COMM Post--Dream or reality mailings...

I have read a few similar sayings over the years:
Doers do, doubters don't do;
Dreamers sit on the fence and dream, and risk takers jump off the fence and build their dream one day at a time, until it becomes a living and breathing reality.

I finished Cancer On My Mind in Jan 2009 and have not taken the time to celebrate its completion. I jumped head first into a new phase of book publishing, which I have no experience in.

Publishing a book is hard, but not as hard as completing a manuscript. A writer (and the significant others who still believe in him or her) must work on a plan (book proposal and query letter) to hook a book agent to represent him or her.

I finished constructing my plan, complete with four awesome reviews from prominent doctors from UCLA, UCSF, and Harvard Medical School, and am ready to send my query letter to 20+ book agents, seeking representation, toward a book publishing contract.

I bought a new Brother 2140 monochrome laser printer, installed the driver software this morning, and printer three formal letters, two to Senator Kennedy in Boston and Washington D.C., and one to Oprah Winfrey in Chicago. I am not begging for them to help me publish my book, but to share my book with cancer patients or those suffering from life threatening illnesses, and people who would like to read a fast-paced saga about a brain tumor patient who uses positive thinking to defeat cancer.

I know what some of you must be thinking...is this guy crazy!!

No, I am not crazy, but I do believe in myself and the impact my book will have on newly diagnosed cancer patients, looking for a glimmer (and hopefully a lot of hope) to beat their illness, and live a long and healthy life.

Eight years and fours months ago, I wished that I could have stumbled upon a book like mine, to inspire a newly diagnosed cancer patient, to use the strength that I already possessed in my mind and body to beat cancer.

I discovered this quote by Steve Jobs in a quote web site in January 2009:

We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life.
Life is brief, and then you die, you know?
And we’ve all chosen to do this with our lives. So it better be damn good. It better be worth it.

I am happy to still have my life and I know my book is damn good.

Look out world Cancer On My Mind is getting published in 2009!

COMM Post--Another Feather in My Cap

I received an awesome book blurb from Jorge Lazareff, M.D., Geri and Richard Brawerman Chair in Pediatric Neurosurgery at UCLA.

“There are a large number of cancer patients who had the courage to share their feelings and travails after the diagnosis of a ghost evoking disease. I have derived a lesson from each one of the many memoirs I have read. What makes “Cancer on My mind” stand tall among its peers is its prose, bordering with the profane, always witty, closer to Bukowsky than to Dr. Phil. I congratulate the authors for his triumphs.”

I am still trying to figure out what Charles Bukowsky and Walter Kornichuk have in common, but I am very happy with the praise for Cancer On My Mind. Bukowsky wrote the script for Barfly, starring Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway, and I am content with a glass of Merlot, and sliced Brie and Hi-Ho crackers. Is that a connection?

Tim is helping me connect my domain, canceronmymind.com to my canceronmymind.blogger.com site. I hope to launch my web site this week, containing brain tumor information sites and a few inspirational Lance Armstrong videos.

I am editing the double-spaced 211 page manuscript into a compact single-spaced 84 pages, to mail off to Oprah Winfrey at Harpo Productions in Chicago, and Senator Kennedy in Washington, D.C. and Boston.

I say, Never aim to high when you wish for something.

Here is a quote from Steve Jobs, Chairman and CEO of Apple Inc.

"We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is brief, and then you die, you know?
And we’ve all chosen to do this with our lives. So it better be damn good. It better be worth it."

I say, "Run away from the doubters, and laugh and create the unknown with the dreamers."

In November 2008, Harpo Productions, Inc. announced that the Oprah Winfrey show will continue through the 2010-2011 season. We would certainly welcome and hope that The Oprah Winfrey Show would continue in syndication beyond that, but that is a decision only Ms. Winfrey will be making,” said a CTD spokesperson in a statement. (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2128545/posts)

This gives me a lot of time to construct and get my promotional monster, canceronmymind.com, up and running.

COMM Post--Sometimes dreaming helps create future realities

I received a positive comment from one of the most accomplished doctors who treated me back in 2000, Dr. Larson. Dr. Larson was Professor in Residence at the Departments of Radiation Oncology and Neurological Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. He was also co-director of the university's Gamma Knife Program, a position he held for 16 years. In addition, Dr. Larson was clinical chief of Long Hospital Radiation Oncology, co-director of the Cyberknife Spine Radiosurgery Program, director of the Cyberknife Body Radiosurgery Program and principal investigator in the Brain Tumor Research Center. He is current Co-Medical Director, Gamma Knife Program, at the Washington Hospital Healthcare System, in Fremont, CA.

