Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emily Scialom. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Emily, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
I’ve always been fascinated by religion and finding the meaning of life. In my youth, I felt like I had a tornado in my mind which needed to be formulated and externalised somehow.
My debut novel, The Religion of Self-Enlightenment (The ROSE), took me eight years to produce. It became a vehicle for my deepest and realest perceptions of life, meaning and purpose. It explores the journey of a young man named Carrick Ares who has a spiritual awakening and ultimately writes a new peaceful and radically loving religion.
When The ROSE was first published, I was often asked why I was so focused on religion as a subject matter. However, it has now been declared “a modern cult classic” by various media outlets and the book’s major themes become more relevant with every passing day.
There is a growing need to discuss the religious problems we have as a species and I hope The ROSE will prove to be a catalyst for many such worthwhile conversations.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a multi-genre author, poet and musician based in Cambridge, England. I grew up in a very spiritual community in Glastonbury, Somerset and became a nationally published poet at the tender age of eight. I then became internationally published as a teenager as the result of winning various poetry competitions.
I began writing novels in 2008 and have now released seven books to date. My debut novel, The Religion of Self-Enlightenment (The ROSE), is my proudest achievement so far and watching it blossom as “a modern cult classic” is my primary source of joy. Last year The ROSE featured in a Times Square billboard campaign and this year I have graced the covers of several literary magazines.
A memoir about my first four decades of life, Wild to the Max, will be released in the coming months. Wild to the Max discusses my journey with The ROSE as well as how faith saved my life.
I also have an album and two EPs worth of music available on streaming sites under my own name, Emily Scialom. I had originally intended to become a guitarist before a twist of fate led to me writing novels instead. Whichever genre I work within, I like to think I give my all in terms of heart, mind and soul.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I have had many difficult experiences with publishing houses and literary agents. Being let down by those in the literary industry and carrying on writing regardless absolutely illustrates my resilience.
Independent authors often get looked down upon, but there is a strength and autonomy to the self-publishing process which I find irresistible.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
If I was to be brutally honest, I would say the greatest aspect of writing is its ability to express real pain. I was a very troubled young person – many traumas, deaths and disasters peppered my developmental years.
I’m happy to say that having found writing a powerful cathartic tool, my creativity combined with my faith has given me the strength to continue.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emilyscialom.com
- Instagram: @ebscialom
- Twitter: @emilybsci1
- Other: Spotify: Emily Scialom
