A Childhood Cancer Survivor Blogging about the World of Childhood Cancer

Posts tagged ‘childhood cancer’

Foreign Publication Rights

Part of the thrill of creating and marketing my book is the joy I have from meeting many people I never would have met. Another unexpected part of the thrill is that I get to learn something new every day about publishing. I am not sure where, but I have heard of the term “foreign rights” before and never thought too much about it.

Today, I am thinking much more about it than ever. We received news today that there is interest in foreign publication rights for Grace. I am imagining Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery translated into German and Korean. I am imagining Grace in bookstores on the other side of the world, and this tickles me to giggles. In my most hopeful dreams, my written words would be able to help people who are suffering here in our country. I never, ever imagined that my words might travel to other countries to help people there. But, isn’t this exactly how God works? He loves us so much that He finds a way to help us– even when we are utterly clueless. Wow.

Tomorrow is Relay for Life day in Arroyo Grande, California… hometown of Zac Efron, and also home of highly dedicated and loving people working their tails off to make cancer to take a long walk off a short pier. Thank you to everyone who has given their time in their own hometowns to Celebrate, Remember, and Fight Back! Tomorrow is going to be awesome!

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LIVESTRONG Dedication Pages

Did you know that LIVESTRONG is creating the World’s Largest Dedication Book?

LIVESTRONG Action will present the book to world leaders to impress upon them the immediate attention we need to place toward finding a cure for the global epidemic, cancer. My mom and I are both dedicated to helping others with cancer and to doing all that we can to help find a cure. I am grateful for all that Lance Armstrong and the people at LIVESTRONG are doing to move toward this goal.

Gosh, I feel so loved. My mom wrote a dedication page for me:

http://www.livestrongaction.org/dedication/melinda-marchiano

It just takes a moment to sign my page, and each dedication and each signature will tell our world leaders how vitally important it is that we act now.

Can you guess who Signer #16 is?!!!!!!!  Giggle. Giggle.

Each week, someone I did not know before contacts me to tell me that they are battling cancer. I believe that nearly everyone who will read this post has been touched by cancer in some way. (Some of us have been “hammered” rather than “touched”!)  Let’s all do what we can… working together creates amazing results.

Imagine the result being the cure for cancer. Yes… I will not give up until this happens!

P.S. Please click this link– take a moment to make a difference!  Even better yet, create a page for someone you love.

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Selling 10,000 Books at a Time

Does this post title grab the attention of my author friends?

I imagine your ears are perked as high as a German Shepherd ready to protect his family from danger. I received an email today from my friend, Matt, who wants to assist me in achieving exactly what my title states.  You can imagine that my ears perked up to their perkiest level and my brain started crackling with all that he wrote in his email. Don’t you love when someone shares their wealth of knowledge with you– just because they want to help others?

It seems that authors and publishers would hoard this information, fearing that helping others would result in even slightly higher sales of other author’s books. This just might send them to the poorhouse. But then… there are people like Matt. Without Matt, I would never have had a clue of how to go about getting my book published. And I never would have met Matt if I had not taken a spur-of-the-moment, hour and a half drive to Santa Barbara last February with my mom.

Sometimes the decisions we make, the teensy-weensy little decisions, end up making a huge difference in our lives– and even in the lives of others. More and more, I am learning that we need to reach out to life every chance we get. That “reach out to life” last February has to be one of the best decisions of my life!

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Grace is at the Printer!

Yesterday, Sheila “bulletproofed” the final files for Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery and Bryan sent the files off to the printer. Oh my gosh– I am so excited to see a final copy!

In January, we began speaking with Greenleaf Book Group about designing and distributing the second edition of my book, and on February 15, I turned in my manuscript. Four months later, Grace is now created and ready for her formation into final printed book form. I love Sheila’s cover design, and I cannot wait to see the features, like the silver foil that spells out Grace!

I love Sheila’s balloon design, and I really love the “Happy Quails!”

What I desire most of all is for my words to reach people’s hearts. I am very grateful to Sheila for her cover design that will make people smile. She has been amazing in helping me reach people before they even read one of my written words.

Thank you Sheila!

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Grace Final File Approval and Summertime!

WooooooooHooooooooo! What could be more exciting than summer beginning and Grace nearly ready to send to the printing press? After a few minor edits, Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery will be complete. Seriously????? Complete?????

Let’s see, today is Flag Day, June 14th. I began writing my book in February of 2009. After one year and four months, over 90,000 words, and countless hours of effort to put it all together, my second edition of Grace is fully formed, lovingly created, and so close to being ready to share that I can almost hear that printing press rattling.

