Burrage donates his books to county library

Philadelphia native Stanley Burrage juggles writing with his roles as a defensive line coach and recruiting specialist at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Burrage has donated personal copies of his books to the county library, including his latest release, “Forbidden Fruit.” The books are expected to hit the shelves early this month.

He began his coaching career in Gulfport, working with flag and Pop Warner football teams before moving on to coach semi-pro, high school, and junior college football. Those experiences led to his current position at Cal Lutheran.

He said his upbringing in Philadelphia, “where everybody knows each other” and where he was “taught to be the kind of person who gives the shirt off your back to anybody,” has played a major role in shaping who he is today.

“I’m the type of person who’s up and goes to sleep at 12 or 1 o’clock in the morning some days,” Burrage said. “I’m just up with my thoughts, and that’s when I do the most writing.” He said he often writes more during the offseason when recruiting slows down.

Burrage published his first book in 2018 following a separation and divorce. He turned his songwriting skills, honed during his time in a high school rap group “NG BOYZ” with his friends Josh Stewart and Brandon Moore, into a new creative outlet.

Through vivid characters and developed storylines, Burrage began telling pieces of his own story, often letting others read drafts to help him find his voice.

He has since written six books with themes ranging from relationships to sports: “The Grass Was Greener Where You Already Were,” “Letters to Her,” “The Heart Lies,” “Forced to Be a Deadbeat,” “The Art of Recruiting,” and most recently, “Forbidden Fruit.”

“I wanted to write something just a tad bit different—something you didn’t want to put down from the first to the last page,” Burrage said. “If you don’t know me and this is your first book, I’d love for you to judge me by this one.”

While his first book reflected parts of his personal journey, “Forbidden Fruit” aims for a cinematic feel. Burrage hopes readers take away that “trust is a hard thing to come by, but it’s also one of the easiest things to break.”

The standalone novel is layered with lies, betrayal, secrets, and envy among a close-knit group of friends in Los Angeles.

A sequel that dives deeper into the characters and storyline is already in the works and expected around Christmas. Additionally, a sequel to “The Grass Was Greener” is set to release on July 18.

Burrage’s books are available on Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Kindle. He said it didn’t feel real until he held his first physical copy and started receiving screenshots and feedback from readers.

He recently donated all six of his books to the Philadelphia-Neshoba County Public Library, where they will be featured in the Mississippi Authors section.

Burrage said he doesn’t plan to ever retire from either coaching or writing and hopes to continue doing both full-time. He offered this advice to aspiring writers:

“I always tell anybody, the hardest thing is starting,” he said. “Once you start, just don’t stop. You don’t know what people will like until they’ve got it in their hands.”

Burrage is also working on a new book titled “The Last Vacation,” a horror story set in Philadelphia. He said it’s scheduled for release on Halloween next year.

Burrage is married to Lourdes Burrage and has three children, C’Ayrah, Jacob, and Alana. He is the son of the late Vanesa (Burkes) Lee and the nephew of former professional and highly recruited running back Marcus Dupree.

To stay updated on Burrage’s work, follow his TikTok author page @OFFICIALBURRAGEWRITES.