The Reasons Behind "Bonfire"

Several of my readers have been asking about my recently published collection of poetry "Bonfire". The story is quite fascinating, if I do say so myself. Had someone told me a few years ago I would have been published at age 26, I would not have believed them.

Don't get me wrong, I have always considered myself to be a writer. But it was never a priority; I wrote only when I felt like it. 

My most accomplished piece of writing would most definitely be my manuscript for my first novel. But it has yet to be published. The reason for this is because I was turned down by several publishers and I let that deter me. When I finally found a publisher, I was also asked to change the plot of my story because it was too controversial. I considered self-publishing but I was afraid of how it might be received. 

I felt defeated and I felt like quitting on the novel altogether. But that was when "Bonfire" came to me like a candle in a dark room. The poems came flooding in one after the other. They came to me at odd hours, waking me up from my sleep and keeping me up way past midnight. 

After many requests from those who knew my potential, I decided to self-publish. It wasn't the novel but still I had done something I had always wanted to do.  I did for 3 main reasons. 

I did it for me.

For the last 3 years, I was engaged in a fierce battle with depression. I watched on as life wrung me like a tattered rag. I watched people walk in and out of my life. I felt alone and lonely. I felt like my wrongs outweighed my rights. I had given so much of myself to others, yet it didn't even matter to them. In many aspects, I felt that if I was placed on a balance scale, I am afraid I would have been found wanting.  So I felt I had to do this one thing for me. I had to get something right. I had to self-publish "Bonfire" for me. 

I did it for my students. 

In another sense, I did it for my many students; past and present. I have had the rare privilege of teaching future writers. However, many of them are afraid to dream big because they think those dreams won't come to pass. I, too, grew weary in watching them doubt themselves.  So I did this for them, too. As a testimony that there is greatness hidden in all of us, but we must dare to dig deep to retrieve it. 

I did it to inspire the world. 

I also did it for the many people like me, who are yet to discover their true calling and potential. Your dream is supposed to scare you. If it doesn't, then it isn't really a dream. I know what it feels like to be downtrodden, to feel like your best efforts are in vain and all your efforts are meaningless.  But I need you to understand that even your greatest dream is possible, if your shift your perspective. You must do your best where you are, with all that you are and with all that you have been given. It doesn't matter where you are right now. You have a passion, you should pursue it. You have a gift, you ought to share it with the world. 

In the end, I didn't write "Bonfire" just for me, but for all of us. For people like me, for people everywhere. For this generation and for those to come. There is a fire within us all, we must do all we can to keep it burning.  

To purchase "Bonfire" on Amazon.com, click on the link below. 

https://www.amazon.com/Bonfire-Anella-D-Shillingford/dp/0464505488/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=bonfire+anella+Shillingford&qid=157