. My poor husband was quite patient with me & that cover.

11/28/2023 01:46:25 pm

Only 3? Many authors go through more cover drafts than that. He did well.

New questions.

Was it hard to come up with the title?

What was the process?

Why did you use an ampersand in the title?

11/28/2023 01:50:21 pm

It wasn’t that hard to come up with the title because I just took what I heard all the time in the throes of an episode.

I used the ampersand because the title was long enough!

11/28/2023 03:51:49 pm

I didn't think of that in both cases. The title does sound like something a non-understanding parent would say. I had to shorten the title for my website so I would have enough room for my tweets when using the link.

New questions.

Were the character names difficult to develop?

How did you choose them?

11/28/2023 04:50:19 pm

Not at all. This is a true story and the names are real. I only used their first names in the memoir to protect identities.

11/28/2023 05:59:39 pm

A bold move on your part to use real names, wiser than wise to only use first names. Brilliant! I love it.

New question.

If this was fiction, how would you chose the names?

11/28/2023 09:59:23 pm

Ha ha. The people would probably have names that match their personalities; like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.

11/29/2023 08:20:09 am

Pretty funny!

Let me rephrase the question.

When you write fiction, how do you come up with names for the characters?

11/29/2023 10:42:51 am

Sometimes the characters name themselves. Or I choose a name from someone I knew who had an impact on my life.

11/29/2023 12:44:35 pm

I have heard from other authors that characters sometimes take control of a story or refuse to follow the author's plot idea. This is the first time I have heard of a character providing their name. I love it!

Honoring a person who has had a significant impact on your life is wonderful idea.

New questions.

What do you think of the current controversy regarding AI?

Did you use AI in any of your writing, planning or research for your book?

11/29/2023 02:29:19 pm

Yes, I’m well aware of AI. I think it’s a helpful tool for business writing but I like to rely on my own knowledge & creativity for my books.

11/29/2023 04:19:45 pm

Artificial Intelligence has many authors and writers worried about being displaced in one way or another. The results so far are rather indifferent and forgettable. What AI creates seems rather dull and lifeless. Knowing that AI has been trained on many thousands of published books makes me concerned because so many books have spelling errors in them. For nearly 10 years, I have read 40 to 60 books each year. I have found spelling errors in all of them except one. Each year, I find one book with no immediate spelling errors, errors that jump off the page into my face. Because the English language is so complex, those errors will likely be compounded by AI. I guess it's job security for me.

The screenwriters guild recently ratified a new contract with protections against losing work to AI. It will be interesting to see if they can make it stick.

Amazon is now requiring writers to disclose if they used AI in the writing of their book. I doubt if Amazon will have much luck with that if an author chooses not to confirm that usage.

New questions.

Have you done any public speaking?

If so, will you be doing more in the future?

11/29/2023 04:40:09 pm

I am not much of a public speaker but love to give advice on up-and-coming writers. Here’s some: write & write some more. Then have fun editing.

11/29/2023 06:51:03 pm

Good advice! I will add read a lot also.

Not long ago, I wrote a blog about how to make proofreading your own work easier. It can be found on the "Words for Thought" page elsewhere on my website.

New questions.

Have you entered any writing contests?

Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

11/29/2023 08:04:33 pm

I won a contest with a popular women’s magazine in 2010 for a true essay. The essay was turned into a short film & directed by an actress. It was big fun!

11/30/2023 08:00:26 am

Congratulations. That must have been an amazing story!

Many authors dream of their story being turned into a film. Few see that dream come true. Here is a copy-and-paste link that might be useful: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2019/07/26/turn-your-book-into-a-tv-or-streaming-series Or hit the search box below.

