Happiness Handbooks: The Girl Series
By La-Verne Parris
Blurb:
From a featured author in the health and happiness bestseller, The Wellness Code, a humorous and transformational six-book series for women about how to step out of life’s ginormous puddles, and firmly into your power.
La-Verne Parris, JD, MSc, MEd is that upbeat, but almost supernaturally wise and real-talking coach/auntie you’ve always wanted in your ear, to help you get up in spirit or out of a jam. She has stumbled on the slippery city blocks of a noisy and gaslighting world a few times herself, as a single, professional woman of color with actual hips and unapologetically natural hair. As she storytells in the Happiness Handbooks series, even the most grounded and conscientious of women can find themselves set up for a fall.
Finding real love, meaningful work, and authentic happiness in the hustle and bustle of problematic societies is no easy feat-especially for women and women of color. Somewhere in between preserving your rights and preserving your peace, you may find yourself either wishing for bath bombs or that spaceship to just take away. But, if we shift and uplift our mindsets, and take targeted steps, La-Verne demonstrates that we can actually make the world we want for ourselves as women.
With comedy, breathtaking honesty, and razor-sharp strategies cultivated by her Jamaican traditions, decades of life spent in her adopted City of New York and traveling the world, La-Verne helps us navigate life’s twists and turns with love and merciful ease. This book series is about how to insist upon and embrace your authentic self, recharge your emotional batteries, reclaim and stand in your power, and thrive with a smile despite what the headlines and haters say. Sisters: All Rise!
Author Interview:
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At what point did you decide to be an author, and what was your path to publication?
Hi Julie, thanks for having me today!
I was that little girl who always, and I mean always, had my head in the clouds. When I walked around I literally bumped into everything because I was more at home in my imagination than in the so called real world. I’ve always written stories and poetry based on my vivid imagination and the emotions stirring in my heart. My path to publication was very twisty and turny! My poetry was first published in the 1990s between 1991 and 1998. I continued writing for my own joy and then I started writing my Happiness Handbooks off and on in 2016, and published them in 2022.
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What do you do when a new idea jumps out at you while you’re still working on a book? Do you chase the squirrel (aka “UP syndrome”) or do you finish your current project first?
That’s such a great question Julie, because I definitely chase the squirrel! I’m a glorious multi-tasker, so when inspiration hits me I definitely follow it and go where it leads me. As I’m working on a book and something strikes me, I immediately create a new Google folder and Google doc and type up my notes. I write for 10 – 15 minutes, then I return to my current book. I really enjoy when the floodgates of inspiration are bursting open and I honor that experience because it’s so much fun and it always leads me to my next projects!
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Who is your favorite character to write, and why is that person your favorite? If picking a favorite character would be like picking a favorite child, which character seems to be the most demanding of your attention and detail as a writer?
I have two types of favorite characters to write. My first favorite character is a very intelligent and creative young girl who sees, and embraces, the magic in the world around her. She is my favorite character for so many reasons. She connects to the divine in every living thing she encounters and is happiest when she is alone creating, writing, drawing, playing with her chemistry set or reading any book she can get her hands on. People are naturally drawn to her because they feel her warmth and strength. She is also very strong and outgoing, and relishes the opportunity to stand up for others.
My next favorite character to write is a bit shy and introverted. They are the opposite of my first favorite character. This character has a habit of shutting down and escaping into their imaginary world where they have amazing abilities that no one would ever suspect. In their “real world”, they have also honed practical skills like: archery, using a compass, surviving in the outdoors, setting booby traps, knowing how to drive anything with wheels, and flying anything with wings! They’re someone you would always want around in case of an emergency!
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Describe your writing process. Do you outline, plot, and plan, or is your writing more organic?
My process is definitely the latter – completely free-flowing and organic. I always free-write and build on all the ideas that come to me. Once I have a substantial amount of content, which is usually a mix of plots, conflicts, character sketches and captivating quotes, I start organizing the structure of my book. I talk to my characters and ask them a series of questions like: “Where do you want to go?” “How would you deal with this person or situation?” “Are you going to embrace this challenge and grow?’ “Are you going to avoid this situation until you’re ready to confront it?” “How do you feel about your relationship at this point in your life?” Do you need more from this person or situation?” “What’s your favorite food?” “What are some of your nervous ticks?”
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What are some books or authors that you would recommend to our readers?
I highly recommend everything by these authors: Toni Morrison, Frederick Douglass, Frantz Fanon, James Baldwin, Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Malcolm X, Octavia Butler, Audre Lorde, Angela Davis, Agatha Christie, PD James, Frank Herbert (The first three Dune books), HH Dalai Lama,
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Tell us what you enjoy most about writing humorous self-help books.
