North Wales author celebrates hat trick of Amazon chart toppers

A best-selling author from North Wales is celebrating after her third book topped the Amazon charts in eight separate categories.

Katherine Massey, 47, from Connah’s Quay, brought all 15 contributors to ‘Seen Too’ together for a launch party earlier this month – ahead of the book’s official release on World Mental Health Day.

The event – held at the Celtic Arms, Northop Country Park Golf Club – was attended by representatives of Wrexham-based mental wellbeing charity Advance Brighter Futures, who will receive all the profits from book sales.

Three-time Amazon best-selling author Katherine Massey

Katherine, founder of the VQ Academy, said: “I grew up with two parents with mental health challenges. It was not a question of whether I would get mental health, but when.

“I developed Childhood Emotional Maltreatment Disorder and, as a coping tool, I used to write down words on pieces of paper and push them into the cracks between our floorboards. Those words stayed invisible to the naked eye. The generational cycle stopped with me when I had my two children.

“We normalised talking about mental health, and I went on to write my first book, ‘Living with Dolls’.

“I never set out for the visibility, but the impact and messages I received about my best-selling autobiography made me realise the power of sharing stories.

“I wanted to give other women a platform, and so many came forward to be included in my second book, ‘Seen: Female Entrepreneurs Share Their Story of How They Stepped into their Passion, Purpose and Power’.

“One year on, I was blown away by how many more women were prepared to sit in the light and be featured in ‘Seen Too’. It took me 40 years but, finally, someone found my words.”

Based on the strength of pre-release Kindle sales, ‘Seen Too’ topped several competitive Amazon categories – including ‘Personal Transformation’, ‘Mental Health’ and ‘Self-Help’. In the ‘Women’ category, it topped the ‘Hot New Release’ list – trending above Davina McCall’s ‘Menopausing’.

Advance Brighter Futures’ Chair Rick Bedson and Business Development Manager Zoe Whitehead are pictured with Katherine Massey

Wrexham-based Advance Brighter Futures, which provides mental health support and services to people in the area, will receive the profits from the book.

The official party featured entertainment by vocalist Tanya-Marie and a lunch sponsored by motivational speaker Naomi Victoria, who revealed the backstory behind her own inspiring message: ‘Drink life while it’s fizzy’.

Sue Miller and Estelle Maher from TAUK Publishing congratulated the contributors on a ‘tremendous publication’.

Advance Brighter Futures’ Business Development Manager Zoe Whitehead and Chair Rick Bedson to the stage, who said: “Our vision is to ensure that no individual experiencing mental health problems feels like they are on their own.

“We recently celebrated our 30th anniversary and we help 700 individuals, and their families by extension, each year. We remain a small local charity based in Wrexham; therefore, any donation means a lot to us.

“We are incredibly honoured to have been selected as the chosen charity for the royalties of ‘Seen Too’, and the money raised will go a long way to helping the people we support through counselling, lifestyle coaching, training and group activities.”
‘
Seen Too’ is available to purchase in Kindle format on Amazon, with paperback and hardback launches to follow.