Mad Engineer Press
New Releases
Can You Hear the Music? My Journey through Madness
by Ann Jeffers
Ann Jeffers has it all–a devoted partner, a child who adores her, and a successful career as a tenure-track professor in a top-ranked engineering program at the University of Michigan. Following her diagnosis of bipolar disorder, her world shatters. The bipolar disorder is complicated by the trauma she carries from the Virginia Tech shooting, resulting in a perfect nightmare each time she steps foot in the classroom. She embarks on a journey in search of the right medications and therapy, holding on to the hope that something must be able to help her feel normal again. But despite her best efforts, she suffers debilitatingly low depressions and dangerously high manias peppered with delusions and hallucinations. In a race against time, Ann strives to attain stability before her illness takes over completely. Through Ann’s journey, we learn perseverance, the power of love, and the healing that can take place when the stigma of mental illness is overcome.
Who We Are
Mad Engineer Press, LLC is a small publishing press that focuses on stories of mental illness by people directly affected by mental illness. We envision a world that understands the complexities of mental illness and treats people with mental illness as humans.
Our Values
People with mental illness are people who have experienced hardship and have unique stories to tell.
Stigma stands in the way of treatment, and the only way to break down stigma is to educate the public about the realities of mental illness.
Mental illness intersects all identities, and people who are marginalized based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, religion, or any other identity bring perspectives that are invaluable.
People with mental illness can lead meaningful lives, and it is important that the public see stories of “success,” with “success” being up to the mentally ill person’s interpretation.
Not every recovery story is a story of success. These stories should also be told.
Traditional publishing is full of gatekeeping that prevents people with mental illness from sharing their stories. We aim to facilitate the publishing process to get these stories into the hands of readers.