I have recommended to writers that short story writing contests, especially those that provide feedback from the judges, can help a writer improve their writing skills. I do have a warning, there are a lot of shady contests out there. Some want to extract as much as they can from your wallet, others want to steal your intellectual property. Here is a copy-and-paste link about those things: Beware Bogus Writing Contests! Look for These 8 Red Flags. https://annerallen.com/2019/05/beware-bogus-writing-contests. You can also use the search box below to find the link. There are other blogs I have links for on my Highly Regarded Blogs page.

New question.

I noticed that your book is not in Kindle Unlimited. Is there a reason for that?

11/30/2023 10:47:02 am

My book is still pretty new; having been released this summer. I just haven’t gotten around to putting it on Kindle Unlimited. It will probably be soon though!

11/30/2023 12:40:09 pm

A lot of readers love their Kindle. Unlimited reading for a monthly fee is very attractive for high-volume readers! Authors get a fraction of a penny for each page that is read. For the authors, more books mean more pages read.

In one sense, it is a real test of how good a writer is. If the book doesn't maintain the reader's interest it will likely go unfinished.

New questions.

Have you ever gone through the query process?

Were you seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers and why did you choose that path?

11/30/2023 12:53:35 pm

I went through the query process & frankly, I am not a fan. It’s like gambling. And if a publisher acquires your book, they believe they have the right to make changes. Sorry, but my books are like my babies. I like to call the shots.

11/30/2023 03:12:17 pm

You are right. It is like gambling against a player with loaded dice.

For most publishers, a book is considered to be like a box of cereal on a grocery store shelf. The publisher is going to make every necessary change to maximize their profit. So many publishers, especially traditional publishers, struggle to remain afloat and are only one or two failed launches away from closing the doors.

The publisher may want to change the title, cover or even the story. One client queried the fifth book in a series and the publisher wanted her to rewrite the story out of the series. She started the rewrite and emailed the publisher some questions. Crickets. The publisher never got back to her and she abandoned the attempt.

Now, it is possible to negotiate all possible changes in the contract. But with too many restrictions the publisher may decide he won't make enough money and give up on the process.

Remaining a self-publishing author is the best way to go, IMO. You don't have to pay back an advance or share royalties with the publisher or an agent, if there is one.

Many authors think the publisher will handle marketing and publicity. Most publishers will do that as long as those efforts don't require more than a listing on their website. The real work of marketing is squarely on the author's shoulders even if they have a traditional publishing contract unless there is more spelled out in the contract.

I am with you. Do the work and keep all of the profits.

New question.

You went through the query process and it was brutal. Did you get any feedback or was it only crickets?

11/30/2023 11:44:17 pm

It was a mixture of both. It was hard to get a response & I had a couple want to change things if I wanted them to publish it. That’s why Kindle Publishing is a Godsend. Authors have complete creative control.

12/1/2023 08:57:33 am

You are preaching to the choir. Keep it up.

In the period of BA, Before Amazon, traditional publishers held all of the power regarding whose book was published and whose book wasn't. Those not allowed through the gate had to choose between rewriting and resubmitting or publish with a vanity publisher. Most of the vanity presses didn't care about the content of a book because they were being paid up front by the author.

Now, everything is changed. Amazon not only knocked the applecart over the applecart was smashed into little pieces. There is no return to the BA days even if Amazon disappeared. There are way too many independent publishers in the marketplace and many other platforms to sell a book on.

New questions.

Did you seek specific help in formulating your query letters?

Did you use querytracker.net or some other website like that?

12/1/2023 11:37:49 am

No, sir. This was well before those resources were available. I read books on how to compose an intriguing query letter. I’m not saying I will never go the traditional query route ever again but self-publishing works best for me at this point in my writing journey.

12/1/2023 02:35:30 pm

Query letters are a topic of much debate. Wording is important but following submission guidelines are more critical for success. I think that agents and submittees are frequently buried by proposals. Being able to eliminate some of the slush right off the bat makes their job easier. Everyone thinks they are overworked and underpaid.

New question.

After rejecting traditional publishing, did you consider an independent or hybrid publisher?

