About Me: Version #1 (Eversleep)

BONUS: Alexander Bentley’s Project Semicolon Story

Photo by Ian Espinosa on Unsplash

In my books, I made the decision to write or include different ‘About Me’ sections (e.g., biographies, autobiographies) in the back. This choice was driven by three unique reasons:

1. Make author ‘About Me’ sections less dry & more personal
2. Give the reader the chance to learn new things about me
3. Build a long-term relationship with my readership while sharing at least one new bit of personal information in each book

Here is the ‘About Me’ section from my first published book, Eversleep: The Beauty of Dark Silence:

About The Author

At an early age, Alexander Bentley struggled reading words aloud in class. As fortune would have it, he was blessed with a patient mother who spent countless hours working with him after school. The nightly routine paid off and before the school year was over, little Alexander read one hundred small booklets.

His mother’s commitment to his literacy skills and development set a firm foundation. It provided Alexander with a proper education, improved his self-esteem, and shaped the course of his life. He now writes poetry — a creative art he embraces wholeheartedly.

But like the many struggles humanity faces on a daily basis, Alexander has long battled his own demons and waged war with dark forces.
In October 2016, Alexander had a medical episode where he fainted after a routine in-office surgery. Within seconds the scene became severe as he stopped breathing and had no pulse. The on-site physician reacted immediately, reviving him to jump-start his heart again. It was in those moments where Alexander felt what was on the other side. He claims, “On the other side is an ancient darkness where light does not exist, and it eagerly wants us to cross over.”

Eversleep is a collection of poems that tell the real life experience, through bite-size stories and poetic language, of how the darkness touched Alexander’s soul. In November 2016, a few weeks after his medical and spiritual emergency, he submitted a manuscript to the Academy of American Poets for the annual Walt Whitman Award competition.

And even though Alexander did not win that coveted award, he is compelled to share his story with you. He believes that Western society should contemplate death more often, and through the process, we are able to find the real hidden beauty of life.

BONUS:

As a bonus, to help you learn more about my life and background, I’m including another section that appeared in the same book. The next few paragraphs were written for the Project Semicolon Story:

Project Semicolon

It’s Not Just A Semicolon; It’s Hope / It’s Inspiration, It’s Who. We. Are.

My name is Alexander Bentley, and this is my story. I’ve carried around with me bottled-up anxiety and self-doubt most of my life, because my early childhood wasn’t perfect. Admitting this truth is a difficult task for me, as I tend to mask these feelings of insecurity through my poetry. Sometimes writing poetry brings relief, but other times it doesn’t. When I can’t find relief through my writing, then my reaction is to find temporary comfort in destructive vices.

It wasn’t until this year, in 2017, that I came to the abrupt realization I have been impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). It’s the main reason why certain behaviors, personality traits, and addictions surface.

When I experience stress from interpersonal relationships or the weight of daily life, I act out in a negative way. I try to avoid the tension that builds up inside me. My adverse reaction to stressful events is a coping mechanism I learned in childhood.

In my teenage years, I thought about ending my life multiple times. Sadly, thoughts of suicide have also crept into my adult mind. But I hold onto hope. I hold onto the idea that I have a purpose in this life. I want to be known as a great poet and leave a legacy, a memorable impression on the world with my words.

Whatever your hope is; find it with a semicolon, and not the finality of a period. It’s only when you have finished your masterpiece, should you be able to find your eversleep. I wish you a long and prosperous life — with many semicolons, in between.

www.projectsemicolon.com

This is Part 1 of 3 — In a series on ‘About Me’ sections. Read the entire series, by visiting each article below:

Part 1 — About Me: Version #1 (Eversleep)

Part 2 — About Me: Version #2 (A Poet’s Manifesto)

Part 3 — About Me: Version #3 (The Raven Redux)

MY BOOKS:

If you liked this post, feel free to check out my collections of poems on Amazon or Barnes & Noble online bookstores. I recommend picking up Eversleep: The Beauty of Dark Silence, available as a paperback book.

Thanks for reading!