One of the things I’ve discovered that can be crucial in recovery from issues of mental health is to create a solid and robust "life of your own."  For some people this can be done with the help of medications. However, many people do not believe that medications are the right thing for them. And that is perfectly fine if you have secured your recovery doing things the way that has worked for you. I am a strong believer in choices. If you want to take pharmaceutical drugs because you think they help you maintain your emotional health, please do it without hesitation. If you feel that taking vitamins and natural nutrients—orthomolecular therapy—works for you, please do it. If you feel that "talk therapy" is what works for you, please go with it. If you feel that a combination of treatments works for you, do it as you’ve learned. Your very own testimony of recovery is what’s important. I support recovery regardless of how you attain it.

One thing, though, that I think can work for all is to build a life where, when you wake up and look at yourself in the mirror each morning, the first thing that you will see is someone who has a full life with hobbies, interests, responsibilities, friends, social events to attend to, personal projects to work on, goals, a satisfying job, etc. The first thing on your mind should not be "I am disabled," "I have a mental illness," "Another day of struggle," or any other self-defeating thoughts. Build yourself a satisfying life full of the things that you like and enjoy the most and you will see that little by little your "disability" will take the back seat. It will probably always be there, but it will not define who you are.

Drawing from projects, partnership and extended family
Building a life of my own is what I’ve tried to do. I have a job that I love. I volunteer in several community projects that interest me. I have very good friends. I enjoy art, movies, books, music, and conversation over coffee at a café, going out to dinner. I have a domestic partner with whom, in August of this year, I’ll be celebrating 12 years as a couple. And I have a great extended family in Puerto Rico who loves me dearly and cares about me—not because I am a "case that needs to be managed"—but because destiny and nature made us be what we are:  Familia. And those acquainted with the family concept in the Latino community know that, for us, "Family" is one of the most important things in our lives.

Moving on, working on writing career
Later this year, my partner and I plan to move permanently to Puerto Rico to begin a new life there after living in New York for over a decade now. We want to be able to spend more time sharing in the nurturing circle of family, especially with the elder members of the family, los abuelos, who are thankfully still there for us despite the physical maladies that come with entering the golden years.

One thing that keeps me very happy and satisfied is my life as a writer. My long-term career goal is to earn a living as a successful writer. I aim for creative fulfillment, but I also understand that the world of books—at least in the USA—is an industry driven by commercial considerations. Publishing companies want to invest in marketable books: books that earn creative acclaim as well as commercial success.

For now, I am writing commercial fiction in the action-thriller genre. Suspense thrillers are the types of books that I read and enjoy the most. I published my first novel in 2004. The title is A CAUSE TO KILL FOR and it’s a political suspense thriller set in Puerto Rico. You can visit the book’s website at: www.acausetokillfor.com where you’ll read my extended biography, more detailed information about the book’s story, a section on facts and history about Puerto Rico and there is also a link to internet booksellers like Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com and XLibris.com to purchase a copy of the book. If you don’t usually buy products via the Internet you can also visit your local Borders or Barnes & Noble store and have them order the book for you.

I am currently working on my second novel, a suspense thriller that deals with religion in the style of the movies, such as "Stigmata," "End of Days" and "The Seventh Sign." If you’ve seen these films you know that you can create a fun and suspenseful action story with religious topics.

Rituals and ambience to unleash creativity
As an author, I have an eye for seeing and writing the story as it would be in a film. And one of the things that greatly helps me to sit down and write is music. Every writer has his or her own writing discipline and even "rituals" to place themselves in the right mood or state of mind to create their story. The Chilean writer, Isabel Allende, said in an interview that lighting candles before beginning to write was part of her preparation to create the right ambience for sitting down and writing.

Music for me is one of the best tools to set the tone. I choose music based on what kind of scene I’m creating. Since I write fiction, if I’m creating a somber scene, or a suspenseful scene, or a quiet scene, I choose music that fits that mood, like Classical or Film Scores. And, believe me, once the right music is playing, the words flow and flow and my imagination and story-telling abilities work at their best.

It is a little different when I’m writing essays or articles (non-fiction). I still like to play music in the background, but in this case, I’ll be listening to pop music by artists whose music I enjoy like Luis Fonsi, Yolandita Monge, Ednita Nazario, Julio Iglesias Jr., Lourdes Robles, Celine Dion, Patti Labelle, Backstreet Boys, Cristian Castro and on and on. There are so many singers that I like, and I thank God for giving us music to inspire us and just be.