Is your book fiction or non-fiction?
Nasty! A cockroach woud be the worst insect. If I wasnt going to get a free meal from it I might get past some insects, but not the roach.

I would suggest trying to find an agent first. I had a novella published once by a publisher who was basically publishing anything because it wasn't costing them anything because they wouldn't even print copies of your book unless they sold one online. They refused to promote my work at Book Fairs where they were promoting other authors they represented the works and it was just frustrating. I made the mistake of not trying to find an agent first but when I write my new book I will be sure to do that before I even consider a publisher. Good luck though and don't give up!

Bipolar Mania is so terrible... sometimes I just feel like I want the entire universe stop existing all at once. Is anyone else here suffer from bipolar or any other types of mania or depression?

Years ago, i used to suffer from a debilitating form of anxiety. My gp put me on an antidepressant called Effexor. I kept telling her that i wasnt depressed but oddly enough it worked miracles. Im on a very low dose and probably always will be.

Fiction

I tried an agent awhile back. Didn't work out. Didn't even know people still used agents. I'll have to look into that

I actually suffer from Bipolar Disorder type 1 and it really does suck so I understand how you feel.

If anything makes me mad even slightly it's like I get so furious that I wish I could just blow up the entire planet. I also tend to get high anxiety and I get extremely manic sometimes.

AND to make things more complicated I also suffer from Asperger's Syndrome...

Asperger Syndrome - diagnosed aged sixteen, while at high school.

Everyone who writes famous books you've heard of uses an agent as the agent has the connections to get you a better deal than you can yourself, I just wish I knew that when I got my book published. As long as there is a literary market, agents will always be in demand.

With that said, a good strong query letter is also key as this will give the publisher or agent their first impression of you and your work.

Oh my god dude you just described my manic episodes to a T. It has ruined a lot for me in life and I fear that because of it I will spend the rest of my life alone.

Same here. I'm very lucky that I have a Mom who takes care of me by keeping up with my doctor appointments and making sure I take my medication. A lot of people with mental illness like Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia don't get any support from their families or from the places that are supposed to help them out which is why they end up on the streets or worse.

I worry every day about what I'm going to do when my mom eventually passes away because I'm not sure that I can take care of myself and I really don't have anybody else. I don't trust my brother or sister to take care of me because they are both very self-centered and I feel like they would both kick me out once they got tired of me. So I really just don't know what to do about the future...

I was honestly in the exact same boat you are in more or less. When I lived in Virginia I hated it there. I was originally born at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois but I lived in St Louis until I was 9. Virginia is where my mother grew up so when my father died she and I back there. I never fit in and always wanted to get away but I always end up right back there. I had my grandfather to reply on but I knew I was only the burden on him and I needed to get out and start experiencing life for myself and learn how to be self-sufficient and independent and not be scared to get out on the buses and get around that way. I have been taking a lot of steps forward lately trying to improve my situation and I think I am on the right path. It is very tough and takes a tremendous amount of Bravery to take that step but all I can say is just believe in yourself.