From the synopsis: Shortly after completing his sixth novel, Ray Robertson suffered a depression of suicidal intensity. Soon after recovering, he felt compelled to try and answer two of the biggest questions we can ask. What makes humans happy? And what makes a life worth living?
Much of Ray’s struggles with depression, it turns out were attributed to his debilitating bouts with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a disease he was diagnosed with over twenty years ago.
Using this information as inspiration I rigidly arranged 15 black dots, 3 rows of 5 dots each, on a tight grid representing the 15 reasons to live that Robertson chronicles in the book. The last row of 5 dots breaks formation to form a subtly hopeful smile. One of the dots here is replaced by a vinyl record, a quiet wink and a nod to Ray’s unabashed love of music and one of his life’s simple little joys of spinning vinyl.
Why Not? was just nominated for the inaugural Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize.
