Interview with RaeBeth McGee!!

Hello lovelies, today is a very special day. Today is Self-Injury Awareness Day. I have had a number of friends who self-injure and I wanted to highlight this day because it is often considered a taboo subject. Self-injury is something many people struggle with in silence because of fear of being judged by others. There are many stigmas against people who self-injure. Often, self-injurers are called crazy or "emo", people believe they are just doing it for attention or because they're suicidal. Nothing could be further from the truth.

People who self-injure are not just teenage girls hurting themselves for attention. People of all ages and races self-injure and both men and women engage in the behavior. It's not for attention, it's to provide relief from mental pain and often sufferers will go out of their way to hide the wounds. Self-injury does not necessarily mean cutting, although that's the most common method. Self-injurers may also engage in scratching, hitting, burning and other forms.

RaeBeth McGee has written a wonderful book called Silenced which confronts this issue head on. RaeBeth wrote from personal experience and I have the honor of having her on my blog today to talk about her book as well as her own struggles with self-injury. Thank you lovelies for taking the time to read and learn more about this often taboo subject.

Thank you so much for joining me today, RaeBeth and thank you also for being willing to share your story. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

When I first realized I wanted to be a writer I was about twenty years old. I’ve always wrote poetry and the drive to write a book began with my younger sister. She was looking at the shortened version of Silenced that I did for an English project and suggested I make it into a book.

That's awesome and I'm so glad you listened to that suggestion. There are unfortunately not many books written by someone who self-injured out there. What has been the most difficult part about being a writer?

While writing Silenced the story can easy for me. The trouble I seem to have now is ending Amber’s story. It’s a bit bitter sweet to see her story coming to an end and at times my muse doesn’t seem to want to work with me. Therefore it’s taking a little longer than I expected to finish the second part of Silenced.

I can understand that. Who are your favorite authors?

This is such a hard question to answer. There are so many great authors out there. But if I have to choose I would say Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King.

Love both of those! What authors inspire you?

There are so many Indie/Self published authors which inspire me. I see their success and it makes me try harder to get Silenced where I want it.


The exact thing happens with me. Are you a plotter or a pantser with your writing?

I am both. At times I plot out scenes within the book but at others… I just let the words flow and let the characters take the story where they want.


That seems to be how my style is evolving :) What type of books do you like to read?

I’m the type of person that enjoys all genre when the book is written well.


Love that, it definitely exposes you to so many wonderful authors! What do you like to do in your free time?

At this time I am preparing for a new baby and I spend time with my family. So it’s actually writing that I do in my free time because the family always comes first.


Congratulations on your new baby!! That must be so exciting!! Where is your favorite place to vacation?

I haven’t really traveled to many places but I do love the camp grounds we go to every year. As well as our Honeymoon spot which was in Pocono PA. I can’t wait to take a trip with Hubby back there.


With that new baby, I'm sure it will get even harder to travel lol. That sounds lovely though! If you were stuck on a desert island and could have only three things, what would they be?

I would take an inflatable boat, lighter, and an extra change of clothes. The boat could help me to go back home when I was lonely. The lighter for a fire. A change of clothes… well that’s a given.


I adore how practical those choices are! Why did you choose to write about self-injury?

I choose to write about cutting because it’s so personal to me. I know so many who have had problems with this and so little people out there understands. I felt that it’s time to change it and we need to shine the spotlight on self harm just as much as anything else.


I am so glad you did because as I mentioned before, there are not many books out there written by people who have actually self-injured. What has been the hardest scene for you to write?

Each cutting scene was hard. I wanted to give a great visual of Amber’s feelings but I didn’t want to go overboard.


I can only imagine how difficult that would be. Do you have any favorite characters? 

Yes, Amber. She’s partly based off of me. Some of the events and the way she thinks was taken from my own personal experiences.


I always love when authors base characters off of themselves because it makes it so much more real in my opinion. Can you tell me when you started to self-injure and what initially drove you to self-injure?

I started when I was thirteen years old. I used it secretly to deal with the fact I was being sexually abused. At that time I wasn’t sure how to handle it and didn’t know who to turn to.


I'm so sorry for your abuse *hugs* Do you feel your struggles with self-injury affected your life beyond the obvious aspects? For instance, do you feel it isolated you from your peers?

