“My journey has been exceptionally complex, but
I’m not the only one who faces that. I want younger
people to see they are not alone.”
“To Exist” is set in a post-apocalyptic world and
the protagonist, Shelby Weiss, is the last woman of
childbearing age left alive. Boynes-Shuck says the book
includes romance and dark humor. Sometimes “To Exist”
has been overshadowed by her memoirs, but BoynesShuck says it is the book of which she is most proud.
“From the time I was a child I wanted to write fiction,”
she says. “I never set out to be a memoirist but I am very
proud to have done both.”
She wrote “To Exist” in November 2012 as part of
the National Novel Writing Month project. She advises
aspiring novelists to write as much as possible, which can
include blogging, journaling or freelancing. “Everything
you write doesn’t have to be a masterpiece but it’s a skill
you need to practice every day.”
In addition, writing a novel is the easy part because
getting it published is much more difficult, she says.
“Anyone can be a writer but not everyone can handle the
difficulties of being published. It’s a difficult journey with a
lot of rejection.”
She suggests that aspiring writers start by competing
in writing contests and submitting their work to smaller
literary journals and says networking is also very
important. “You have to be willing to put in that work. It’s
not easy.”
Although she wants to promote her memoirs and
novels, Boynes-Shuck has many other interests and says
she doesn’t want her illnesses to be her entire identity.
She is a health coach and is also interested in fashion and
animal welfare.
“I don’t want to be known as the sick girl,” she says. “I’m
so much more than that.”
For more information, visit abshuck.com. n
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