ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — By day, Dr. RJ Burle helps people out of pain. By night — or whenever time allows — he builds worlds filled with monsters, love and survival.
The Asheville chiropractor and Marine Corps veteran has published six novels and dozens of short stories, mostly in the horror and action-adventure genres. For him, healing and storytelling come from the same place — a deep need to connect.
“I used to see myself as a massage therapist who became a chiropractor,” he said. “But really, I’m a massage therapist who acquired chiropractic skills. Both chiropractic and writing are my arts.”
A creative balancing act
Burle served six years in the Marines before pursuing massage therapy and later chiropractic medicine. He’s been in Asheville since 2007, giving patients his “100 percent focus” when they’re on the table — though that intensity sometimes comes at the expense of marketing…