I enjoy laughing at myself! When I look at my challenges with humor, this helps me to find ways through each one of them. Everything in my life is a result of my ability to continue changing and elevating my reality.
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What have you found to be most challenging about writing in humorous self-help books?
The most challenging thing about writing humorous self-help is the very same thing that I enjoy most about it – sharing my stories and challenges. I’m sharing my experiences with the hope of reaching and connecting with other people. But I also remind myself that my story will not resonate with everyone, and that’s okay.
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Have you been able to incorporate your previous experience in your jobs/education in your writing?
Most definitely Julie! Since I was teaching while I wrote Happiness Handbooks I included my teacher tools: charts, sentence starters and bullets. My intention was to make it a handbook journal so readers could write and process their emotions, experiences and thoughts. Organizing my book this way was deeply meaningful because I knew people would have an opportunity to freely express themselves, and learn even more about themselves.
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Do you identify with your main character, or did you create a character that is your opposite?
I completely and wholly draw from myself and my own experiences. And I’ve had some amazingly hilarious and fulfilling experiences! This character is one hundred percent me!
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Describe the Happiness Handbooks in 10 words or less for people just learning about it.
Become the magic in your life!
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Is there anything you would like people to take away from your book?
We are all beautiful and every single one of us has unique gifts to share with the world!!
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Do you have any odd (writing) habits?
I talk out loud to my characters and ask them questions. I also narrate scenes out loud with sound effects and everything! I vibe best with my books when I immerse myself in my characters and the worlds they inhabit. Sometimes I stop everything that I’m doing and I visualize myself in their world, feel everything going on around them and absorb every single sight and smell.
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What has been the toughest criticism you have received as an author? What has been the best compliment?
The toughest criticism I ever received was when someone told me that I should stick to writing only one genre. I can’t even begin to understand that kind of limited thinking. We’re all multi-faceted beings and our writing is an extension of every part of ourselves. I’m a multi-hyphenate creator, and I come alive and thrive when I embrace each one of my different talents. When I was moved to write a romantic drama screenplay, I did. Recently, I felt compelled to write a sports drama film treatment, so I did. I also had ideas for two inspirational reality TV treatments, and I wrote them. My mission with my writing is to touch, and open, peoples’ hearts to the beauty we all have within ourselves.
The best compliment I received was from a friend who gave my book to his student, a young woman – let’s call her Joy. Joy was overcoming her family’s oppressive pressure to follow a specific career path. But Joy wanted to spread her wings and pursue her calling to be a musician. Every single time she returned home from a gig or practice session, Joy felt like she couldn’t breathe and was dying inside. My friend told me that as Joy started doing the exercises in my Happiness Handbooks, she became stronger and more committed to her dreams with each passing day.
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Share some advice for aspiring authors. What advice would you give to your younger self?
Listen to what your intuition is telling you. If you want to write, then write. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you. You have a voice and life-changing messages that people need to hear. Trust in your divine guidance that’s telling you to write and share your stories. You determine your destiny!
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What is your favorite line from your book?
No Dream Is Too Extreme!
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To date, what is your favorite (or most difficult) chapter you have ever written?
My all time favorite chapter is Happiness Handbook # 1: Girl Dump That Chump!: 10 Steps to End That Toxic Relationship. I laughed the entire time I wrote that Handbook because I saw how lucky my exes were to have me in their lives. I also realized that I was no longer the same person that I was when I was with them because I spent time working on myself and building my dreams.
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What is your take on book boyfriends? Do they actually exist? Or do they set the bar for “real-life men” impossibly high?
I believe that everything is possible. As far as book boyfriends go, I’m certain there are real life men out there with qualities like the ones in books! The inspiration behind these characters has to come from somewhere. The world is a huge place full of interesting men who embrace intimacy in all its forms: emotional, mental and spiritual. I don’t think the bar can ever be too high when it comes to attracting and receiving unconditional love.
Author Bio:
Gifted with an extraordinary imagination, La-Verne Parris, JD, MSc, MEd, is an award-winning environmental justice, RSJ, and bioethics educator. She is also a Certified NLP Practitioner and Life Coach, a published poet, the author-illustrator of the Happiness Handbooks, an editor’s choice winner, and co-author of the health and wellness bestseller The Wellness Code. Additionally, she creates app content, writes prolifically, and serves as a Caregiver Consultant.
As a lifelong caregiver and creative, La-Verne’s core message—“Happiness is a choice”—forms the foundation of her dynamic, proven system. This system is designed to help caregivers step into their highest selves and lead rich, fulfilling lives. By understanding the necessity for facilities to not only meet but exceed standards, La-Verne customizes her innovative approach to transform caregivers’ mindsets and behaviors, ensuring they thrive both personally and professionally while delivering exceptional care.
La-Verne Parris (Amazon Author page)
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