12/1/2023 03:10:35 pm

I would definitely consider it in the future. I noticed that more & more of those are popping up.

12/1/2023 05:37:26 pm

There are a lot of them no doubt. Some consider hybrid publishers are no better than vanity publishers. I disagree because hybrids offer their services on an ala carte basis. You can pick what you want and that is all you pay for. Some of them allow you to keep full control of your intellectual property, aka book, also. They don't require that you grant them a license to publish your book and I think that means you don't own your book until the license expires or certain conditions are met.

Any author considering signing a publishing contract of any kind should engage a lawyer experienced in entertainment law. It is a specialty.

New questions.

Did you use an indie publisher for this book or did you start your own imprint or press?

Or did you choose self-publishing as the best way and why?

12/1/2023 05:42:57 pm

I used Kindle Publishing (self-published) for this book because I was impatient with the query process & I wanted 100% creative control.

12/1/2023 07:23:51 pm

That makes sense to me.

New question.

How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?

12/1/2023 08:19:52 pm

I think my books are better in some ways. They are the real deal with nothing changed to suit the publisher. They may not sell like hotcakes like traditional books but the original heart & soul is present.

12/2/2023 08:49:21 am

Authentic. That is Merriam-Webster's word of the year. They are talking about your book among others. No artificial intelligence included. Solely human sourced.

New question.

There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

12/2/2023 11:28:07 am

Good question. I think the most unethical practice is publishing books that aren’t the best solely for a buck. I won’t say which books I think publishers did this with to make a franchise with because it’s impolite.

12/2/2023 01:56:30 pm

Some things are better left unsaid.

All that publishers care about is making enough money to pay their people and the bills. They are trying to stay in business. Nothing more and nothing less.

Some vanity publishers are not content to empty an author's purse, they also will steal an author's intellectual property rights using the fine print in a nearly unintelligible contract. It's ever so important to have a contract examined carefully by a lawyer experienced in entertainment contracts.

New question.

How did you choose that point in your life to start your memoir?

12/2/2023 02:15:16 pm

It had been rolling around in my head for years. Then I had a period of unemployment that allowed me to really hunker down & write so I got to work. I felt my story especially needed to be told because of the lack of visibility black anorexics get. Eating disorders have mainly been hailed as a WASP girl disease. But that just isn’t so. We are even starting to see more males with eating disorders too.

12/2/2023 04:20:11 pm

I am sure that your book will help many people in the future. Many are afflicted with mental illness of one kind or another.

New questions.

Is there a book that causes strong emotions to come up no matter how many times you read it?

Do you ever read a book more than once?

If so, which one?

Mariah

12/2/2023 04:37:31 pm

Absolutely. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. It’s a beautiful, painful story that made me want to become an author. I first read it at 13 & revisit it from time to time. I suggest everyone reading it at least once.

12/2/2023 07:32:34 pm

That has to be a very special book. How cool that it propelled you to become a writer. I love it.

New question.

What book has changed your mind about any particular topic?

Did you have a favorite book as a child?

12/3/2023 07:33:40 am

Shel Silverstein rings a bell for me. I had a small book of his poetry. I didn't read the other two though I have heard of them.

New questions.

How do you handle bad reviews?

Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?

12/3/2023 01:29:11 pm

I have no problem with bad reviews if they’re sincere. Books are like dating: there’s always someone who won’t like you. However, I had someone give a bad review out of revenge & it mortified me.

Writing definitely energizes me. It’s like telling a story around a campfire with entranced listeners. And a writing a memoir is like a confessional that was bursting to get out.

12/3/2023 02:28:37 pm

I have told many authors that a bad review should be celebrated, it proves that the good reviews are not just family members. A spite review is sad and hurts. It signals a change in the relationship if there ever was a relationship.

Many authors have mentioned how they feel invigorated after a successful writing session. Sometimes they feel tired also if it was particularly long.

New question.

