Mariann Yip is delighted to announce the launch of her first book, Un-Hinged: What I Learned from Saying, “It’s You, It’s Not Me” in the NYC Dating Scene. Learn how crazy dating experiences led to self-discovery, self-development, and self-love for this native New Yorker. Her close girlfriends encouraged her to write the book during the pandemic because her dating experiences were unique, unpredictable, and entertaining. Her stories offer a fresh lens to the reality of dating in a busy and big city like New York and is a modern take on “Sex and the City.”
“While I was dating all of these men, I was also dating myself in the process.” – Mariann Yip, from Un-Hinged.
Yip navigated her mid to late 20s at the heart of it all, in the city that never sleeps. Dating in New York City offers a pool of endless options. Coming across men with different backgrounds and personalities made it an adventure and a chance for self-exploration.
“Had I not put myself out there and had not said yes to all these men, I wouldn’t have had the crazy experiences I did. And to be honest, looking back, they actually make me smile because I can now pinpoint who Mariann was when she was dating as a single woman in NYC.” – Mariann Yip.
Yip recalls her experiences in a raw and authentic way, as if she was telling her story for the first time to her girlfriends. Every chapter dives into the lessons she’s learned from each suitor. Un-Hinged also touches on the role of therapy in her life. Yip applied the lessons learned from her therapy sessions to her relationships and dates. Other major themes of the book include the importance in healing past wounds, recognizing patterns, and the power of boundaries, self-awareness and self-love.
Letting Go of Control to Let Love In
It can be hard to find love when you are comparing your timeline to others. Letting go of control and expectations is a liberating way to see the bigger picture of life and love. Un-Hinged: What I Learned from Saying, “It’s You, It’s Not Me” in the NYC Dating Scene is meant to inspire anyone looking for genuine love.
Aside from giving a sneak peek into the real dating scene in NYC, the book is relatable to all women and highlights the struggles of matching with a stranger on a dating app, the analysis of men with their best friends, the thought processing before going on a date, etc. Un-Hinged is a reminder for those looking to find their person that they are more than their relationship status and their worth is not defined by an online dating profile.
“When all else fails, you can resort to the saying, “It’s you, it’s not me,” and just keep trucking along, because I’m here with you. Your girl’s got you.” – Mariann Yip.
Un-Hinged: What I Learned from Saying, “It’s You, It’s Not Me” in the NYC Dating Scene is available for now at un-hinged.com. It is also available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Mascot Books.
Mariann Yip is a native New Yorker and was born and raised in the Lower East Side in the beautiful city that never sleeps. She is a lifestyle and travel blogger who shares tips and travel adventures at www.mariannyc.com. She hosts the podcast The City Confessions, in which she leads ongoing discussions with other New York residents to share their truths and stories. Mariann’s mission is to create a safe platform for storytelling and to normalize pain, struggle, and vulnerability.
Interview with Mariann Yip
Please tell us about your upcoming book Un-Hinged: What I Learned from Saying, “It’s You, It’s Not Me” in the NYC Dating Scene.
I am so excited to announce that my first book Un-Hinged: What I Learned from Saying, “It’s You, It’s Not Me” in the NYC Dating Scene is out now! It’s about my dating experiences in NYC, but more than that it’s a book about self development, self discovery, and self love. My book is entertaining and raw and offers a fresh lens to the reality of dating in a busy and big city like New York and is a modern take on ‘Sex and the City.’
There are 12 chapters in total and every chapter dives into the lessons I’ve learned from each suitor. And when you’re reading it, it’s as if I am calling you to dish about these men, so I don’t sugarcoat anything and it’s as authentic and raw as it gets.
But I do want to also emphasize that even though the premise is about dating and is targeted to single women, it’s a book about navigating life and figuring out who you are in the world. I also talk about the role of therapy in my life because I applied the lessons I’ve learned to my dates and relationships. Other major themes of the book include the importance in healing past wounds, recognizing patterns, and the power of boundaries and self-awareness.
What motivated you to write this book?
I actually wrote this book at the beginning of the pandemic as a creative outlet. I would tell my girlfriends about my dates (as most women do) and they would always be fascinated by my stories, especially those who are in a relationship. They were basically living vicariously through me and my best friend encouraged me to write a book. She thought my dates were unique, real and entertaining. It’s not what you see in movies or films and I honestly couldn’t make these stories up!
I’ve also always wanted to be a writer and I thought it was the perfect timing. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was going to publish it but when I sat down to write it, I was surprised by how naturally and effortlessly the words came out. I joke as I reflect on those days and say that the book practically wrote itself. It was a very therapeutic process and I am so proud that it is out and I can now say I’m a published author.
Any tips or advice for aspiring writers who want to share their own personal experiences with the world?
I can’t say that I didn’t have hesitations when I decided to publish this book. And I can’t say that I don’t have any fears now because the truth of the matter is, I do and I think that’s normal. But then I remembered that I wrote this book for myself. I wanted to talk about my dating experiences in an authentic and relatable way. I wanted to tell my story in the hopes that it would offer compassion for those who are putting themselves out there in the search for love. So my biggest advice for those wanting to share their personal experience with the world is to make sure their decision stems from a place of peace.
Any writer or creative will know it’s not easy to share your work with the world because it’s a vulnerable thing to do. I poured my heart and soul into this book and once it’s out there, it’s out there. So I would advise aspiring authors to honor the process, but detach themselves from the outcome. And know that beautiful things happen on the other side of fear!
What’s next? Which book are you working on now?
I want to celebrate this accomplishment before moving to the next (whatever that might be). Too often, I think we jump to the next project but we don’t take enough time to celebrate our wins. So I want to be fully present and embrace this beautiful moment because it’s a huge thing for me. I also won’t get this moment back. I won’t launch my first book ever again so I need to make sure I don’t glance over this moment. I’m taking it all in! But I can and will say that this is just the beginning.
Do you have any closing thoughts that you would like to share with the world and our readers?
I would love to share a snippet of my conclusion in my book because I think it’s the perfect way to end this conversation:
Before deciding to write this book, I always said I wanted to make the most of this life I’ve been given. We hear it time and time again that we only have one life to live, and it is often said that we need to appreciate every moment because we can’t get them back. But if I take a moment to truly wrap my head around that reality, I think, Holy fuck, it’s so fucking true.
I wake up every day with a fire in me, and I am consistently motivated by accomplishing what’s on my bucket list as well as my fear list. I am driven to release all the what-ifs, to get out of my comfort zone, to experience everything there is to experience, and to just live my fucking best life. It’s funny that I also adopted this metaphor that we are all writing a book in our lives before actually deciding to finally write this book. I used to say I want to have stories for days. Also, I don’t just want my book to have exciting chapters, but rather, I want to expand my chapters into volumes and a full series. Take a moment now, and think about your life. What’s your book about? What stories stand out to you? How many chapters have you written? Can you write more?
Media Contacts:
Mariann Yip
+1.917.513.1616
mariann.yip@gmail.com
www.un-hinged.com