I submitted an error-free manuscript today

I and a good friend of mine located a number of errors in my manuscript a few weeks ago. A generous friend donate the services of his professional proofreader to my book project. After a few rounds of submitting the final manuscript and book cover to BookLocker, my publisher, I am happy to say, the task has been completed. Yeah! Yippie! I will receive a final copy in 10 business days and them anyone can order a book through the BookLocker.com web site.

I am designing business cards and tee-shirts to use the promotion of my soon to be published book, Cancer on my Mind.

I will shoot the final scenes of the video and pending song with Jesse on Thursday.

A short promotional video was shot by Jesse last Saturday. I want to thank Jesse for all of the effort he has put into writing the song and shooting and editing the video. It has been a long 17 months to finish this project.

I want to thank Angela at BookLocker.com for helping me to make my dream of publishing a book about surviving a brain tumor come true. I hope my book will inspire everyone who is diagnosed with any kind of cancer to fight hard and try and live longer. Never forget that you can do anything, just as long as you keep trying to accomplish it a little bit every day.

The finish line was reached today...

For those of you who have been following my blog postings, talking to me in person at work or at social events, or knew me when I was diagnosed in 2000, I am happy to write that my publisher, BookLocker, informed me that the print galley for my book Cancer on my Mind, was approved TODAY, and I will be receiving the first copy of my book in 10-12 days.

The book promotion machine will be started up in the a few days. I am very excited!

Jesse, Christina, John, and I shot the last scene for the song and video to be posted on YouTube in November 2010. Thanks John for letting us use your car in the video.

After two tries, the third try was the charm to get the book cover approved by BookLocker today.

I want to thank Angela at BookLocker for accepting my book for publication and helping me finalize the manuscript and book cover for printing. You are awesome, Angela. You rock!

My advice to everyone is to dream big and have fun accomplishing something that you never thought you could accomplish. I survived a grade three glioma astrocytoma brain tumor for five years after reading that I had a 40% chance to survive. Fast forward another five years and you are talking about me, defying medical odds and living an unbelievable ten years after a death wish brain cancer diagnosis.

Never say never.

Cancer on my Mind update

After changing all the names of the doctor's and hospitals in my final draft manuscript, I am happy to report that it was been received by BookLocker this morning. I still have to have Jeremy, my graphic artist, produce a final book cover draft after I receive a precise spine width from BookLocker. I don't know what the real time line is for a draft paperback copy, but I would guess 4-6 weeks.

An ending to the video will be shot in the next 1-2 weeks.

I will be shooting a 3-4 minute video to use as a press release and promote my book to TV and radio stations.

The whole process is coming along slowly, but surely.

Second Final Manuscript Submission is the Charm

With the help of a good friend of mine, I submitted the final manuscript draft of Cancer on my Mind. I was advised in order to avoid any future lawsuits, to change the doctor's and hospital names in the manuscript. I decided, "what the heck," why not read the book again and check for any spelling or grammar errors. I am glad that I read the book again, because I did find a few more spelling and grammar errors on the 16th read of Cancer on my Mind. I will receive a book cover spine width measurement to hand over to Jeremy, my amazing graphic artist (Jeremy Sosnick, Fine Art and Design, http://www.jeremysosnick.com/), email the final book cover draft to Angela/BookLocker.com, and will receive a paperback copy of Cancer on my Mind in 4-6 weeks.

The Mighty Click that Changed my World

Back in the summer of 2003, I wrote my first 50 page draft of an untitled book about surviving a grade two/three glioma astrocytoma brain tumor. I wrote on breaks at work and in my spare time writing: at a Los Altos Starbucks, nursing a cup of coffee and bringing my lunch in a plastic container and eating snacks; in my unheated rented room on Coral Court in Los Altos; in my excellent studio apartment in Los Altos across from the Los Altos Country Club; in my condo near SFO.

Seven years (and thousands of hours of writing)later, I clicked the send button with my mouse, at 9:20 a.m. on September 3 2010, and submitted my final draft manuscript to Angela at BookLocker.com, to create a 5.5 x 8.5 paperback book entitled, Cancer on my Mind, for $13.95 per book.

I spent the last 5-6 months creating a book cover with a talented graphic artist/web designer, Jeremy Sosnick of Fine Art and Design (http://www.jeremysosnick.com/). After 60 drafts, countless emails, and employing his superior patience level on an unpredictable client like me, a colorful and creative book cover has been created.

I spent the last 1.5 years writing a song and filming a video with Jesse, a genius freelance producer/shooter/editor (http://www.jsternburg.com/site.jsternburg.com/Welcome.html) and good friend. We finished the song on September 3, at 10 p.m. Jesse will edit the video in the next few weeks and it will premier on YouTube when

I launch the book and screenplay based on the book, in 4-6 weeks. BookLocker will produce a copy of my book in 4-6 weeks.

Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't write and publish your own book about surviving a brain tumor that only gives you 40% odds of living 5 years.

I am living proof that you can write and publish your own book about surviving a brain tumor for 10 years, defy all odds by medical/statistical bean counters and doubters of how strange the human mind and body can be in times of distress and calmness.

Very close to sticking a fork in Cancer on my Mind

I have had amazing support from a very good friend to rid the manuscript of as many errors as possible.

The cover is complete and after the manuscript is formatted in book, ibook, and ebook forms by BookLocker, I will receive a specific spine width and Jeremy will finalize the cover dimensions.

I am choosing a few quotes for the book. Their are many great quotes to choose from by amazing people so I will have to be selective with my message.

I will submit the manuscript in the next few days.

After five years of writing a book and a song, and shooting a video, the dream journey will become a reality in October 2010. Yippie!

Cancer on my Mind success

I received a email from Angela Hoy, BookLocker, that Cancer on my Mind had been accepted by BookLocker to be published as a publishing on demand book by BookLocker. Yippie! Five years of work has finally paid off. I can't remember how many hours, days, and summers I spent writing many drafts of this book.

I met with my talented graphic artist, Jeremy Sosnick, and we discussed the specs and a re-design of the book cover.

I am very excited to get the book cover and manuscript into a paperback book form, but am learning that I am 80% of the way to accomplishing this task. Formatting the manuscript and finalizing the book cover to BookLocker specs is huge task to take on.

I have a total of 11 positive comments from various doctors from top name universities in the U.S. to put on the back cover and inside the book.