Emily C. Burger's Blog
April 26, 2016
My Thoughts on a Platter
Any writer - published or not, can tell you that the words we spill out onto the page or tap into the keyboard are by no means superficial. We bleed out our deepest pains, our inner being, and our very soul. Our wildest imaginations, which in any other form would risk sentencing us to mental institutions, leek out into our words and stain the minds of our readers. Our dreams, our loves and our greatest fantasies fly out through the pages, free from the rationalisation or logical restrictions of reality. Nothing can be held back, nothing can be hidden. We lay ourselves out on the silver platter of literature, raw and vulnerable and totally exposed.
For me, this made publishing absolutely terrifying – and of course thrilling at the same time. My childhood dream was coming true, the goal of my obsessions and the thousands of hours I had sacrificed to be alone with my laptop punching away at the plot line and characters of my book – it was all finally paying off. I could actually call myself a published author!
But as the book was released and people started reading through its pages and the ball of marketing began to roll, I found myself holding my breath in anxious anticipation. No longer were my words the idle expressions of my imaginations, sleeping on the screen of my laptop. No, now they were alive, running wild through the world, tearing through the minds of all who read them and ripping the banner of secrecy from my most hidden thoughts.
What would people think? Most people I knew didn’t even know I liked to write, and now suddenly my inmost thoughts were out in the world in black and white.
Despite mixed reviews and ups and downs in sales, I have since gotten over this fear of public opinion. Of course I still desperately want people to enjoy the book and as it’s such an intimate part of my very mind, of course I want to protect it, to nourish it, to watch it blossom before my eyes.
But I’ve realised, not everyone is going to love it, and that’s OK. There’s a reason it’s aimed at a certain age group, a reason it’s a cross between Fantasy and Historical Fiction and there’s a reason why some people will absolutely love it.
As Artists, in any sphere of creativity, we must accept that the lines of privacy, of distance and bubbled space must be sacrificed for the sake of our Art. For Art does not truly live if we do not throw ourselves completely into it, and if we cannot dedicate all that we are to our forms of expression, then we cannot call them expressions at all.
They say it’s good to have opposition in life, because it means you’re standing up for something. I’ve come to think similarly over books. If its flavour wasn’t powerful, potent and absolutely intoxicating, perhaps there would be less haters, but there would also be less people who loved it. It’s like curry – some people can’t stand it and some people can’t get enough of it. What matters is that there’s a flavour, a strong flavour that whips you away and completely engulfs your taste buds.
I guess what I’m saying is, I’m proud of Thieves of Greatness, of its uniquely impactful flavour and if it’s not for everyone, I’m OK with that. But what I do know is that its flavour will unequivocally captivate and totally mesmerise those that do come to love it, because its expression is true to the very core.
Emily's website
For me, this made publishing absolutely terrifying – and of course thrilling at the same time. My childhood dream was coming true, the goal of my obsessions and the thousands of hours I had sacrificed to be alone with my laptop punching away at the plot line and characters of my book – it was all finally paying off. I could actually call myself a published author!
But as the book was released and people started reading through its pages and the ball of marketing began to roll, I found myself holding my breath in anxious anticipation. No longer were my words the idle expressions of my imaginations, sleeping on the screen of my laptop. No, now they were alive, running wild through the world, tearing through the minds of all who read them and ripping the banner of secrecy from my most hidden thoughts.
What would people think? Most people I knew didn’t even know I liked to write, and now suddenly my inmost thoughts were out in the world in black and white.
Despite mixed reviews and ups and downs in sales, I have since gotten over this fear of public opinion. Of course I still desperately want people to enjoy the book and as it’s such an intimate part of my very mind, of course I want to protect it, to nourish it, to watch it blossom before my eyes.
But I’ve realised, not everyone is going to love it, and that’s OK. There’s a reason it’s aimed at a certain age group, a reason it’s a cross between Fantasy and Historical Fiction and there’s a reason why some people will absolutely love it.
As Artists, in any sphere of creativity, we must accept that the lines of privacy, of distance and bubbled space must be sacrificed for the sake of our Art. For Art does not truly live if we do not throw ourselves completely into it, and if we cannot dedicate all that we are to our forms of expression, then we cannot call them expressions at all.
