Aspiring Writers Christmas Edition 2006
A True Love Story for Chirstmas
A Calling From God
“ Don’t reveal too much details in your book, otherwise people will know that it is
about you and your wife”. This was one of the many discouraging remarks I received
from a classmate whom I once regarded as a close friend. Even though he is highly
educated (holds an MBA in law), he discouraged me from telling all in my novel,
“Loving a Schizophrenic”. His mother, a retired teacher told me, “ I don’t like the
word, Schizophrenia.” I have faced a great deal of prejudice and lack of support from
many people, including our own relatives. Unfortunately mental illness in Singapore
is often swept under the carpet, people don’t want to talk about it, discuss it or
debate it.
“Loving a Schizophrenic” written from an Asian perspective, is based on my wife’s
30-year battle with depression and schizophrenia. Even my publisher was convinced
that this book would not sell well. But I have proven all my critics wrong. Today the
book is selling very well and with more support from readers, I have every
confidence that it can become a best seller. But I have to work very hard at achieving
to sell 3,000 copies. In Singapore, authors who sell 3,000 copies of their book can
consider it a best seller.
Despite the many setbacks I faced in publishing our story, I convinced my wife, Doris
Lau, that our book would give hope to millions of mentally ill persons and their
caregivers. Indeed, it has given much inspiration and encouragement to the 2,017 or
so readers in Singapore as well as those residing in Taiwan who have purchased my
novel. Many of these readers are either persons with mental illness or caregivers of
the mentally ill. Given the personal and private nature of our lives, Doris was initially
skeptical that I should write her story. I persuaded her to allow me to publish this
book, as I wanted to release the tremendous pain and suffering which was bottled
up inside me for 30 years. I also revealed to Doris that my experience with God’s light
into our home during the SARS period when she had a relapse of her mental illness,
it was a calling from God, asking me to free the mentally ill from their “prisons”. After
I wrote the story from a different angle (As if this couple was sharing their life story
with me), my wife consented, after 8 months, to allow me tell her story, using pseudo
names. Later when the book sold very well and many people came to us for help,
Doris decided to let the media know that the book was indeed her own struggle with
schizophrenia.
I met my wife when she was 21 years of age. I was 23 at the time. As our relationship
got deeper and deeper during our courtship days, Doris was skeptical to tell me her
dark secret- that she was being treated at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for
mental illness. She was so afraid that I would take my spikes and run off after I
discovered that she was suffering from mental illness. Her previous boyfriends had
immediately broken off with her when she revealed that she was seeing a
psychiatrist at IMH. My assurance to Doris was that it did not matter to me if she had
a history of mental illness because to me, she is a beautiful human being. During our
courtship, she had proven to be loyal, trustworthy and caring. These were qualities
that I was looking for in a partner that would share the rest of my life. I was deeply
moved by her love for me, to make the many sacrifices she made for me. There were
strong objections to our marriage because we came from different cultural
backgrounds and religions. My wife, now a converted Catholic has often told me, “
God had sent you to me, to care for me for the rest of my life. And I will always be
thankful to the Lord.”
It has been 3 years now since she had a relapse. At the moment she is taking 33
tranquillizers a day to maintain her sanity. Previously she would fall ill every other
year, because she was missing out on her medication. My long hours at work and
the loneliness she endured without any other family support made her feel that life
had little or no meaning. Doris has been warded in IMH 10 times during our marriage.
I gave up my 31-year job in broadcasting to care for her full time and I have never
looked back. Despite being without a fixed monthly income, God has created a
beautiful pathway, wonderful opportunities, for both of us. Through our life-revealing
novel, I began to advocate for the mentally ill and their caregivers through the media.
Mental illness in many parts of the world, Singapore, included is a neglected illness. I
guess it could be because there is no economic value attached to it. However,
through my relentless advocacy, I have managed to convince the Singapore
Government to give better support and welfare for the mentally ill. I have now
embarked on a public speaking career, which enables me to share my experience
on caring for someone with mental illness. I also coach budding writers on how to
turn a life experience into a book, because I fervently believe that talking about an
illness is very powerful therapy.
Through my encouragement, my wife, who is a great cook, has published her very
first book: A cookbook, entitled, “Cook with love”. Uplifted by the huge success of
her first cookbook, Doris and I are now working on a joint book that will see her
publishing another 28 of her new local dishes and yours truly writing 20 brand new
heartfelt poems. It's true that work therapy works well for the mentally ill? And it's
also true that when God closes a door, he will open windows- windows of
opportunity?
