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Travis Scroger’s entry into writing was a bit unconventional: After graduating in 2020 from Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pa., Scroger entered one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States.
As a social media manager Scroger, of Rochester, regularly oversaw posting across all social media platforms. Yet, amid the hustle and bustle that comes with managing the online world, he was deeply unhappy.
“I worked a lot of desk jobs and I kind of fell into a depressive state and went through some pretty severe anxiety episodes,” he said during an interview with The Batavian. “I didn’t go to college or anything with the plan of writing. I just kind of fell into it.”
The up-and-coming author and writer of his first novel, the dystopian spy thriller “Torrent Breach,” will be at Haxton Memorial Library for a meet-and-greet at 7 p.m. on Nov. 9. Attendees will have an opportunity to hear about his entry into becoming a novelist and insights into his book.
After his entry into the social media profession, and outside of a few press releases, Scroger had never published anything before. He did, however, find solace in writing.
Since he was young, Scroger recalled having linear dreams. Dreams that would carry over one night into the next. Rather than discard them, he got into the habit of writing those dreams down, although he never shared them with anyone. His novel, “Torrent Breach,” is a product of one of his dreams.
“I had never shared them (his dreams) with anybody but I didn’t have much to lose any more, so I really allowed myself to try and become openly vulnerable,” he said. “Thankfully it worked out.”
Scroger hopes that local residents come out to learn more about his book, and can glean something from his life story.
“I hope that they find it inspiring. Deep down I just want to prove that you can do whatever you really want to do,” he said. “There was a lot of times I was hesitant to pull the trigger with publishing. It is possible to do it with the right people around you."
The library is at 3 North Pearl St., Oakfield. For more information, call 585-948-9900.