They say it’s good to have opposition in life, because it means you’re standing up for something. I’ve come to think similarly over books. If its flavour wasn’t powerful, potent and absolutely intoxicating, perhaps there would be less haters, but there would also be less people who loved it. It’s like curry – some people can’t stand it and some people can’t get enough of it. What matters is that there’s a flavour, a strong flavour that whips you away and completely engulfs your taste buds.
I guess what I’m saying is, I’m proud of Thieves of Greatness, of its uniquely impactful flavour and if it’s not for everyone, I’m OK with that. But what I do know is that its flavour will unequivocally captivate and totally mesmerise those that do come to love it, because its expression is true to the very core.
Emily's website
March 8, 2016
Maritzburg College Book Talk
I had such an awesome time speaking at Maritzburg College (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) recently on my book Thieves of Greatness.
Not only was it a great opportunity to talk about the novel but I had the chance to speak on topics of self-confidence, believing in yourself and striving for your dreams - as these are core themes within Thieves of Greatness.
I have to say, there is no better feeling than to speak on issues that you feel passionate about and to watch the audience fully grasp and engage with what you are saying. It was an absolute privilege to share my story and message with the students of Maritzburg College, Rustle Girls' High, Michael House, Maritzburg Christian School and many others who attended.
I truly believe that every single one of us is capable of a unique Greatness which has the potential to make a significant difference. I hope to share this message with many more students in the future and even if only a handful walked out of that hall feeling inspired to chase their dreams, I could not be more happy.
A huge Thank You to the event organisers for having me, to the MCS pupils who came out and supported me and to all of the students who in a matter of time will surely be making waves in this country and in our world.
PS: Meeting authors Anzil Kunsel and Marita van der Vyver = BONUS!
PPS: Tried for ages to put photos up with this post but nothings working :/ so if you'd like to see some pics, you can check them out here:
Emily C. Burger on Facebook
Emily C. Burger
Not only was it a great opportunity to talk about the novel but I had the chance to speak on topics of self-confidence, believing in yourself and striving for your dreams - as these are core themes within Thieves of Greatness.
I have to say, there is no better feeling than to speak on issues that you feel passionate about and to watch the audience fully grasp and engage with what you are saying. It was an absolute privilege to share my story and message with the students of Maritzburg College, Rustle Girls' High, Michael House, Maritzburg Christian School and many others who attended.
I truly believe that every single one of us is capable of a unique Greatness which has the potential to make a significant difference. I hope to share this message with many more students in the future and even if only a handful walked out of that hall feeling inspired to chase their dreams, I could not be more happy.
A huge Thank You to the event organisers for having me, to the MCS pupils who came out and supported me and to all of the students who in a matter of time will surely be making waves in this country and in our world.
PS: Meeting authors Anzil Kunsel and Marita van der Vyver = BONUS!
PPS: Tried for ages to put photos up with this post but nothings working :/ so if you'd like to see some pics, you can check them out here:
Emily C. Burger on Facebook
Emily C. Burger
January 25, 2016
New to Goodreads
Hey Guys,
Last year my first book Thieves of Greatness came out and as a newly published author I'd like to make a shout out and thank everyone who supported me through the journey.
This is my first post on Goodreads and if you'd like to stay up to date with all of my events, news or random thoughts, follow me here on Goodreads or find me on Facebook at Emily C. Burger.
You can also check out my website at http://emilycburger.wix.com/author
Thieves of Greatness is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
I'd love to see your reviews of Thieves of Greatness so leave a comment and let me know what you think :)
Emily C. Burger
Last year my first book Thieves of Greatness came out and as a newly published author I'd like to make a shout out and thank everyone who supported me through the journey.
This is my first post on Goodreads and if you'd like to stay up to date with all of my events, news or random thoughts, follow me here on Goodreads or find me on Facebook at Emily C. Burger.
You can also check out my website at http://emilycburger.wix.com/author
Thieves of Greatness is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
I'd love to see your reviews of Thieves of Greatness so leave a comment and let me know what you think :)
Emily C. Burger