Perhaps tomorrow I will declare the day, “Balloon Day,” tape a balloon to my head (ouchy on the hair,) dance a major happy-dance, and sing a made-up song about gleeful authors completing their labors of love. Yes, what a celebration it is to complete an enormous project! Since my project comes straight from the depths of my heart, I believe that a Paul Bunyan-size celebration is absolutely appropriate, and entirely necessary.

WoooooooooooHooooooooo!

Completion and Summertime… Life is precious. 

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My Sincere Gratitude to Lance Armstrong

I know that I have toyed and played with my readers… teasing you about my fervent desire to have Mr. Lance Armstrong take a look at my book.  Today, yes today, I found out that he has read what I sent.  And oh my gosh… oh my gosh… oh my gosh…

Lance Armstrong gave me a thoughtful, caring, and amazing endorsement for Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will admit that I am glad that I am writing right now, because I am honestly still speechless.  Words have left my mouth, and I am here shaking my head, feeling all of those words rattling around with no place to exit.  

I love that Lance took the time to pay attention to what I wrote.  I love that Lance knows my words will help people.  I love that Lance has used his words to work to help find a cure for cancer, and I love how he has used his words to help me help others.

This makes me happy.  This makes me very happy.  I want my words to help others.

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My Mom

Happy Mom’s Day!!!!!!!!! Wanna know how much I love my mom? TTTTTTTHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSS MMMMMMMMMMUUUUUUUCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But really, without her, I would have died like…..three times already. Love you SO much Mom!
From Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery: 

     Also at this time, I began to suffer extremely emotionally.  No one believed I was sick, and they claimed, “You look fine.” 

     It was wishful thinking.  I was told that I needed to eat burgers and drink shakes to feel better, and I grew very angry that few trusted me.  I was in my body and they were not; it was as simple as that.  However, my mom remained my support, and she and I continued to get closer, as our deep understanding of each other grew.  Our spirits and souls began to intertwine, like two ivy branches wrapping and twisting around each other… becoming one.

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A Girl Named Breanna

I am thinking a lot about a girl named Breanna.  She is the same age I was when I got sick, and she is fighting cancer right now.  I remember how a girl named Rachel came to see me at the clinic after my first round of chemo.  She had battled Hodgkin lymphoma a year before I did, and she looked healthy and happy… and she gave me hope.  That was where I was headed– right where Rachel was. 

You can imagine the mix of emotions inside me.  It makes me “sick” that Breanna is sick and suffering, and it makes me want to do all I can to stop cancer.  Also, it makes me want to give Breanna hope.

A friend gave Breanna my book and introduced us by email. 

 We have sent a few cards to each other, and I even have a picture of Breanna with her very own therapy dog:)   Breanna told me that she likes when her mom reads her my book because, “It reminds me of me.”  My mom cried when she read this… it means so much to her that my story helps children with cancer.  She has a special place in her heart for children with cancer. 

By God’s Grace, I am now the encourager.  And the cycle of love comes full circle.  I feel humble, and blessed, and greatly responsible to pass on the grace that saved my life. 

Please send prayers to the heavens for complete healing for Breanna…

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ARC Cover Copy for Grace is Here!

Raising baby Grace has entered a beautiful new phase.  She has a cover!  Right here and now I want to thank Sheila at Greenleaf for her awesome design!  I will admit to all of you that when I first saw this cover option, I laughed right out loud.  It is so me.  Now that could be good for some, hmm… hopefully all!  And I hope it will make you giggle a bit too:)

And guess what else arrived today?  ARC pdf… and I haven’t even checked it out yet!

I scurried straight from school today to the DMV to get my driver’s permit.  I passed my written test (I admit I had to study for so many tests last night that my driver permit test took the lowest priority!) and I am off to dance now, rehearsing for our San Luis Jazz show in May. 

Can’t wait to get home to see the Advance Reader Copy of Grace !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Jeff Foxworthy is a Hero for Kids!

Did you know that Jeff Foxworthy has been a fundraising chariman for Duke Children’s Hospital for fifteen years, and he has worked with Camp Sunshine in Atlanta for over a decade. I have to say that this touches my heart so deeply… that he would commit to help sick children for many years.  He is genuinely concerned for cancer kids, and he shows it by giving his time, and by giving from his heart. 

Can I share with you the latest gift he has shared with a “cancer kid?”

Jeff Foxworthy wrote me a kind, encouraging, supportive, and inspiring email, and guess what?!

 Mr. Jeff Foxworthy wrote a beautiful book endorsement for Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey through Cancer and Recovery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can tell by his words that he really does spend time with kids who are battling cancer.  In this world that is becoming more and more devoid of people we can look up to for an example of how to live our lives, Jeff Foxworthy has given me something to reach for.  Integrity is a wonderful thing to share.  Please excuse me while I go cry happy tears.

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