Audley Enough: A Portrait of Triumph and Recovery in the Face of Mania and Depression by Lesley Whyte Reford & Patricia Lavoie

Please welcome Lesley Whyte Reford & Patricia Lavoie author of Audley Enough: A Portrait of Triumph and Recovery in the Face of Mania and Depression

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.

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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BLURB:

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:

Mid-life is a ritual that we all know is coming, but dismiss in our heads as a period we will sail through. However, many of us do not sail through; we coast over a few swells along the way. We all knows the symptoms: change of hormones, aging, gaining of weight, loss of identity, re-evaluation of where we’re at and where we want to be, re-direction of finances to the children and their future, and existential questions: “is this as good as it gets?” So many of us hit that mid-life crossroad and although I was very fortunate to have wonderful friends and a beautiful family that I cherished and adored, I nevertheless was going through a period where I felt personally stagnant and it was reflected in the unwanted pounds.

As my aerobics instructor at the Atwater Club in Montreal, Audley certainly knew I wanted to work on my physical health. But he could also tell that my mental and emotional health needed a boost as well. When I lost motivation, Audley kept me there. When I didn’t show up for class, he would chastise me, demanding to know why I was absent. He made me accountable. But I also knew that for me, doing aerobics classes three times a week just wasn’t enough for the weight loss I was looking for. I really wanted a trainer to guide me and motivate me. Along came Audley.

Audley took me under his wing and decided it was time to move forward. Audley jumped in as my personal motivator in a way. We made an agreement that I felt really benefitted me more than him. He offered to train me for three or four months and guaranteed me weight loss and a clearer mind. In exchange, he wanted me to share his life story in a book with my self-proclaimed “cob-webbed” writing skills. That’s it! That’s all he wanted. He wasn’t asking for a penny. He knew his story may or may not be published. However, I was to gain a private trainer, much-needed motivation, AND the added bonus of getting back to my writing, which I had wanted to do for years. It somehow felt like I was taking advantage of him in the deal, which made me very uncomfortable. But he didn’t see it that way. All Audley wanted in the exchange was to motivate, inspire, and help me (through training) and people in general (through a book) who need to get themselves out of a rut and move forward.

But this isn’t about me or my loss of a few annoying pounds. This is about Audley and his journey of personal transformation that took him to the brink and back. His is an inspirational story. Here is a man who has been through the ringer. He’s had an incredibly challenging life and lives with few of life’s luxuries. And yet, his only interest is to support others in their pursuits and needs, just as he did with me.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Audley Coley is a mental health coach, a philanthropist, the subject of a book and a Friend of the Bell Let’s Talk campaign. He  is often called upon to host forums on mental health awareness and was more recently seen on CBC’s You Can’t Ask That describing his life with bipolar disorder and on Facebook, hosting the live broadcast to the Alianait Arts Festival for the Nunavut community alongside his lovely daughter.

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.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4184