From Aspiring Author to Book Promoter

Misery and frustration have been consistent sources of creativity for Joseph Rauch. 

From 2010 to 2011, his body deteriorated, for reasons he struggled to understand. No matter how much he ate, his weight decreased until a belt was necessary for jeans that used to be too tight. Sleep became increasingly difficult, and dreams disappeared. Digestion slowed until he felt bloated. The taste of food went from delicious to dull. Aches spread from his limbs to his head, eventually ringing through his entire body.

During the summer of 2011, four days passed where he was unable to sleep for even a minute. In response to this crisis, his therapist diagnosed him with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. He took meds, and sleep returned bit by bit.

For his dreams, however, the word, “return” would not do justice to the intense experience. Rauch said, “During those first few weeks when I was figuring out the right dosage for my meds, it was like my mind tried to catch up on a whole year’s worth of lost dreams.”

Simultaneously, there was a part of him that wanted to die, that believed death would be the only effective respite from the pain and discomfort of psychosomatic symptoms. When Rauch accepted that he was having these thoughts, he dreamt the plot for his first novel, “Teach Me How To Die,” in one night. This low point in his life also inspired his second novel, “The Last of the Mentally Ill.”

With both books, Rauch pitched dozens of literary agents. Those who responded praised the writing quality. Unfortunately they all said no, and all for the same reason: the books didn’t fall neatly into one genre.