Yes I did. I felt like I had this ugly darkness eating away at me. It changed my attitude and the way I treated others. I pushed some away while trying to pull a few that I know closer.


Everyone I have ever known who self-injured has felt that way it seems. Do you have any diagnoses that may have contributed to your self-injurious behavior such as OCD, anxiety, depression, etc?

Yes, I suffer from depression and anxiety.


What made you decide to try to overcome self-injury? Was there anything in particular you found beneficial as you struggled toward recovery?

I was tired of the internal battle. I didn’t want it controlling me and I was tired of hiding the secret from my family.


I think it's wonderful you decided to take that step because one of the worst parts about self-injury is the feeling you have to keep it a secret and that you're isolated. What advice would you give to those struggling with self-injury, depression, etc?

Don’t be embarrassed. It’s not in your head and you can be helped. Try to confide in someone you trust when you feel you’re ready to free yourself… which can be done.


I couldn't agree more with that! Tell us more about your book, Silenced.

Silenced isn’t about the perfect plot line or the perfect characters. The message behind it is what’s important. I’m trying to create awareness for depression and self harm. I wanted to try to help those who are in the very place I was in the past. I fought it and with the help of a doctor, I have it all under control.

Each event that happens in Ambers life has happened to someone I know. This saddens me when people make remarks about how something doesn’t seem like it would happen in reality. Such as going from a social outcast to prom queen. I witnessed this.

Ambers journey doesn’t end here though. It’s continued in a second book, which I’m working on. Therefore, the first book may leave some unanswered questions or may leave the readers puzzled. But as Stephen King said… "Good books don't give up all their secrets at once."


I truly love what you are working to achieve with this book <3 Why did you choose to call your book Silenced?

I decided to call my book Silenced because that’s what Amber does with her pain. She uses cutting to silence it for a short amount of time.


I think it's a very fitting title in that case. What's next for you?

Right now I am working on Silenced: The Overtaking which completes Ambers journey and her struggle. I’m also working on a new paranormal series which I haven’t named yet.


I can't wait to read more from you!! We are unfortunately out of time, but is there anything else you want your readers to know?

I’d like to first say thank you to Lindsay for having me on her blog today. Especially on such an important day to me. For the readers who don’t know… today is Self Harm Awareness Day. If you haven’t already you can check out Silenced on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.



Thank you so much for coming and especially for sharing your own personal experiences with this! It has been a pleasure having you and I can't wait to finish your book and review it :)

Lovelies, please check out RaeBeth's book. Self-injury needs to be brought out of the darkness.

Silenced...Buy it Now!!

Amber Brown spent her entire existence believing Dave was her father. When her mother reveals this is untrue, she goes through an emotional spiral with depression. It's hard for her to believe her mother had lied to her all this time.

A move to a new home and town causes Amber to be consumed by her "darkness" and reverts to cutting to free herself from her pain.

When Casey, her new friend enters her life, she introduces Amber to parties, drugs, and Amber's new boyfriend Landon. The secret of cutting begins to take affect on Amber as she tries to hide it from her friends and family. In the midst of everything, Amber has the desire to find out who her biological father is.

Follow Amber through her trials of depression and cutting, along with the discovery of love.

Buy it Now:

• Amazon US (ebook)
• Amazon UK (ebook)
• Amazon Paperback

Meet RaeBeth!!

RaeBeth McGee-Buda was born in southwestern Pennsylvania in 1987, the second daughter of Rachel Yost and Arthur Curtis McGee. RaeBeth grew up loving to read and write poetry, as well as short stories. Her childhood dream was to become a teacher. Rae Beth’s dream of writing was created in her eleventh grade literature class where writing became her passion.

RaeBeth married in August 2012 to her husband, Gregory Stephen Buda Jr. and resides in a small Pennsylvania town of Fairchance. RaeBeth is a full time mother of one and is expecting her second child.

She graduated from American Intercontinental University with her associates in business administration. She enjoys spending her time writing and feels that connecting with readers is her main goal.

RaeBeth published Silenced under her maiden name but plans to continue writing under her married name with any other works.

Connect with RaeBeth:

• Website
• Facebook
• Goodreads
• Twitter
• Blog
• Silenced Trailer