“Cancer On My Mind is an original narrative of a brain tumor patient’s thrilling journey of survival or death. After receiving his diagnosis, Walter uses positive thinking to battle his talking brain tumor through six hours of awake motor mapping brain surgery, radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Great doctors and nurses, amazing medical treatments and drugs, and family members and friends can help defeat cancer. This book shows that a cancer patient must rely on a strong body, and resilient self-esteem, to survive the daily fatigue and doubt of surviving cancer. Walter reverses the helpless attitude some brain tumor patient’s feel by working during his chemotherapy treatments, escaping reality by walking many miles throughout San Francisco, and maintaining a “never give up attitude” after six hours of brain surgery and throughout his 36 weeks of exhausting chemotherapy treatments. The talking tumor narrative is an ingenious perspective, and allows the reader and cancer patients into the evil psyche of cancer, the heartless potential messenger of death.”

I read the screenplay treatment written by Allen Amundsen and the content is awesome. Allen is a very talented and imaginative writer. He makes my book jump off the page. The talking tumor has been transformed into the Strange Man, who appears in my mind, in my dreams, stressful moments, and while I laying the MRI tube visualizing snorkeling on the beach, to relax during a hour and 15 minute long scan. My Mom is portrayed as a strong woman, who encourages me to hang tough and I will beat cancer.

Overall, I am amazed how Allen has adapted my book into a 16 screenplay treatment complete with flashbacks, a character who i make mends with, puking, six hours of awake motor mapping brain surgery, and chemotherapy. The Strange Man and I battle each other other, mano y mano, hand to hand, and trash talk each other like a hero and villain, in a good versus evil movie plot.

I am going down to Steve's house on Saturday, to shoot some pictures in a photography studio for my book cover. Steve turned me on to a computer artist, Jerry from Indiana. Steve showed me some of his work on his web page and it is insightful, imaginative, and surreal. These are elements that I would like to have in my book cover. Jerry and I talked on the phone today and made some headway on some ideas for the book cover.

I emailed Tim some brain tumor web sites and a few Lance Armstrong videos, I would like to post on my Cancer On My Mind web site.

I am still waiting for a few more positive comments for my book.

All in all, full steam ahead.

Oprah here we come.

COMM Post--Hard work equals ???

I took a friends advice and send my book comments by Federal Express to my neurosurgeon, Sandeep Kunwar, at UCSF. I received an email from his today that his is almost done with his review and comments. I am so jacked that this strategy worked and that the man with the talented hands, is the last doctor at UCSF to complete his review of my dialogue, out of five doctors.

I thought that completing the book was a task. The real thinking out of the box task has been completing my marketing strategy, and getting to the superior quality and level to submit to a book agent. I have three positive blurbs for my book, but don't intend to stop now.

I received email responses today from Dr. Kunwar at UCSF, Dr. Spencer at Yale University, Dr Berger at UCSF, and Dr. Chen at USC.

I am kicking ass now and loving it.

COMM Post--Persistent-Patience, Patient-Persistence

I took a needed break from the book on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon. I hit it hard on Sunday night and emailed 12 doctors from USC, U of Colorado, among other top universities in Neurology. I received a positive comment from Dr. Chang, my oncologist since 2000, Susan Chang, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Residence in the Department of Neurological Surgery and Director of Clinical Services on the Neuro-Oncology Service of the Brain Tumor Research Center at UCSF. “A unique perspective of living with a that lends insight into the many challenges that patients face. This also highlights that despite the known odds, that on an individual basis, this terrible disease can be overcome.” How do I think these kinds of comments will help my book? Credibility among agents and publishers, and readers of all kinds.Allen emailed me today that the treatment for the screenplay could be done as soon as in a few days. I talked to Steve today about the book cover. He needs to re-shoot the head shots again, and then he will email the pics to a more experienced friend in PhotoShop and digital design. I subscribed to Literary Marketplace and collected 20 book agents who I will send my query letter to in the next week or so. The book is coming together, slowly, but surely. Everyday seems to bring more support for the book. I actually believe I will get an agent to acquire a publisher and bag this mother.

COMM Post--Patience...Patience...

I sent out 13 email to doctors all over the U.S. and am waiting for a few more comments of positive support for my book. I hate rushing a task to complete it, and later realizing that I should have just relaxed, took a few deep breaths, and did it the right way without a deadline. I feel this way about the query letter I have been working on for two months. Book publishers and agents receive thousands of query letters a year, and skim them and toss out the letters that don't sell them in the first sentence. We all filter out poor quality items or attitudes, but these people do it for a living. I received a three sentence, closer paragraph, that will work just fine.

COMM Post--Selling Yourself to an Agent or Publisher

I have been working on a query letter and book proposal for two months. I have a list of potential candidates who I will try and impress in the next week. I have the first four paragraphs completed, but am puzzled at how to conclude my last paragraph, an action or non-action, last paragraph. I don't want to come off to demanding, but honest and positive. I never thought three sentences would challenge me. I got some great advice today on how to format and present my query letter. Support is hard to come by these days. Most people are great talkers, but poor in really helping to complete a task.

