First New Blog post since April 5, 2011

This is the first blog post I have written since April 5, 2011. I took a well deserved rest since the publishing of Cancer on my Mind in November 2011. I had three book readings in 2011, the first one was well attended (30 people!) because of favorable the column news article in the Pacifica Tribune. I did not expect such a crowd and a deeply personal and in depth Q & A session.

I have sold 90 copies of my book since I self published it on Booklocker.com, mostly through in person book sales and 20 I Pad and Kindle purchases.

I emailed 20 SF Bay area book stores to solicit book readings and quickly learned that my brain tumor survivor books are not accepted by book stores as a pop book genre. My book content is for a very narrow book reader group, those that are diagnosed with cancer or a brain tumor.

My book is written totally from the perspective on a brain tumor patient and I delayed self publication to re-write an evil talking brain tumor into the book, to let the reader understand what brain tumor want to do to humans, kill us!

I have taken a break from book promotion and have started to live a post seven year book publishing life, filled with reading books, seeing movies, and enjoying my friends company.

If you have any comments, please post them to this blog.

Life everyday like it is your last, because you never know what might happen tomorrow!

Thank you for your support,

Walter Kornichuk

My second book reading and signing at Ink Spell Books, Half Moon Bay, April 9th, 2-4 pm

My last reading was a great success, even though I was a little nervous to speak to an audience about surviving a brain tumor diagnosis ten years ago.

I am happy to do another reading of Cancer on my Mind at Ink Spell Books, on April 9th, from 2-4 pm, 500 Purissima Street, Half Moon Bay, CA 94109.

I have sent out 20 emails to local chain and independent bookstores from Santa Cruz to Marin, looking for a bookstore who will let me do a book reading and signing, despite not being signed to a major book publisher. It has been tough to get form rejection letters from 90% of them, but I am not going to let this get me down, I will forge forward and promote the word that "anyone can survive a brain tumor or cancer if they apply positive thinking and a never give up attitude daily during the battle."

Promoting your self-published book is like having a personal part-time job, but I am loving ever calm and nervous moment.

I have been posting like a madman on Facebook and Twitter, trying to drum up support for my book, Cancer on my Mind.

I want to thank Jesse Sternburg and JSternburg Productions (http://www.facebook.com/pages/JSternburg-Productions/135053876557218) for his help to create three awesome videos to promote Cancer on my Mind. Great job, Jesse! Thank you for supporting me to get my book out in print. Thank you for taking endless hours to write, record, produce, shoot and edit the Cancer on my Mind music video and book trailer.

If you need any videos shot and edited by a professional, email JSternburg Productions at http://www.facebook.com/pages/JSternburg-Productions/135053876557218.

For a viewing of some his high quality work, go to http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/JSternburg-Productions/135053876557218.

Here are the videos that Jesse Sternburg produced for me:

Cancer on my Mind, The Music Video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F0uDCWfPr4

Cancer on my Mind, The Book Trailer, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_7rrZQKMQg&feature=related

San Bruno Patch Local Author Spotlight, http://sanbruno.patch.com/articles/local-author-spotlight-cancer-on-my-mind#video-5147242

I hope to see you at Ink Spell Books, on April 9th, from 2-4 pm, 500 Purissima Street, Half Moon Bay, CA 94109, for a book reading and signing of Cancer on my Mind.

Cancer on my Mind is available at http://www.booklocker.com/books/5123.html, Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com

Check out my web site, canceronmymind.com for a completed screenplay based on the book, poetry I wrote, cancer links, and book reviews by 15 doctors from Stanford University to Harvard University.

I will have an article in the Half Moon Bay Express, http://www.hmbreview.com/, on April 6, 2011. Check it out!

Thank you for your support!

Cheers,

10 year brain tumor survivor

Walter Kornichuk

My second book reading and signing at Ink Spell Books, Half Moon Bay, April 9th

After numerous phone calls, I have scheduled my second book reading and signing of Cancer on my Mind at Ink Spell Books, 500 Purissima Street, Half Moon Bay, Ca. 94019, (http://www.inkspellbooks.com/directions.html) on April 9th (Saturday) from 2-4 pm.

I will be reading my part, a newly diagnosed brain tumor survivor, undergoing cancer diagnosis, brain surgery, radiation and chemotherapy treatments, and all of the emotional and mental activities that occur.

