I Hear the Black Raven

“Thought-provoking,” “poignant,” “moving,” “thoroughly enjoyable,” “couldn’t put it down!” These are all words used to describe this genre-bending memoir. Praise for I Hear the Black Raven comes from the U.S. and countries abroad.

A peculiar drama for the new generation, this memoir delves into topics few are willing to discuss, and Claire does so with the fortitude of a seasoned survivor.

Claire’s voice is clear and compelling as she tells of manic forays alone in the wilderness, on the highway, and within the four walls of her own home. Witness how this heroine pushes to regain her sanity and a solid grip on the world that threatens to slip from her grasp.

I Hear the Black Raven is a different kind of memoir... It is a story of poetic redemption. It is a harrowing epic of self-discovery. Claire's mental illness takes her on a journey that is full of mishaps and scenarios that we all can identify with. We are invited into her world, a world that she does not initially understand, but learns to accept.

From the Back of the Book

At 31 years of age, Claire Ishi Ayetoro has lived enough lives to fill an ensemble cast. In this, her first memoir, no topic is off-limits as she paints portrait after portrait of her triumphs and her battles with bipolar disorder, religiosity, and that ever elusive cure-all: love. A vividly compassionate depiction of psychosis, Ayetoro weaves words of wisdom, encouragement, and inspiration into every layer of her storytelling. Journey with her through the mountains and valleys of manic depression, guided by that singular spirit of flight: the black raven. You never know, it may even be calling to you.

Claire Ishi Ayetoro was born in southern Mississippi where she currently resides. She is an alumni of Mississippi State University where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. She was diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder in 2014. Her book I Hear the Black Raven: A Petite Memoir is an intimate account of her experiences leading up to and following that diagnosis. Ayetoro is founder and owner of Equal Age, a media/merchandise company with the goals of raising awareness about human equality in all its forms and creating community among creatives and leaders for social change. Ayetoro is a human rights advocate and spends her free time as a mentor and coach.