Synopsis
How a Show, and the Support of Its Fandom, Changed—and Saved—Lives
Supernatural, a three-time People's Choice Award winner for Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show and Tumblr's 2015 Most Reblogged "Live Action TV," has made a name for itself by supporting and encouraging its fans to "always keep fighting," and a memorable line from early in the show's run, "Family don't end with blood," became an inspiring mantra for many who found community in the fandom.
In 25 powerful chapters written by Supernatural's actors and fans, including series lead Jared Padalecki, plus special messages from Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, and Mark Sheppard, Family Don't End with Blood: Cast and Fans On How Supernatural Has Changed Lives examines the far reach of the show's impact for more than a decade. Supernatural has inspired fans to change their lives, from getting "sober for Sam" to escaping a cult to pursuing life-long dreams. But fans aren't the only ones who have been changed. The actors who bring the show to life have also found, in the show and its community, inspiration, courage, and the strength to keep going when life seemed too hard.
Including essays and special messages from Supernatural 's cast:
Jared Padelecki ("Sam Winchester")
Jensen Ackles ("Dean Winchester")
Misha Collins ("Castiel")
Mark Sheppard ("Crowley")
Jim Beaver ("Bobby Singer")
Ruth Connell ("Rowena MacLeod")
Osric Chau ("Kevin Tran")
Rob Benedict ("Chuck Shurley aka God")
Kim Rhodes ("Sheriff Jody Mills")
Briana Buckmaster ("Sheriff Donna Hanscum")
Matt Cohen ("Young John Winchester")
Gil McKinney ("Henry Winchester")
Rachel Miner ("Meg Masters")
Collected and edited by Lynn S. Zubernis, a clinical psychologist, professor, and passionate Supernatural fangirl, Family Don't End with Blood provides an insightful and often uplifting look into the way international fan communities become powerful, positive forces in the lives of so many.
In keeping with the show's message to "always keep fighting," a portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to RANDOM ACTS, a nonprofit founded by Misha Collins, and AT TITUDES IN REVERSE, whose mission is to educate young people about mental health and suicide prevention.
About the Author
Lynn Zubernis, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and a professor at West Chester University. She is passionate about fandom both as a researcher and a fan herself, especially of the Eric Kripke classic Supernatural and (obviously) The Boys. She is the editor of Family Don’t End with Blood: Cast and Fans on How Supernatural Has Changed Lives and There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done: Actors and Fans Celebrate the Legacy of Supernatural, both collections of personal essays from the Supernatural cast and fans, including Jensen Ackles’s and Jared Padalecki’s moving stories of how fans inspired and helped them through some of life’s inevitable challenges. She is also the co-editor of Supernatural Psychology, Fan Culture: Theory/Practice, and Fan Phenomena: Supernatural. Together with Katherine Larsen, she has co-written Fandom at the Crossroads and Fangasm: Supernatural Fangirls, and with Matt Snyder, Case Conceptualization and Effective Interventions. Dr. Zubernis is the Area Chair for Stardom and Fandom of the Southwest Popular/American Culture Association and on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Fandom Studies. She writes a regular column on ‘The Science of Fandom’ for Psychology Today, reviews her television favorites for Movie TV Tech Geeks, and is a frequent guest on podcasts, radio shows, and YouTube channels talking about the positive aspects of fandom. Lynn also blogs on her own website at fangasmthebook.com. You can find her on social media @FangasmSPN.
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