TLC Book Tours

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Gayathri Ramprasad, author of Shadows in the Sun, on tour March 2014

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Shadows in the SunAbout Shadows in the Sun: Healing from Depression and Finding the Light Within

Softcover, 240 pp.
Publisher: Hazelden
Published Year: 2014

Americans have become immune to the terms, drugs, and behaviors associated with depression even as its reputation has grown as a debilitating and sometimes fatal mental illness. But in India and elsewhere the stigma associated with this condition is cultural and runs deep. In a sweeping narrative that spans the globe from Bangalore to Portland, Oregon, Gayathri Ramprasad shares her harrowing journey through depression to recovery in SHADOWS IN THE SUN: Healing from Depression and Finding the Light Within.
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Gayathri Ramprasad was a blossoming, young Indian girl being raised by a loving family steeped in tradition. But as she grew into an adolescent, she found it more and more difficult to cope with the routine ups and downs of life. The “tipping point” came after Ramprasad failed a class at college and became inconsolable. Unlike a reasonably healthy person, who might be upset at first but come to a place of acceptance and a rational state of mind, Gayathri could not stop herself from obsessing over her failure and what this would mean to her future and her family.
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Gayathri’s arranged marriage, moving to America, and the birth of her first child all led to suicidal ideation and attempts, along with varying degrees of fear and chaos for her growing family. At her lowest point, she was found digging a grave for herself in her backyard with her bare hands, mumbling unintelligibly, with her young daughter sitting in the house alone. Over time, she learned how to respect her illness without letting it dominate her existence. She also realized she wasn’t alone. Having grown up in a family and culture that initially thought her illness was a curse, was surprised to learn that her father, brother, and sister all struggled with mental illness. Today Gayathri Ramprasad is president of ASHA International, a nonprofit organization she founded, whose mission is her calling—to promote personal, organizational, and community wellness around the world. SHADOWS IN THE SUN illustrates how troubled a person can become and how wonderful it is when she can walk out of the darkness and into the light of recovery.
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“Gayathri Ramprasad writes eloquently about depression, and about the process of building a meaningful life in the face of mental illness.”—Andrew Solomon, award-winning author of The Noonday Demon
 
“Weaving together colorful threads from two different cultures in rich, beautiful prose, Gayathri pens a memoir about an anguishing mental illness that ends in redemption and grace. Hers is a powerful story of hope, resilience, and recovery.”—Therese Borchard, author of Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety and Making the Most of Bad Genes
 
“SHADOWS IN THE SUN opens a world never before described in memoir form—that of a woman raised in India and forced to face her mental illness in America without traditional family support or understanding. . . . Gayathri’s colorful, harrowing, and ultimately uplifting life story transcends memoir and becomes history.”—Julie A. Fast, author, columnist, and winner of a Mental Health America media award
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Gayathri-Yellow-Sar-Our-StoryAbout Gayathri Ramprasad

Gayathri Ramprasad is the founder and president of ASHA International (myasha.org), a nonprofit organization promoting personal, organizational, and community wellness. Gayathri received her first undergraduate degree in science from Bangalore University in India. At George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, she earned a second undergraduate degree in management and information systems and a master’s in business administration. She is a member of the Global Speakers Federation and winner of the prestigious Eli Lilly Welcome Back Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Voice Award for Consumer Leadership sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

For more information, visit the website for ASHA International, Gayathri’s nonprofit organization promoting personal, organizational, and community wellness HERE.

Gayathri Ramprasad’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, March 3rd:  Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Tuesday, March 4th:  Bookfoolery

Tuesday, March 11th:  A Bookish Affair

Wednesday, March 12th:  The Whimsical Cottage

Thursday, March 13th:  Patricia’s Wisdom

Tuesday, March 18th:  Lavish Bookshelf

Wednesday, March 19th:  Sarah’s Book Shelves

Monday, March 24th:  The Best Books Ever

Monday, March 24th:  Literally Jen

Tuesday, March 25th:  Bookish Ardour

Thursday, March 27th:  Books in the Burbs 

Friday, March 28th:  Good Girl Gone Redneck

TBD:  Booksellers Without Borders