Since a copyright in America lasts for 75 years after the author's passing, do you have a plan for all of your books in your estate?

12/3/2023 03:36:53 pm

I do. All rights go to my family.

12/3/2023 05:14:51 pm

That is excellent. Many authors haven't thought about that. Some books only gain fame after the author has passed on.

New question.

Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?

12/3/2023 06:47:29 pm

Because you don’t want the characters to literally do something out of character…unless it’s a huge plot twist.

12/3/2023 08:33:25 pm

Some readers get mad when a character steps out of their perceived boundaries. They feel betrayed or hoodwinked.

One of my clients, Rick Hall, an author himself, was gracious enough to write several guest blogs for me. One of his blogs was about ensuring that characters remain true to form. He also developed a tool to assist in that endeavor. check out his post elsewhere on my website, copy-and-paste time: https://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/character-creation.

New questions.

Have you ever done NaNoWriMo, National November Writing Month?

If you have, what kind of preparation do you do before it starts?

12/4/2023 09:11:50 am

I haven’t in a while, but I intend to do something for the next NaNoWriMo.

12/4/2023 09:14:59 am

A lot of authors use NaNoWriMo to jumpstart a novel or book. Many writers partner with other writers to form virtual support groups.

New questions.

Do you think you will join a NaNoWriMo group or fly alone?

Are you an under-writer or an over-writer?

When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?

12/4/2023 11:43:21 am

I prefer to fly alone. I am a lone wolf when it comes to writing. I don’t over or under write. I think I am somewhere in the middle.

I usually have to add more to flesh it out because I have pretty much written the skeleton of the story at first. Then I go back & fine tune it.

12/4/2023 01:01:57 pm

Writing a first draft is such a solitary process. No one can help you get it out of your head. Once it is external, then the rewriting process can begin and sometimes that will include alpha readers, beta readers, and editing and finally proofreading. I am not surprised that you are a writer that prefers to be alone.

I think that is a good way to go about it. Though, I have talked with many authors that find they are cutting more material than adding. Every author has a unique style and method for crafting their books.

New question.

What type of material seems to need the most massaging in your stories: descriptions, dialogue or action?

12/4/2023 02:19:06 pm

Definitely my descriptions. I am a serious adjective junkie. Ha ha.

12/4/2023 03:26:37 pm

You are not alone; many authors use multiple adjectives. Each one fits a noun so well we should use them all! Something like that has to go through the head of some authors. Descriptions are important to a story to provide context and set a scene. Without good descriptions it would be like reading a movie script without seeing the movie.

Every author has a unique writing style and level of writing ability.

New questions.

Let's talk about fiction for a moment.

Have you ever used yourself as a starting point for a character in a story? Would family or friends recognize you in the story?

Have you ever used other acquaintances as the basis for a character, to the point they have recognized themselves in your book?

12/4/2023 03:36:47 pm

I sure have. I used some of my character traits for a novella I wrote. I am not sure people would recognize me in her. I also based a short story I wrote on 3 women I worked with who had the same issue. The protagonist is a compilation of them.

12/4/2023 06:04:23 pm

That was a good choice. I think it wise to make certain that the character is not recognizable to anyone.

Last question.

If you used a close friend or family member in a book, would you tell them or make sure that they wouldn't recognize themselves in the story?

12/4/2023 08:04:31 pm

I would probably tell him or her if the representation is positive. :o)

12/4/2023 08:12:21 pm

That should make most people happy.

Thank you, Mariah, for being such a wonderful guest on the Word Refiner channel! I have enjoyed learning about your writing and publishing experiences. I appreciate your willingness to share with our visitors, present and future.

I have another promotion starting tomorrow. So, this one must come to a close.

Until next time, keep on writing.

12/4/2023 08:14:59 pm

Thank you so much for reading my book & having me. This was fun.

Stop That Foolishness & Eat: Tale of a Black Anorexic by Mariah Shannon

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