Audley Enough: A Portrait of Triumph and Recovery in the Face of Mania and Depression
by Lesley Whyte Reford & Patricia Lavoie
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GENRE: Non-fiction, Biography/Memoir
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Audley Enough follows Audley's journey through "The Matrix," specifically his mental health. The book describes his adventures into his mania and depression that occurred during the peak employment years of his life, from 27 to 38 years old. It takes one through the spiritual essence of his being, and gives one steps to travel through mania and depression. After reading his book, one comes out stronger with multiple coping tools. The book is about Audley refusing to let his bipolar diagnosis define him, nor stop him from leading a mentally, healthy, and productive life.
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EXCERPTS (Exclusive Excerpt):
Audley made the hasty decision to take over the dance studio of his former ballet teacher, George Majors. It was a risk, but he decided to take a chance. The downtown Montreal rent for the studio (called Jazzin’) was far too much for Audley to manage financially and was causing him enormous stress which, unbeknownst to him, was starting to take its toll on his health. His desperation for a “life on stage” was sending him into a manic frenzy of unwise choices, fueled by buried emotions which had been ignored for too long. His judgments about everything had become severely impaired. No matter what was going on, he was determined to make a name for himself and show the world that he would achieve his dream. He was partying all the time, staying up every night, and biting off more than he could chew. As he says, “I was pushing it to the end.” He was going way beyond his limits and truly believed that nothing could stop him.
Sadly, something did. The night after his over-the-top glamour opening party for his new studio brought Audley down with a resounding thud! Audley had been on a delusional high with a feeling of euphoria that he had finally arrived; that this was the moment he had been waiting for. He was finally going to show everybody that he could overcome all obstacles and become a success and that even more was to come. The night following his opening event (which had been a great success), while sitting in a downtown Montreal hotel with his brother celebrating his long-awaited achievement, Audley pushed himself once again to the extreme. He and his brother started talking and laughing very loudly, alarming the hotel clientele. When asked to stop by the hotel staff, all of his years of unresolved anger and resentment came bounding up to the surface. Audley lost it. After causing a distressingly confrontational scene and accusing the hotel staff of racial bigotry, Audley became irritable and aggressive with the staff and the police were immediately called in. That night, at the age of 26, Audley was arrested for disturbing the peace.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
His ability to soar above mental illness is something he credits to many things. His support system: a strong Jamaican, God-fearing, and closely knit family, first. Sports and physical activity come in at a close second. Audley has always been extremely active. He played hockey, soccer and was a dancer/choreographer, most of his life. At the fine age of 62, he can be found at the Atwater Club teaching a class that could put people half his age to shame. Just ask his Yummy Mummies who subscribe to his workouts and carefully crafted playlist. And then, it’s about food for Audley. He perfected his culinary skills working as a chef in Frobisher Bay (Iqaluit) and today, cooking is truly his labour of love. He takes his vitamins (his medication) regularly and frequently visits to Up House, a place where he goes to get centered and to give back to those who once gave to him. The last and perhaps most important box he checks off on his self-care list is REST.
Audley’s objective is to tell his story often so people may recognize themselves, to provide hope for families of those affected, to share a recipe for success that he knows works and to have the opportunity to change someone’s life in the same way that Patty Duke’s openness changed his.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
LESLEY WHYTE REFORD is a seasoned writer who has a passion for communications and storytelling. She obtained her Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Queen’s University in 1993 and went on to build her career in Corporate Communications and Public Relations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. As she raised her two sons, Lesley put her career on hold but continued with her writing when time allowed. Engaging in small contract freelance opportunities and volunteer work, Lesley published a centennial book commemorating the Montreal Children’s Hospital’s contribution to the Montreal community titled “100 Years of Stories” in 2004. In 2013, she collaborated with Audley Coley to author “Audley Enough”, an inspiring resource to share his journey with bipolar disorder and help combat the stigma of mental health issues. Lesley is currently a full-time grant writer at One Tree Planted, Inc., a global reforestation non-profit organization.
PATRICIA LAVOIE has been writing and producing feature films and television series for many years including seventeen seasons with Sesame Street (CBC) in Canada where she honed her pre-school expertise. She developed the original concept for and produced the first Heritage Minutes, a multi-million dollar television and cinema project based on anecdotes of Canadian history, as well as many award-winning preschool and family productions for broadcasters such as CBC, Radio-Canada, YTV, Treehouse, Animal Planet, TVOntario, TFO, Télé-Québec, Discovery Channel USA and PBS.
Ms. Lavoie also co-produced several feature length films with international partners in Australia, New Zealand, France, Japan and the USA. Her online game productions were created for PBS, National Geographic, CBC, Radio-Canada and Treehouse.
As a broadcaster, Ms. Lavoie also served as interim Director of Yoopa, a multiplatform brand comprised of a television channel, an online community for children and parents and a magazine for parents.
Audley Enough is her third book.
CONNECT WITH AUDLEY COLEY
WEBSITE - Audley Coley (audleyenoughbook.com)
FACEBOOK - Audley Coley | Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Audley-Coley-105730245370234
INSTAGRAM - Audley Coley (@audleycoley) • Instagram photos and videos : https://www.instagram.com/audleycoley
TWITTER - Audley Coley (@audley_coley) / Twitter : https://twitter.com/audley_coley
GOODREADS - Audley Coley (audleycoley) - Montreal, QC, Canada (15 books) | Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/147728134-audley-coley
LINKEDIN - Audley Coley - Motivational and Keynote Speaker on Mental Health & Wellness - Audley Coley | LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/audleycoley/
PURCHASE LINKS AUDLEY ENOUGH
AMAZON.COM - https://amazon.com/dp/022887128X
AMAZON.CA - https://amazon.com/dp/022887128X
AMAZON KINDLE - https://amazon.com/dp/B09PGRX8PW
INDIGO CHAPTERS - https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/audley-enough-a-portrait-of/9780228871286-item.html
BARNES & NOBLE - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/audley-enough-lesley-whyte-reford/1140837677
BOOK DEPOSITORY - https://www.bookdepository.com/Audley-Enough-Lesley-Whyte-Reford-Patricia-Lavoie/9780228871286
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Lesley Whyte Reford & Patricia Lavoie will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a very interesting book.
Audley's story sounds like a triumph and I think his biography will be an inspiring read for anyone who is struggling with or connected to someone with mental health issues. This book is a must read for me. Thank you for sharing the authors' bios and book details
ReplyDeleteOn behalf of Audley Coley, I would like to express our gratitude for sharing this excerpt from his book on your website and for the fun giveaway. He hopes that readers will find inspiration and strength in his story. His recipe for soaring above bipolar disorder began with admitting there was a problem.
ReplyDeleteAudley's mission is to make a difference by telling his story. He wants people to know they are not alone.
With gratitude,
Christine Bode (Bodacious Copy) for Audley Coley
https://audleycoley.ca/