Additional information
by Carolyn Debelak (Editor), Kyleigh Akin (Illustrator), Chris Akin (Author)
What is the most painful way to die? Is it being shot in the face with a shotgun? Getting hit by a bus speeding down a freeway? Plunging off a bridge onto a concrete road? Drowning? Is it actually burning to death? For a lot of people, the thought of burning alive is often considered to be the worst. For Chris Akin, he can tell you unequivocally that burning is the worst. An every day guy with a career as everything from a business owner, soldier, shock jock and even a cremation technician, Chris Akin knows the true pain of burns. Unlike most though, Chris lived to tell about it. Chris Akin is a survivor.Image: Call Me Chris, author, Chris Akin, Burn SurvivalIn 1994, Chris Akin survived an industrial accident that very few could. Burned over 69% of his body, Chris was given no chance of survival. In fact, his family was told to make any death arrangements they needed to make and to get themselves prepared for his inevitable death. That death didn't happen though, but the odds stayed stacked against Chris. Medical experts diagnosed that Chris would have to have amputations, and would never walk normally again. They assumed the worst - another victim of a workplace accident whose life would be irreparably ruined.But Chris Akin is no victim. He never has been, and he never will be. A survivor with a voracious drive who is never satisfied with a standard, Akin proved doctors, nurses, family and friends wrong as he not only survived a tremendous burn accident, but used it to become a motivated person with a never-ending motor toward every project he attempts.CALL ME CHRIS: A TALE OF HEALING, RECOVERY, SELFISHNESS AND RESOLVE is the latest book from Chris Akin. Much like his previous work LITTLE VICTORIES, Chris Akin does not shy away from the painful, embarrassing moments of his life. In his latest release, Akin shares his real life experiences as he worked through every aspect of being burned nearly to death. Full of the goriest details and yet told with surprising clarity and emotion, Akin shares all that is involved going through the life-changing experience of being severely burned. This includes accepting deformity, the mental anguish and horror that comes with acceptance, the effects on family and the risks he took while pushing himself to recover. Never one to try to paint himself in a good light, Akin shares the ugliness he exhibited toward family and friends during this time, the selfishness he showcased, and his theory on why he needed to be far from friendly in order to obtain his ultimate goal, which was to return to a "normal" lifestyle. With all it's blood, pain and suffering combined with determination, drive and razor sharp focus, CALL ME CHRIS showcases just how Chris Akin not only regained normality, but far surpassed anyone's expectations of what his life would become.CALL ME CHRIS is the third release from Chris Akin. For more information about Chris Akin and his books, visit him online at www.chrisakinbooks.com.
Author Biography
Chris Akin is not the kind of person you would expect to write books. Chris Akin is the kind of person you would expect people to write books about. For over 20 years, Chris Akin has been a larger and louder than life character in the media of one of the countries most major markets - Cleveland, Ohio. Chris has held a myriad of positions in the Cleveland media. He got his start in the media writing for the biggest free music and entertainment magazine in Cleveland - SCENE Magazine. Additionally, he was a regular contributor for magazines such as the short-lived BUZZARD BONE, the online zine BLOGCRITICS and Chicago's MIDWEST BEAT, to name a few. Never being satisfied, Chris soon decided that he would expand past those projects and start his own magazine. So he started MUSIC'S BOTTOM LINE; a no-bullshit magazine that challenged the Cleveland print medium to keep up as it became the most respected publication for pure music coverage. While the other magazines in town focused on selling advertising, MUSIC'S BOTTOM LINE kept it's bottom line focused on music. At the same time, Chris took to the radio to become one of the most acknowledged and feared radio hosts in Cleveland. Hosting THE METAL SHOW on Cleveland's biggest radio station, 100.7 WMMS and then later at 92.3 WXRK, Chris found incredible success on the strength of testing every boundary that program directors, the FCC and just common decency would allow. Regularly in trouble with station management, but more beloved for their hard hitting style, THE METAL SHOW took the Cleveland Metal Scene by storm for well over a decade. Still, Chris needed more, so he went to the internet where his rebellious ways could go unchallenged, joining THE CLASSIC METAL SHOW and converting the show from a mostly music program to a ferocious, attacking show that had no guilt about anything. While known for his radical and wild behavior, Chris also had another side. As an author, he delves deep into his troubled life to share stories of bad times which have turned out far better than expected. With LITTLE VICTORIES, Chris Akin found a voice explaining the day to day pain of divorce. With his latest CALL ME CHRIS, he delves into the overwhelming pain and suffering he and his family suffered when he was injured in a severe industrial accident. Chris Akin, at his core, is a survivor. His books are showcases of that spirit and ability to overcome.
