NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University alumna Emily Myers first recognized her love for reading and writing while in the seventh grade at Converse High School in Sabine Parish. She knew her dream of becoming a published author was lofty and came with an uncertain future. Still, she chose to continue her studies in English at NSU, graduating in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Professional Writing, and a minor in Mass Communications.
Myers credits her time at Northwestern as pivotal in her writing development.
“Every time I write I think about Dr. [Shane] Rasmussen’s literature classes and the critical thinking skills he taught me,” she said. “He pushes all his students to think deeply and engage with texts in a unique way. I was sure to take a class with Dr. Rasmussen almost every semester of my undergraduate studies because his classes were always challenging, enlightening, and truly impactful.”
Despite Myers’ love and talent for writing, she found herself on a different path after college graduation. She put her dream on hold to pursue a stable career. Yet, as she began her career as a high school English teacher in Rapides Parish, her path toward certainty and stability was shattered when her father was diagnosed with Stage 3 Lung Cancer. He passed away after a year and a half battle with the disease.
Myers says losing her father was the catalyst that pushed her to focus on her dream now, rather than later.
“He was so young when he passed, only 53. I started looking at my life as if it would end when I turned 53. I no longer felt safe in putting off my dream. I had to do it now and that’s exactly what I’ve done.”
Myers has dedicated the past 2-1/2 years to finding her niche in the publishing industry and preparing her first novel to self-publish.
“It has been a long and bumpy journey, but I’ve finally found my place in this incredibly vast industry. And the more I write, the more I find my voice,” she said.
Myers’ debut novel, “The Truth About Unspeakable Things,” is a Women’s Fiction/ Romance novel that follows a sexual assault survivor on her journey toward recovery. The emotional, and, at times uncomfortable aspects of the book are balanced with budding romance and unpredictable suspense. Her novel challenges standard genre norms and blends emotion, moral dilemmas, romance, suspense, family drama and action into one moving read.
Myers put her degree in English to good use while writing her debut novel.
“At Northwestern, I was blessed with knowledgeable teachers, like Dr. Rasmussen, who pushed me to analyze literature in a deep and critical way. It is that same critical thinking I bring to my fiction writing. “The Truth About Unspeakable Things” is an entertaining read littered with thought-provoking messages that can really resonate with readers.”
“The Truth About Unspeakable Things” is available for purchase now on Amazon and through Barnes and Noble’s website in both eBook and paperback forms. To learn more about Myers, her book and her journey to publication, visit www.emilyamyers.com or find her on Facebook and Instagram @emilymyersauthor.
Emily Myers
