Dear readers:
Thank you for being here. Maybe you already know me, but I’m Peter Smetanick, author of Peter’s Scribbles.
What is Peter’s Scribbles?
Good question. Put simply…it’s just my little corner of the internet.
I can’t really describe this page without telling you that I’m diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Initially this page was just a way to share my work with friends and family, but over time I’d come to realize that my writing had taken a turn towards self discovery. For me, bipolar disorder is a complete mind fuck. This page is a continuous effort towards figuring out how to live with bipolar. So for anyone out there struggling with mental health or mental illness, I hope you’ll find this page a safe haven. Maybe within my words you will find peace, even if it’s only for a moment.
Not everything you find within Peter’s Scribbles is obsessed with mental illness, but all of my writing comes through the mind of a bipolar psychotic.
It’s my hope that through my work I can break down some barriers that surround mentally ill people, as well as paint a picture of what mental illness really is.
You won’t find me standing on a pedestal, shouting advice about how to handle your mental health. I write fiction, poetry, and personal essays.
But where should I start?
That really depends on what you’re in the mood to read or how long you’d like to go down the rabbit hole.
If you’d like to take a longer ride with me I recommend diving into my fictional memoir, "Where the Sunbeams End." It’s an ongoing serial novel of sorts, based around my life with bipolar disorder.
The memories linger. Maybe it’s all part of the diagnosis, maybe it’s just how my mind works. Maybe there isn’t a real reason why these episodes occur, but still I search. Back through time and the ripples of past lives. What is mental illness? The doctors should be able to tell you, but a definition doesn’t help me get rid of these haunting memories. I’m just one of many, but this is my story. A search for answers. Am I crazy? I’ll let you decide.
Or maybe you’re here for a short glimpse into what I have to offer. A short story may suit you.
Dreams and Memories: One patient’s story helps another dream again.
Father and Son: An old man and his son talk it out over whiskey.
Or perhaps an even shorter glimpse, some poetry maybe?
Ok, so you want some non-fiction? Check out some of my personal essays.
Play is the Work of a Child: An essay about writing.
Accepting the Diagnosis: An essay about mental illness and homelessness.
So…Will you stick around for a while?
I don’t wish to pressure anyone to subscribe, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t need your support. This is a difficult project for me, but one I’m very passionate about. I may post more often at certain times, less often at others. I’ve been trying to get on a rigid schedule, but I’m finding that it’s not the way this page works. It’s not the way I work. Like the mood of a bipolar individual, this page ebbs and flows. Once again, welcome to Peter’s Scribbles, thank you for being here.