If you have not read Cancer on my Mind, the book is unique to any brain tumor or cancer survivor book, because it contains a talking brain tumor (in italicized font in the book), whose mission is to kill me.

I will have a person read the talking tumor dialogue at the book read at Ink Spell Books.

Check out my book web site at http://canceronmymind.com/Cancer_On_My_Mind/Home.html

My front page book summary states:

"Cancer on my Mind, by Walter Kornichuk, is atypical among non-fiction brain tumor survivor books because it is narrated by a talking tumor that I battle for my survival. Applying a cancer patient versus brain tumor (man against himself) approach to surviving a brain tumor enabled me to learn about my enemy, apply a “never give up attitude” to try to defeat it, and provide insight into what a cancer patient deals with mentally and physically. The book is unique and worthwhile because the tumor dialogue is outrageously funny, bringing humor to a life-and-death struggle that has touched the lives of many Americans."

My book can be purchased at BookLocker.com, http://booklocker.com/books/5123.html

Thank you for your support.

"If you encounter anything in life that you think you can't accomplish, take the task on daily, and you will at least accomplish something each day. Who knows, after you do this for a year or 365 days, you might be done."

My first book reading ever will be at Florey's Book Co. in Pacifica on March 19, 2-4pm

I am so excited to announce that I will be holding my first book reading for my new book, Cancer on my Mind, at Florey's Book Co. Florey's Book Co., 2120 Palmetto Ave. Pacifica, CA 94044 (650) 355-8811 in Pacifica, California. I will be reading my part, a newly diagnosed brain tumor survivor, undergoing cancer diagnosis, brain surgery, radiation and chemotherapy treatments, and all of the emotional and mental activities that occur.

If you have not read Cancer on my Mind, the book is unique to any brain tumor or cancer survivor book, because it contains a talking brain tumor (in italicized font in the book), whose mission is to kill me.

I will have a person, yet to be selected, read the talking tumor dialogue at the book read at Florey's Book Co.

Check out my book web site at http://canceronmymind.com/Cancer_On_My_Mind/Home.html

My front page book summary states:

"Cancer on my Mind, by Walter Kornichuk, is atypical among non-fiction brain tumor survivor books because it is narrated by a talking tumor that I battle for my survival. Applying a cancer patient versus brain tumor (man against himself) approach to surviving a brain tumor enabled me to learn about my enemy, apply a “never give up attitude” to try to defeat it, and provide insight into what a cancer patient deals with mentally and physically. The book is unique and worthwhile because the tumor dialogue is outrageously funny, bringing humor to a life-and-death struggle that has touched the lives of many Americans."

My book can be purchased at BookLocker.com, http://booklocker.com/books/5123.html

Thank you for your support.

"If you encounter anything in life that you think you can't accomplish, take the task on daily, and you will at least accomplish something each day. Who knows, after you do this for a year or 365 days, you might be done."

First book signing ever for Cancer on my Mind at SFO

I received an email from my CNBC store contact about scheduling a book signing at a CNBC store in the near future. After a month of emailing and calling people, I am happy that my first book signing will be at the place I have worked at for eight years, SFO. I will keep everyone posted on the place and date of the pending book signing.

To read a sample chapter and purchase a copy of Cancer on my Mind, please go to http://www.booklocker.com/books/5123.html

Yippie! A book reading offer

I received an email from a prominent San Francisco book store to do a reading of my book in March 2011. The book store also suggested that I could sell my book on consignment at the book store. I am sending out an email tomorrow and to jinx my chances of landing the book reading, I will reveal the book store after i receive a date of my book reading.

Check out my book web site at http://canceronmymind.com/Cancer_On_My_Mind/Home.html

My front page book summary states:

"Cancer on my Mind, by Walter Kornichuk, is atypical among non-fiction brain tumor survivor books because it is narrated by a talking tumor that I battle for my survival. Applying a cancer patient versus brain tumor (man against himself) approach to surviving a brain tumor enabled me to learn about my enemy, apply a “never give up attitude” to try to defeat it, and provide insight into what a cancer patient deals with mentally and physically. The book is unique and worthwhile because the tumor dialogue is outrageously funny, bringing humor to a life-and-death struggle that has touched the lives of many Americans."

