So Who's Syrah Chylere?

Hello!

As I've mentioned elsewhere in this blog, I am publishing this work under a pseudonym in order to maintain privacy for personal and professional reasons. I ask that anyone participating in this blog who knows my legal name keep it private. However, I will give you one hint: Syrah Chylere is an anagram of my legal first and last names. Now, onto more interesting things!

I currently reside in the Midwestern United States, but I've lived in several different states- my favorite by far has been the Atlanta, Georgia area. I have a life partner, a daughter, and a bonus son along with three very strange cats. I am currently enrolled in an online certification program for medical coding and billing, and I'm set to graduate at the end of October this year! I'm currently unemployed, but until this year I've been working full-time (or more) steadily for the past ten years.

Myself and my daughter have a genetic disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - it's best summed up like this: My DNA has a mutation that makes my body unable to create collagen in the correct amounts or structure. The symptoms and complications are numerous and overwhelming, which is one factor that has so consistently delayed the completion of this novel. I love educating people on this disease and raising awareness, and while I might mention my disease in some posts, this is not the blog for EDS awareness. If you would like more information on EDS, please either email us with your question/s or visit this website to learn more: http://ehlers-danlos.com/ 

My daughter also has ADHD - which has made virtual learning this year a struggle! It's been difficult to balance parenting, chronic illness, my own schooling, my writing projects, and now overseeing my daughter's fourth and bonus son's ninth grade education! I'm always looking for new ways to support them, make healthy lifestyle changes, and organize our life, so our email is always open to helpful suggestions! If you want to learn more about ADHD, you can do so here: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/ 

I have a very strong interest in psychology and I love to learn everything I can about the field. My own struggles with mental health have only fueled that thirst for knowledge. I love to explore these themes and express my own struggles and experiences through my writing - but that is of course not to say that my work is autobiographical in nature. If you want to learn more about mental illness, the website https://www.mentalhealth.gov/ is a great resource. 

I have been writing since childhood, and it's always been my dream to publish a novel. I started my first "book" when I was 7 years old, 1001 Pranks, but 7 year old me couldn't figure out 1001 different ways to prank someone. I kept writing though- poems, journals, short stories, letters, text base role playing games, and even short books for my kids and my partner. Years and years ago, I started two books: Sunlight at Midnight was one of them. As this year developed, I decided I would finally get right down to it and pull this novel out of me, publish my progress, and share this story with all of you. 

Thank you everyone who took the time read this, and I look forward to seeing you at the conversation table!