I’m releasing another book tomorrow, eeeeee! The Hot Flash Relief Guide was part more-work-than-I’ve-done-in-years and part taking a break. I wrote most of it based on my own experiences and stories, but I also had to do a lot of research so I could include accurate information on remedies and treatments. It felt like I was back in college on some days, and now I’m chock full of information on menopause, vitamin supplements and phytoestrogens. My brain hurts.
It was also a break from writing about cancer directly. And I needed that.
I might be crazy for releasing it on a Saturday, a day that as far as I can tell NO ONE READS BOOKS. But it’s a new moon tomorrow, and I’m a devout follower of the moon. No matter how much it pushes back a release date I just can’t see starting something while the moon is waning. I’ve also been holding on to this book for something like 2 weeks, and it’s burning a hole in my computer. So tomorrow it is. Which means I should be going over the final edits right now instead of blogging. Sigh.
I should probably also check out the horrible banging and ripping sounds that are coming from the living room where R is playing…
I’m torn about what to work on next. I’ve been slugging through my “cancer memoir”, for lack of a better description, for around 6 months now. It’s just so hard, going back and remembering everything in such vivid detail. I find myself experiencing the side effects all over again – I literally get the pond water taste in my mouth, or my phantom nipples start to itch, it’s very weird. And the moodiness, holy crap-in-a-barrel I’m a basket case while I’m writing that stuff.
I’ve gotta get it done though, while I can still remember what happened and before the kids accidentally delete all of the texts from my old phone. And there’s a therapy of sorts to the process – looking at the whole experience from a more removed standpoint is giving me a better perspective. I can see how amazing my community really was, how many little things made such a difference. And I can see how far I’ve come. I usually end up a stupid sobbing mess as I read old emails and Facebook comments. My people were so amazing, I can’t even tell you.
Another idea I have is to write a book aimed at people who know someone with cancer, as opposed to cancer patients. The Do This/Don’t Do That book. I’ve found a few on Amazon that already tackle that subject, but I have some ideas on how to make mine awesome. And it’s a book that will be useful, and I’m nothing if not eager to be useful. And smart. And indispensable. But who’s counting.
Okay I’m not going to be very useful tomorrow if I don’t finish the final edits on The Hot Flash Guide today. Wish me luck…