COMM Post--I Thought Yesterday Was Going To Be A Rest Day

I arrived home tired from driving 225 miles to and from Monterey. My Blackberry vibrated and I casually checked who emailed me. It was an email from Allen Amundsen, a professor from HSU, with some high quality and thought provoking ideas about a screenplay version of Cancer On My Mind:

The underlying theme of the book will be the same for the screenplay: a man who finds the strength to stare down the biggest conflict in his life--his own brain. A triumph over tragedy story--finding the hope and strength within in order to battle the cancerous tumor that also lives within.

I'm thinking about personifying the cancer as an imaginary person whom only the protagonist (Walter, of course, lol) can see and hear. Mr. Cancer (I think I will merely refer to him as The Stranger in the script) appears often to taunt him. This will open up many opportunities for riveting dialogue between protagonist and antagonist throughout the script. I think the imaginary Cancer Man will end up being a love/hate character for the audience--he is the paragon of evil and the bringer of death, but also witty and charming (sort of like a demon/devil type of character--after all, its always the villains who get all of the glory: think Hannibal Lecter or the Joker.)

Also, in terms of dramatizing the real-life story points, I'd like to weave in some flashbacks of the Father and the Brother. The key supporting characters will be the Mother and Friends.

In particular, it might be wise to create some composite characters for the Friends--I think Friend A (perhaps "Jeff") will be supportive throughout, and Friend B (perhaps "Michael") ultimately chooses to sever the friendship because he can't deal with the protagonist's struggle/possible death. So this will create another layer of conflict and tension (as well as another layer of hope for the protagonist.)

The Surgeon will also be a major character, becoming a friend and ally of the protagonist.

I see the screenplay as 60% serious drama, and 40% humor--which is a balance that always makes for a rich movie-going experience.

I will have specific pages for you very soon. Let me know what you think of the ideas!

Allen Amundsen has taught me a lot about being a creator and or writer, "Just do what makes you feel good, enjoy it, and don't take things too seriously."

Allen has breathed new life into my book, by thinking about how it could be displayed it a more layered, interactive, drama/comedy/audience interactive perspective. The appearances of "The Stranger" are stylish and smart, and don't give away too much from the beginning.

Man, I am happy to have someone with the passion to de-construct and then re-construct the dark subject matter in my book into a living and breathing screenplay. He has the passion, creative outlook, and energy to really make something real, even more real.

I spent sometime trying on a new pair of shoes for work and will wear them around the house before I test them out at the S. F. International Airport at IT-G. They feel pretty good up to this point, but let's not get too cocky. Let the feet be the judge and butt out.

I spent a few hours on the Internet tonight searching for publishers I will submit my query letter or book proposal to in the next few months.

I am still anticipating at least a few more positive reviews of my book from the 12 emails i sent out to UCLA, Duke, Sloan-Kettering, Harvard, and UCSF.

I finished the query letter, but am still waiting to hear from Mary Ellen, a marketing expert in Albequerque, NW, to give me a few pointers.

COMM Post--A Deserved Break

I has been a very exciting week for me and my book, so I am taking well deserved break to relax and reflect.

Where will I go from here?

What other amazing and generous doctors will jump on my support boat to keep me afloat?

I am just building my arsenal to launch on the cancer and publishing world and am blown away by the response my networking skills have uncovered.

Day-by-day...Step-by-step.

COMM Post--Thank Goodness, It is Friday

I received another email response from a cancer doctor at UCSF who will read Cancer On My Mind and hopefully give me some support for my back cover of my book. I am doing my best to network with all of those who want to help me construct my web site, give me advice on marketing and promotion, and tell me that all this effort will not be wasted.

Life is good. I am celebrating my 9 th year of cancer-free living after i get a thumbs-up for my annual scan next month.

COMM Post--Support for Cancer On My Mind

Cancer On My Mind is finished. I sent out 13 email requests out to doctors at UCSF, UCLA, Duke University, Harvard/Massachusetts General, and Sloan-Kettering. I received two emails of support for my book from the Director of Radiation Oncology and the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at UCLA.

I own the domain canceronmymind.com through godaddy.com.

I started a blog called Cancer On My Mind on Google.

I have a professor at Humboldt State who is writing a screenplay treatment based on my book to pitch to agents and producers in Hollywood.

A lot going on lately in my life, but it did take me 4 years to write the book, so something ventured and something gained.

COMM Post--Great News...

I checked my email to find that Dr. Jorge Lazareff, a neurosurgeon from UCLA will be submitting a paragraph to include in my book. I was pumping my fist up and down, and yelling and howling like a cowboy! The four years it has take to finish my book is finally paying off. Day by day, and step by step. I need a few more of these academic endorsements and I feel my hard work is legitimate by and a book agent and publisher standards.