Author and artist, Billie Bacall has released a series of original inspirational drawings and quotes in her debut self-published book, I Am Your Friend – a book of hope.
Having recently experienced some of the toughest years of her life, Billie knows exactly how it feels to be down and trapped in an internal world of negative thoughts. Within the space of just 24 months, she was hit with the sudden death of her husband, underwent major surgery and embarked on a course of chemotherapy.
Having plummeted to rock bottom, she found solace in filling up sketch books with her original drawings and quotes. In fact, it was during chemotherapy sessions that she first started to jot down fleeting images to help lift her mood. Recollections, an inspiring thought here, a word there, a feeling – she translated all of these things on to paper in the form of drawings. Soon, the idea of creating a collection to help and inspire others started to emerge.
Over the next two years, Billie devoted her time and energy to creating I Am Your Friend, a book which consists of 100 pages of original images and quotes, designed to act as a source of inspiration for those in need. With one in ten people suffering from depression globally (WHO, 2001), Billie’s mission is to lift the spirits of anyone who has been touched by feelings of anxiety, low moods, trauma or depression, as well as those who are just generally in need of some positive inspiration.
“When I first started to think about developing a book, my aim was that the book should speak to the reader and act as a comfort and a ‘friend’ in times of need. I wanted it to have a tangible energy and quality.” Said Billie. “This is the reason I’ve named the book I Am Your Friend.”
She continued “Each drawing makes use of just 3 simple colours; black, yellow and red, with yellow representing positivity and red representing the heart energy. My aim was to create something that instantly engages the reader, and that’s what I’ve done with this book as they simply need to pick it up, flick through and feel inspired – perfect for the Instagram generation.”
Having experienced firsthand the importance of holistic care in supporting patients going through chemotherapy, Billie has chosen to give back to charity Future Dreams. She is donating 20% of the overall profits from her book to Future Dreams House – the new London home to Breast Cancer Haven. The centre provides free one to one emotional and physical support and holistic therapies of women affected by cancer, and their families.
You can pick up a copy of I Am Your Friend – A Book of Hope by Billie Bacall here.
The A5 hardback consists of the full collection of the 100 drawings, and is the perfect desk size copy. The 4 x 6” pocketbook has 30 of the original images and is purposefully designed to fit in the palm of your hand, and the perfect companion when you are out and about.
