Kirk Strawbridge promotes My Own Ashes

Kirk Strawbridge used X on May 18 to promote his memoir “My Own Ashes,” sending readers to an Amazon product page for the book. The post, published by the HIP Huntsville account referenced in the card materials, described the memoir as a recovery journey that blends psychology, mental health and personal narrative. The Amazon listing identifies Strawbridge as the author and gives the hardcover a February 28, 2026 publication date. Huntsville Independent Press, which sells the book directly on its website, presents the same work as an account of mental illness, addiction and ongoing recovery. ### What did Strawbridge promote on May 18? The May 18 X post promoted “My Own Ashes,” a memoir by Kirk Strawbridge, and linked readers to an Amazon page where the book could be purchased. The card materials identify the post as coming from the HIP Huntsville account and say it used the tags #BookTok and #ReadingCommunity. (amazon.com) Amazon lists the book under the title “My Own Ashes,” while other retail and catalog pages show the fuller subtitle, “A Hero’s Journey With Mental Illness and Addiction.” Google Books and Barnes & Noble both describe the work as a 238-page memoir published in 2026. ### How is the memoir described by its publisher and retailers? (amazon.com) Huntsville Independent Press describes Strawbridge as a history teacher influenced by Jung, Nietzsche and other philosophers, and says the book traces undiagnosed mental illness, social anxiety and severe alcoholism. The publisher says the memoir follows a life shaped by perfectionism, addiction, hospitalizations and recovery that is still in progress. (books.google.com) Amazon uses similar language in its product description, saying Strawbridge’s story moves through addiction, hallucinations, jail cells and mental hospitals while he maintained his teaching career. The listing says the book is “not a recovery story with a triumphant ending” and instead presents it as a philosophical account of living with invisible illness. (huntsvilleindependent.com) ### What details are confirmed about the book itself? Amazon lists the hardcover edition at 238 pages, in English, published by Obol House on February 28, 2026, with ISBN-13 979-8994369975. The same page gives dimensions of 6 by 0.81 by 9 inches. Google Books lists “My Own Ashes” at 238 pages and identifies Obol House as the publisher for one edition. (amazon.com) A separate Google Books entry and other retail pages show a subtitle version of the book and indicate another edition associated with Huntsville Independent Press. ### Is there more than one edition on sale? (amazon.com) Retail listings show at least two formats. Amazon’s U.S. page surfaced in search results as a hardcover edition, while Books-A-Million and Barnes & Noble list paperback availability for the subtitle version. Huntsville Independent Press also offers both paperback and hardcover options on its own storefront. (books.google.com) The publisher’s page lists a paperback price of $22.99 and says bulk-order discounts are available for purchases above 50 copies. ### Who is behind the publishing and sales push? Huntsville Independent Press appears central to the release. (amazon.com) The publisher’s site hosts a direct sales page, an author biography and contact information for bulk orders, including an email address and phone number. The Amazon listing broadens distribution beyond the publisher’s site, and other booksellers including Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million also carry the title. (huntsvilleindependent.com) Those listings show the memoir moving through standard retail channels as Strawbridge promotes it on social media. May 18 is the date tied to the X promotion referenced in the card materials, while February 28, 2026 is the publication date shown on the Amazon listing. (huntsvilleindependent.com) Readers looking for the next step can find the book now through Amazon or through Huntsville Independent Press, which also advertises bulk sales for orders above 50 copies. (amazon.com)