Footnote: Readers can access Raymond’s website at this address:
http://www.rayofhope.per.sg/
For purchase of any of the authors books, please contact RANK BOOKS at this
website:
http://www.rankbooks.com
Raymond Anthony Fernando
“ Don’t reveal too much details in your book, otherwise people will know that it is
about you and your wife”. This was one of the many discouraging remarks I received
from a classmate whom I once regarded as a close friend. Even though he is highly
educated (holds an MBA in law), he discouraged me from telling all in my novel,
“Loving a Schizophrenic”. His mother, a retired teacher told me, “ I don’t like the
word, Schizophrenia.” I have faced a great deal of prejudice and lack of support from
many people, including our own relatives. Unfortunately mental illness in Singapore
is often swept under the carpet, people don’t want to talk about it, discuss it or
debate it.
“Loving a Schizophrenic” written from an Asian perspective, is based on my wife’s
30-year battle with depression and schizophrenia. Even my publisher was convinced
that this book would not sell well. But I have proven all my critics wrong. Today the
book is selling very well and with more support from readers, I have every
confidence that it can become a best seller. But I have to work very hard at achieving
to sell 3,000 copies. In Singapore, authors who sell 3,000 copies of their book can
consider it a best seller.
Despite the many setbacks I faced in publishing our story, I convinced my wife, Doris
Lau, that our book would give hope to millions of mentally ill persons and their
caregivers. Indeed, it has given much inspiration and encouragement to the 2,017 or
so readers in Singapore as well as those residing in Taiwan who have purchased my
novel. Many of these readers are either persons with mental illness or caregivers of
the mentally ill. Given the personal and private nature of our lives, Doris was initially
skeptical that I should write her story. I persuaded her to allow me to publish this
book, as I wanted to release the tremendous pain and suffering which was bottled
up inside me for 30 years. I also revealed to Doris that my experience with God’s light
into our home during the SARS period when she had a relapse of her mental illness,
it was a calling from God, asking me to free the mentally ill from their “prisons”. After
I wrote the story from a different angle (As if this couple was sharing their life story
with me), my wife consented, after 8 months, to allow me tell her story, using pseudo
names. Later when the book sold very well and many people came to us for help,
Doris decided to let the media know that the book was indeed her own struggle with
schizophrenia.
I met my wife when she was 21 years of age. I was 23 at the time. As our relationship
got deeper and deeper during our courtship days, Doris was skeptical to tell me her
dark secret- that she was being treated at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for
mental illness. She was so afraid that I would take my spikes and run off after I
discovered that she was suffering from mental illness. Her previous boyfriends had
immediately broken off with her when she revealed that she was seeing a
psychiatrist at IMH. My assurance to Doris was that it did not matter to me if she had
a history of mental illness because to me, she is a beautiful human being. During our
courtship, she had proven to be loyal, trustworthy and caring. These were qualities
that I was looking for in a partner that would share the rest of my life. I was deeply
moved by her love for me, to make the many sacrifices she made for me. There were
strong objections to our marriage because we came from different cultural
backgrounds and religions. My wife, now a converted Catholic has often told me, “
God had sent you to me, to care for me for the rest of my life. And I will always be
thankful to the Lord.”
It has been 3 years now since she had a relapse. At the moment she is taking 33
tranquillizers a day to maintain her sanity. Previously she would fall ill every other
year, because she was missing out on her medication. My long hours at work and
the loneliness she endured without any other family support made her feel that life
had little or no meaning. Doris has been warded in IMH 10 times during our marriage.
I gave up my 31-year job in broadcasting to care for her full time and I have never
looked back. Despite being without a fixed monthly income, God has created a
beautiful pathway, wonderful opportunities, for both of us. Through our life-revealing
novel, I began to advocate for the mentally ill and their caregivers through the media.
Mental illness in many parts of the world, Singapore, included is a neglected illness. I
guess it could be because there is no economic value attached to it. However,
through my relentless advocacy, I have managed to convince the Singapore
Government to give better support and welfare for the mentally ill. I have now
embarked on a public speaking career, which enables me to share my experience
on caring for someone with mental illness. I also coach budding writers on how to
turn a life experience into a book, because I fervently believe that talking about an
illness is very powerful therapy.
Through my encouragement, my wife, who is a great cook, has published her very
first book: A cookbook, entitled, “Cook with love”. Uplifted by the huge success of
her first cookbook, Doris and I are now working on a joint book that will see her
publishing another 28 of her new local dishes and yours truly writing 20 brand new
heartfelt poems. It's true that work therapy works well for the mentally ill? And it's
also true that when God closes a door, he will open windows- windows of
opportunity?
Footnote: Readers can access Raymond’s website at this address:
http://www.rayofhope.per.sg/
For purchase of any of the authors books, please contact RANK BOOKS at this
website:
http://www.rankbooks.com
Raymond Anthony Fernando
The above picture of Mr. Fernando and his
wife Doris was taken from his web site with
his permission.
wife Doris was taken from his web site with
his permission.
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