I come from a big, noisy, loving family, and I’m really close to my younger brothers, so it’s not a surprise that so many of my books are about families of one sort or another. Stephanie Burgis grew up in East Lansing, Michigan, but now lives in Wales with her husband and two sons, surrounded by mountains, castles and coffee shops. But yes – it really is possible to deal with the illness and have a writing career (although of course it isn’t easy). I’m hoping writing may help, as an outlet and a wage. It’s just another thing that’s a part of your life; sometimes it’s major, sometimes minor. You can read the first three chapters of each of her books on her website. Before I became a full-time writer, I won a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Vienna, Austria, earned a Master’s degree in music history, and spent three years as a doctoral student researching late-eighteenth-century opera and politics in Vienna and Eszterháza – research which directly inspired my (wildly romantic and operatic) adult historical fantasy novel, Masks and Shadows! Finding that out made me think: “I’m not alone. Before becoming a fulltime writer, she studied music history as a Fulbright Scholar in Vienna, Austria, and worked as a website editor for a British opera company. I was born American and still am, but I spent seven years living in Yorkshire, England (where A Most Improper Magick/Kat, Incorrigible is set) and now I live in Wales and have dual US/UK citizenship. Stephanie Burgis was born in Michigan, but now lives in Wales with her husband, fellow writer Patrick Samphire, and their children. You can also find me online at Twitter or Instagram for regular updates and (of course) cat photos. Reading Stephanie Burgis’s Congress of Secrets is like eating a piece of rich, decadent chocolate. If you have diabetes, you just … have it. Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads. Just contact me to set it up! Stephanie Burgis: Living With—and Talking About—M.E./CFS, Disability and Diversity in Young Adult Fiction, Alex Townsend reviews ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES. I even read particularly scathing, sarcastic bits out loud to my parents. Stephanie Burgis was born in Michigan, but now lives in Wales with her husband, writer Patrick Samphire, and their children. There will be people who snort with disbelief at the first mention of it and dismiss you as a fraud or a hypochondriac. Today, though, I wanted to talk about why I talk about it. It helps I’ve never had a problem with motivation. That young lady can see further into her future because of your candor. It was very inspiring to me, as I look to re-invent myself and find a way to live with ME and earn a living. They don’t know that I spend most days at home without going out at all, saving up my miniscule stores of energy for the things I really want (or have) to do. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Stephanie Burgis is the author of the Kat, Incorrigible and The Dragon With A Chocolate Heart middle grade fantasy adventure novels, as well as Masks and Shadows and … Kat, Incorrigible (A Most Improper Magick). I love that description of M.E.! The thing is, M.E. Before becoming a fulltime writer, she studied music history as a Fulbright Scholar in Vienna, Austria and worked as a website editor for a British opera company. I’m wishing you all the very best in your own reinvention. Thank you so much for coming to my launch, and for that wonderful feedback. In fact, as someone with ME/CFS, in many ways I feel very lucky to be a writer, because it’s a career that I can pursue even though I’m too sick to go into an office to work. If you have the flu, you don’t hedge about it. Of course there were the old 19th-century, saintly invalids who died well, without complaint, like Beth in Little Women. Those silly rich people imagining themselves sick! Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. I can’t even count the number of novels I’ve read where the detective heroes or heroines inevitably expose all those terrible fakers, all pretending to be ill just to get workman’s comp or other benefits. But these illnesses are just that: illnesses. Not enough to kill him but enough to really slow him down. And she was so shocked – and so deeply, deeply relieved – to find out that there was a real, professional writer out there who was making a career in the publishing world despite M.E. There are quite a few authors with CFS/ME, the most famous example being Laura Hillenbrand, who is quite severely ill. She was writing in shock, having just found out, long after reading my first two novels, that I have M.E. Before becoming a fulltime writer, she studied music history as a Fulbright Scholar in Vienna, Austria and worked as a website editor for a British opera company. You don’t have to advertise, but you don’t hide it. Note for bloggers and press: You can find both a short bio and a long bio and download full-size author photos in my press kit. Then and *only* then, if I have any energy left in the day, I can move on to the next priority on my list. And never give up. “Fatigue” is really not the word for it! History buffs will find this to be a tasty, if airy, bit of strudel. Reblogged this on Joanne Hall and commented: That’s how I explained it to my boys! I remember the first time I ever heard of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It means that I don’t do a ton of other things that most people think of as necessary, and I also don’t do several things that would just be fun. Stephanie Burgis was born in Michigan, but now lives in Wales with her husband, writer Patrick Samphire, and their children. It meant that even if she had to lie on the couch all day, she might still be able to follow her dream after all. I don’t have ME, but I do have depression, which I guess can be regarded as another “invisible illness”, and I’ve always tried to be open about it online because I think (hope) it helps other people to know they’re not alone, and that you can do stuff even with a crippling black dog snuffling at your heels. Stephanie Burgis was born in Michigan, but now lives in Wales with her husband, writer Patrick Samphire, and their children. © Copyright Stephanie Burgis 2015 - 2020. Last month, I got an email from a fantastic, bright, ambitious teenage girl who wants to be a writer. That meant there were real possibilities, and a future for her, even if she couldn’t get a day job out of the house. She asked me if I could talk a little bit to her about how I managed it, and she said it was okay for me to post my answer online. ( Log Out /  (“Wait, should I mention that? Having an illness that is still sometimes referred to as “yuppie flu”, something imagined to be purely in the heads of its victims (even though medical science disproved this theory years ago) – well, what does that say about you? Because here’s the thing: she has debilitating M.E., too. But I HAVE to get the writing done, and I have so little time and energy that I can’t afford to waste any of it. I don’t blame anyone for keeping their illness private and off the screen, especially when they’re trying to promote their books or other work. (Really, any freelance career is a gift to people like us – I know other people with ME/CFS who support themselves with web design, book cover design, etc – anything that can be done from home, so that you can lie down on a couch to do it, and you can work to a flexible schedule.). They don’t know that I have to spend hours afterward resting after any trip, even just to my local coffee shop. This will prevent Liz from sending you messages friend request or from viewing your profile. I like your phrasing “utterly ruthless in how I set out my priorities.” Sometimes I think of it as spoon triage! It’s a thought-provoking read. She attended the Clarion West science ficti who were managing to follow fulfilling lives and careers anyway. 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