Crystal Dyste is continuing to grow her Have You Met My Dragon? series. The third book in the series, focusing on self-harm, is set to launch on Jul. 15.
The local author has already released two books, the first about anxiety and the second about depression. This is the mid-point in a planned series of five, which will see further entries on eating disorders and anger.
Writing the third book was the most difficult so far, Dyste said, because she had less experience to draw from - while she has some experience with self-harm, she had to do a lot more research.
“I think I managed to get some good resources and format them in a way that will be helpful to youth.”
Self-harm is often kept hidden and she wants to get people to talk about it because it can get serious if it’s not treated.
“Self-harm is something that can vary in severity and symptoms and long-term effects like scars.”
Dyste picked her topics based on things that affect middle schoolers, because she wanted to reach that group before they reached high school and life got even more difficult to deal with.
“The resources for kids, there is some stuff for 5-8 year olds, there is some stuff for adults, but that middle group you either get stuff that’s really dumbed down because it’s not meant for their age group, or you get things that are really technical where they just go ‘huh?’”
Many people don’t want to talk about mental health, and that’s part of the reason why Dyste has written her book series. She wants people talking openly about their mental health, and hopes that her books can spark people having more conversations.
“Sitting in our rooms, wrestling with it ourselves isn’t going to do it, we need to talk about it. We need to be able to talk about it with our peers, with adults, with counselors and with our families. That is part of what I hope comes out of these books, maybe a mom or dad picks it up, throws it under a bedroom door... maybe somebody gets curious and gets some information that they need.”
Dyste’s books will be available online as well as in Coles in the Parkland Mall.
