Burlwood Forest Reflection -

Today, I am pleased to have my friend and author John Choquette, guest posting. You may remember John from my review of his first book, Burlwood Forest. Tomorrow check back to read my review of his latest book, Many Many Fields, the final book in the Burlwood Forest trilogy.

I started writing Burlwood Forest in 2009. It was the summer between my junior and senior years of college, and I had recently decided to apply to graduate school. The economy was down. Jobs were scarce. What did I have to lose?

I had always wanted to write a book. Growing up, I knew that someday, somehow, it would happen. So I wrote. Burlwood Forest started out as a crazy group of characters my dad and I came up with at the beach that summer. Maybe it was just the sun, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought it might work. I could actually do something with this!

Fast-forward eight years later and here I am. Not only have I released Burlwood Forest, but two follow-up books as well. I’ve created my own publishing company, Pumpernickel Art. I’ve been a part of almost 70 different events up and down the east coast. I’ve even been featured in 17 local and national publications.

Burlwood Forest Trilogy — John and his wife Anna, with myself and Sarah, from Carolina Blogging

I never imagined that my journey would turn out this way. When I first started writing, I was at a crossroads. Now, I find myself at one yet again. The Burlwood Forest Trilogy is complete. How do I express my gratitude and thank the people who have supported me over the years? My wife. My family. My friends. My readers- the ones I know and the ones I haven’t had the pleasure to meet yet. What’s next and how do I look to the future? How do I move forward while keeping an eye on the past?

I’m not sure and that’s okay. Burlwood Forest was never about making money or building a name for myself. It wasn’t about becoming famous or even selling books. It was about sharing my passion for reading, a passion I’ve had my whole life. This journey has been the most amazing opportunity I’ve ever had. There have been disappointments and surprises. High moments and low moments. But every second, good AND bad, has been worth it.

So what’s next? I look forward to continuing to share Burlwood Forest with the world. There will always be a need for unique stories, no matter the changes in technology or the society around us. I’m working on another series too! I’m not ready to announce any details right now, but I can’t wait to share it with you. It’s different. It’s been challenging, but that’s only made it better. It’s made ME better.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I could never have done it without you. Whether you want to be a writer, an athlete or an astronaut, just remember that dreams are stronger than failures. You can do anything you set your mind to!

John Choquette

Author, Burlwood Forest

To learn more about John, as well as the Burlwood Forest series, please visit him online at www.burlwoodforest.com