My book can be purchased at BookLocker.com, http://booklocker.com/books/5123.html

Book reading venues update

I called 15 book stores in the Bay Area and received five email addresses to send inquires to. I was surprised to hear from eight book stores that they no longer hold book readings anymore.

I had a great editing session with Jesse this weekend to complete and construct three videos for my web site, cancer on my mind.com, a music video, a 60 second book trailer, and a three question Q&A short video. I will be posting these videos on my Facebook page and

Book reading venues

I have started my search for bookstores or coffee shops to conduct a book reading of Cancer on my Mind in San Francisco, Marin County, the North, East and South Bays. I have 5 email addresses so far and will not stop my search until I get enough readings to support my cause...never give up if you are diagnosed with cancer!

Cancer on my Mind book update

Happy New Year to all!

I am predicting a successful year for my newly published book, as of December 2010.

My book promotion list of to-do-things is almost done.

Jesse and I are a few weeks away from completing the music video, promotional video, and book trailer video.

The web site, cancer on my mind, is available at http://canceronmymind.com/Cancer_On_My_Mind/Home.html

The site was constructed and designed in two months by Eric McCracken at http://www.eisforeric.com/

He generously designed the entire web site, including the creaking web site flash movie of the "top of my head opening up, with the title of my book, Cancer on my Mind rising up in a column".

I am looking for a SF book store to hold a book signing of my book.

Thank you for your support of my book.

Thank you! Thank you!

Thank you to all of the friends of mine who have bought a copy of my book or ebook from the BookLocker.com link (http://booklocker.com/books/5123.html) or purchased a book from me in person.

I am still in the process of completing the final editing for the song and video of Cancer on my Mind to be posted to YouTube in January 2011.

The Cancer on my Mind web site will be up and running in the next week or so. This site will contain: cancer related Media links section and three videos (a song and video based on my book, a promotional video for my book, a student film I made while attending DVC); video shooting photos section; an About the Author section; a Cancer on my Mind screen play section; a Book Reviews section containing 16 book reviews that are featured in the book, from medical schools like Harvard, Stanford, UCSF, UCLA, Columbia Medical Center, Columbia University, John Hopkins University, Kings College Hospital, London, England; a Poetry section; and a Guest Book.

Merry Christmas to all!

I have received many positive reviews to my book and appreciate them all.

Cancer on my Mind is a reality on the Internet

Cancer on my Mind is a reality on the Facebook, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, BookLocker.com, Twitter, and Google and Yahoo search engines.

I will be distributing book copies to local San Francisco Bay Area television stations to get an interview on a weekend morning show on Channel 2, 4, 5, and 7. I will be giving a book copy to the CNBC store in Terminal 3 at SFO, for corporate viewing and approval, to get approval for a book signing in January 2011.

Jesse and I are still editing the video based on Cancer on my Mind and will posting the song on itunes, and the video and promotional video on YouTube in January 2011.

Thank you for all of your support.

To buy and read a chapter excerpt of Cancer on my Mind, go to http://booklocker.com/books/5123.html.

Happy Holidays to all!

Cancer on my Mind is now a published book available for purchase

Cancer on my Mind is now a published book available for purchase at http://booklocker.com/books/5123.html

I have spent countless hours writing this book, actually it has taken me SEVEN years to get Cancer on my Mind published by BookLocker.com

I want to thank my Mom for her support to help me survive cancer up till this point in my life. I celebrated living cancer free for 10 years on July 5 2010. She has also listened to me during the good and bad times of trying to complete my book project, and also unconditionally nursed me back to life after my brain surgery. Thank you so much Mom!

I hope that those who are diagnosed with cancer or those who need a good book to read about never giving up to survive a battle with cancer, will enjoy my book.

A web site, song and video will be available in the next 3-4 weeks.

If you have any comments about my book or blog, please write them in the blog posting.

Thank you for all of your support,

Cheers,

Walter

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.

Cancer on my Mind update

I received three more positive comments last week from Stanford University, John Hopkins University, and UCSF.

I will be submitting a synopsis for a Cancer on my Mind screenplay to film school all over the world to see if a film student is interested in making a short film.

I will meet with my book cover graphic artist, Jeremy Sosnick, and put the final touches on a book cover.

I will submit my manuscript to BookLocker, a great publishing on demand company, get approval for the self publishing, and send the complete book in for printing.

I joined Twitter and will be posting daily.