Between the Bliss and Me

Chapter One
 
Graduation day definitely wasn t the right time to tell Mom I d lied to her about my college plans. But it s not like I could have kept it a secret much longer.
     I just wish the reveal hadn t been at my grandparents country club. My dad s parents. Ever since he left when I was a toddler, we ve been the Holman quartet, gathering awkwardly at major holidays and life events.
     We were having lunch after the graduation ceremony, the quiet so thick I could hear Grandpa s nose whistle while he chewed his prime rib. Mom shifted next to me, impatient to leave, but we were in this for the long haul. My grandparents would be ordering dessert. They always did. And insisted everyone else order it too, because they d be paying.
     How can you not love someone who insists you eat cake? Somehow Mom managed.
     When our desserts arrived, Grandma handed me an envelope. Inside was a schmaltzy for my granddaughter on her graduation day card, and when I opened it, a check fluttered to the linen tablecloth. Mom looked at the amount and choked on her cheesecake. That was a lot of zeros.
     Grandma, Grandpa, this this is . . . I stammered.
     I didn t look at Mom. I could feel her disapproval without needing to see it on her face. My stomach churned.
     I know you said you d pay for school, but you can t just write me a check for thirty thousand dollars. Can you?
     Why not? Grandma asked, truly puzzled. It s our money, Sydney. We want you to have it. But this isn t for tuition. I ve set up a trust for that. This is just for books or groceries or clothes. For rent, if you want to get an apartment with some friends. Or if you want to go to Mexico for spring break.
     I felt something loosen in my chest, like a spool of thread unwinding. I d been

Lizzy Mason grew up in northern Virginia before moving to New York City for college and a career in publishing. Now back in Virginia with her two cats, when not reading or writing, Lizzy loves to travel. She has visited forty-four states and eleven countries so far. She is also the author of The Art of Losing. Visit her online at www.LizzyMasonBooks.com.

Praise for Between the Bliss and Me

Lizzy Mason has done it again. Between the Bliss and Me is an eye-opening look at the impact of mental illness on the mentally ill, their families, and society. Sydney's story is so compelling and real, I couldn't put this book down.
Brigid Kemmerer, New York Times bestselling author of A Curse So Dark and Lonely
 
Between the Bliss and Me . . . doesn't only cover the genetic components of an illness like schizophrenia, but also the ethics of forcibly medicating and institutionalizing the mentally ill. It discusses the mass rates of incarceration faced by the mentally ill in America today . . . This book serves as a great history lesson in mental health politics as well as being an all-around great story.
Buzzfeed

Filled with hope, Between the Bliss and Me brings forth a close exploration into the world of mental illness.
The Nerd Daily

Filled with compassion and hope, Between the Bliss and Me opens a window into the world of mental illness in an intimate, eye-opening, and thought-provoking way. Impossible to put down; readers will finish the last page knowing that love, acceptance, and self-care are the keys to living one s best life.
Liza Wiemer, author of The Assignment

Between the Bliss and Me is an exquisitely written and magnificently compelling piece of storytelling. Sydney is a refreshingly authentic lead who charges through the pages, riffling through her family's past to prepare for her own future. Truly, Mason's sophomore novel is a can't-miss book.
Rachel Strolle, Glenside Public Library
 
Strongly appealing . . . Mental illness is handled with sensitivity.
Kirkus Reviews

A riveting read about dealing with mental illness.
School Library Journal

Examines the paradoxes of schizophrenia and the challenges of an uncertain future . . . Will remind readers of Gilmore Girls.