In years past, I have taken a little blogging break in August and this year will be no different, so there will be a little lull on the blog for a week or two or three as far as new posts go. However, there won’t be an actual writing break involved for me because I am planning to put the final touches on my next book and hopefully get it ready to publish. I am aiming for October for obvious reasons I guess, but we’ll see how things go. It’ll be finished whenever it’s finished. I would love to know your thoughts on my title. Here it is: Cancer Was Not a Gift & It Didn’t Make Me a Better Person Either: A memoir about cancer as I know it.
What do you think? Too long? Too negative? (those positivity police are always out there you know). Too something?
I really want to know YOUR thoughts and suggestions, so feel free to share them if you’d like to with a comment below. This book will be about my cancer experience, of course, and my experience as a caregiver to my mom will be woven in because how could it not be? I am hoping by sharing my story, others feel less alone and less pressured to smile their way through cancer, but rather feel more free to handle it any way they darn please. Plus, I want to further open up discussions about loss. These are heavy topics, yes, but I have tried to interject humor into my book too. Besides, I believe talking about theses topics isn’t depressing, but rather not talking about them is. My book is written in a similar style to my blog posts. I think.
So I am very excited about this news! More updates coming soon via my newsletter and the blog, too, of course.
As many of you know, August has been an emotional month for me and my family because we said goodbye to our dear old dog. I miss Elsie so much, but I will always cherish my memories of her.
Where I live there is still a fair chunk of summer left, but it’s fleeting fast and that old familiar feeling of August urgency is setting in again. So…
Enjoy the rest of summer, or whatever season it is where you live, and be sure to take time every day to find your own little oasis, whatever or where ever it might be. Carve out a few minutes each day for doing something (which might be as simple as doing nothing at all for a few minutes), just for you.
What do you think of my book title?
Do you ever experience that feeling of August urgency?
Where or what is your little oasis?
Sign up for my emails/newsletters here.
I love my little backyard oasis.
Rita Kindl Myers
Thursday 3rd of September 2015
I am enjoying your blog. I discovered it tonight. I appreciate the honesty of the title of your forthcoming book. It is surprising! We want to believe that something good comes from suffering and the title implies a raw honesty and I am intrigued.
Nancy
Thursday 3rd of September 2015
Rita, I'm glad you discovered my blog. Welcome! I'm also glad you find the title of my upcoming book intriguing. I hope the reader will know by reading the title what she/he is in for and I want to be clear upfront that I don't expect others to necessarily see things my way. Thank you for reading and again, welcome to Nancy's Point. New posts coming next week.
Sybil Goodkin
Monday 31st of August 2015
I wonder if anyone has a good remedy for waking up in the middle of the night with The "hand of fire" from Arimidex. I've been on it for 15 months but the first year was to shrink the tumor. I am in the middle of radiation. Has anyone just stopped the Arimidex during radiation? The cancer could not come back during radiation.!
Mandi
Tuesday 25th of August 2015
Congrats on the book! You may not need the memoir part in the title, maybe use it as a subtitle or in a different place on the cover. I think the title is catchy. :)
Nancy
Tuesday 25th of August 2015
Mandi, The memoir part is going to be a subtitle; I probably didn't make that very clear. I hope you think catchy is a good thing. And thank you!
CapnMubbers
Sunday 23rd of August 2015
Your blog and your provisional book title speak to my experience with cancer. I do think a shorter title could convey the same information you wish to emphasize. Here's one idea. "Cancer: NOT a Gift", subtitle "...and it didn't make me a better person." Author's note could be "A memoir about cancer as I know it.", which would explicitly state what the title implies. This is almost the title detailed in your last post, with the passive "was" omitted and your point expanded in the subtitle.
Sharing your thoughts helps me more than I can say. I, too, look forward to reading your book.
Nancy
Tuesday 25th of August 2015
CapnMubbers, Thank you for your suggestions. I'm glad you find reading my ramblings helpful. That means a lot.
Roberta
Saturday 22nd of August 2015
Hi Nancy, Condolences to you for the loss of Elsie. A few months ago I lost my Yorkie to mammary gland cancer and a month later I was diagnosed with IDC. It's been a rough few months and one of the comforts I miss most is my dog Phoebe. My oasis during troubling times was my cozy bedroom cuddling with her and telling her things I would not dare tell any human! Lol. I'm looking forward to your book. I haven't had surgery or treatment yet so I feel like I have no identity right now and i am intrigued by your book's title. The title is a bit long but I think necessary as it gives the reader good insight of what the content may be. It does give a bit of a negative connotation and if that's not what you are aiming for maybe something like Cancer is a fight not a gift would add a bit of positive spin. Just a thought. Good luck to you! Roberta
Nancy
Saturday 22nd of August 2015
Roberta, Thank you for your kind words about Elsie. I am missing her a lot. Sorry to hear about your Phoebe; it sounds like she was so special and I can imagine how much you are missing her. You have had some rough months indeed. I agree my book title is sort of long. I was going to go with just "Cancer Was Not a Gift," but then I really think the other part is important too. I also want to stress that this is my story about cancer as I know, so as to make it clear no one needs to see things my way, hence the second part of the title. And as far as being negative, well, I hope it doesn't sound too negative; I'm shooting for honest. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts about it and good luck with all you are facing.