Wow. My first blog post. Never thought I would be able to blog, know how to blog, or even if anyone would care to read my blog, but I have been asked by enough of my readers to start a blog that I bit the bullet and just dove right in.
For those of you who do not know me, my name is Sarah Burleton. I am the NY Times, USA Today, and WSJ Bestselling author of Why Me, my story of my childhood abuse. I was completely unprepared for the success that Why Me brought; I had never marketed my book, never advertised, or asked for a review. I seriously just woke up one morning, checked my sales on Amazon.com and saw that overnight, my little book had shot up the rankings and word of mouth was driving the success of my story. I didn't even know I was on the NY Times until I did a Google search on my name and nearly fainted when I saw my little self-published story on the same list as Jeanette Walls and Laura Hildebrand. I spent 26 weeks on the NY Times...which is amazing...in my opinion.
But each week I made that coveted list, I would sit back and wonder why so many people chose to read my little story. I didn't have a professional cover and it wasn't a very long book, so why so long on the list? Why so many readers?
I can't narrow down the exact reason my book succeeded like it did, but what I do know now is that there are thousands of "Sarah's" in the world, those of us who have been abused at the hands of the people that were supposed to love us and protect us the most. Most of us are still haunted by our abusive childhoods, most of us still can see scars on our body and hear the taunts of our abusers when we shut our eyes to go to sleep tonight. And most of us are looking for someone like us; we are looking for someone to relate to, someone who will nod in understanding when we share our abuse story rather than look at us in shock and horror.
I think my little book made readers feel less alone and isolated, it was a voice for those who cannot, or are too afraid to speak. And everyday when I get an email from another reader and they share their horrible past with me, I am honored. I am honored that I can be the one person out there that reader can trust with their secret and I will never take that honor lightly.
Well, I hope this blogging will be good for me and anyone reading it...I have so much going on that I would love to talk about. And I also have some really bad days, days I remember too much when I might just need to vent and blow off some steam.
I look forward to chatting with you
Sarah Burleton
http://www.amazon.com/Why-Me-ebook/dp/B0044UHV9U/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373588734&sr=1-1
Just in case you wanted to look :)
My heart aches for you but rejoices in your strength and ultimate victories. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteJust read your book today, Sarah. I am so sorry for what you went through. I spent much of the time while reading the book asking the same question the title of your book asks. Why you, and why at all? I can only imagine if that question so troubled me, what it must have done and possibly still does to you. I am so sorry, Sarah. You didn't deserve any of that. I trust, God, who is the great healer of the broken hearted can heal your deep wounds. I am so thankful you have made the progress you have, and have a family who loves you.
ReplyDeleteI just read your book "Why Me" in 1 sitting. So powerful. You are a survivor Sarah! A strong vibrant woman with a message that needs to be shared to bring light and expose the darkness of child abuse.
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