about me

Journal image with search box. Search is for for Who is sh burgess?

I recently took on the role of VP of Communications for the Virginia Romance Writers. As an introduction to the group, I filled out a little Q&A and I thought it would be fun to share here!

Name: SH Burgess

What do you write: It depends on what mood you’re catching me in I love creating characters with traits from paranormal/sci fi and mashing them up in an usual setting and they’re probably a sociopath with a killer smile. However, I recognize this is not for everyone so…Last year, I did finish a short contemporary romance. It’s going through some edits so we’ll see if it winds up a long contemporary, lol.

How long have you been writing? Since Kindergarten when I wrote the True Book of Paleontology instead of the standard My Dinosaur Book.

Published? Working on it, unless you consider my 11th grade English poem being published in an anthology of VA English students.

Best writing advice: Keep going until it’s a habit and you can’t imagine not writing every day.

Plotter or pantser: What is plotting? 100% panster. If I try and plot anything there’s a revolt in my brain and everything is full stop.

Favorite author: Preston & Child write my absolute favorite series. The Pendergast series are action packed, horror, science fiction, suspense, mystery, mind bending, spectaculars. I also love KMM and the Fever Series.

Last thing you read: Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho – Great kids story about diversity and representation.

Other hidden talents/hobbies: I’ve played the flute for over <gulps> 30 years. And due to Covid, I think I’ve become the ultimate multitasker trying to do the day joy, hustle job, teacher job and cat wrangler all at the same time.

What keeps you motivated? The idea that my story is not like everyone else’s and someone out there may read it and like it.

What is the strangest thing on your desk? Maybe it’s more around what is missing from my desk, which would be the kitchen sink with the amount of stuff I have residing on it. Currently, I have a cat, two computers set up, a printer, an ipad, two phones, a Nintendo switch, endless amounts of post-it notes, stickers, notebooks, journals, a desk fan, countless water bottles, a cup of coffee, random snacks, nail polish, rubbing alcohol, 2 boxes of pens, a cactus and 5 cups of pens…make that 6. And then there’s also the clutter The creative brain is messy.

What do you listen to as you write? Going back to the second question, it depends on the mood. I love Sara Bareilles, she’s my music muse, so she’ll be on more often than not. I have a couple of writing playlists on Spotify containing everything from Linkin Park, 30 Seconds to Mars to John Williams and the Boston Pops to Bon Iver.

Thanks for learning a little bit more about me. The beginning of the year has already been slammed with non-creative time. I’ve been feeling very guilty about neglecting my writing but since it doesn’t pay the bills at the moment, I have to let it be a sidelined. Hopefully, only for a little bit longer. If you’re interested in following some of my other social media, here’s where you can find me.

Where to find SH Burgess via social media links

It’s Writer Wednesday. Since everyone has been nice enough to read the first couple of posts where I have shared some embarrassing facts about myself, I thought I’d share a little more about me. So, who is SH Burgess? Well, read on.

Imagine your favorite coffee shop, breathe in the smells of the freshly brewed coffee and the music being piped over the speakers on some unique-to-the-coffee-shop station. There is the typical amount of chatter in the room as people take conference calls, squirm in the faux leather chair or squeak their metal chair across the floor to peer closer into their phone or laptop. You observe from your corner of the room an average-height female, yoga toned and blonde hair piled in a messy but perfectly coiffed bun. You strain to hear her order a cup of coffee and find she’s ordered a tea, her accent a surprising but pleasing Irish lilt. A foreigner in the States, maybe on “holiday” as she’s most likely to call it. You try and hide behind your cup of coffee so she doesn’t notice you continue to watch her as she collects her tea, adds loads of milk and sugar to it and then sits at the bar in the front window. She pulls a laptop from her bag and you notice she’s busy writing what appears to be a manuscript. An author, you think. She must write wonderfully magical tales about rolling green hillsides and music filled nights of sitting around a pub. Satisfied with the career choice you’ve given her, you sit back in your chair and continue to drink your coffee.

The Irish woman, that’s not me. I’m short and non-athletic and would most likely be the person screeching their chair across the floor and spilling my coffee while trying to observe everyone else in the room. So, why the quick visual? Well, because everything on inside of me screams, “aye, you’re Irish” while the genetic makeup on the outside would say “have you checked yourself in the mirror?” Friends who read this will laugh and most likely shake their head as I’ve told everyone for well over half my life now, I’m Irish. I’m sure a therapist would have a field day with this and I can tackle all the fun I’ve had with being Irish in a future post, but for now, we’ll just leave it at, it took a while for me to find an identity when I was young. The Irish, they danced and sang their way into my heart, not to mention their food is just incredible. Oh, and they have Guinness.

What is true? I’m a thirty-something writer who lives in the great state of Virginia. I’ve lived here almost my entire life and I love it. I’ve just completed my first novel, see my first post, and now I’m working on feeding the muses and picking out my next project. I’ve been a writer for the majority of my life. I’m always escaping somewhere, whether it’s through my own quick creation or through movies or books. I’m an avid reader and shameless book hoarder. I have worked a variety of jobs through the corporate world as well as had some of the best summer jobs possible. I love music and I constantly have it playing in my house. I have to write with music, right now I’m listening to Gregory Alan Isakov’s “The Stable Song”, love it. Once I find a song I love, it’s put in my collection and played to death. And that’s about it, just a normal, everyday person who loves to write and can’t wait to see her book sitting on a shelf somewhere. Yes, I know. I actually want a printed book, not an e-book. Maybe I am weird? I am definitely Irish.

Tag: about me

Just a Smidge About Me