It always saddens (and disturbs) me when I hear of someone I know contracting cancer. It seems like before you had this disease, you really didn’t know many people who did. Sorta like “by the grace of God go I”. Well, the second you find out you’re diagnosed with breast cancer (or any other type of cancer for that matter), suddenly you know that your second cousin on your mother’s side has it, a co-worker’s mom had it, the girl down the street … you get the picture.

Well, I now know of another fighter … who, by the way, is about to go into battle. “R” is my employer’s cousin and she has begun treatment … a/k/a chemo. (Waving hi to R). She sent a note saying she has already shaved her head and hennaed it. Way to go, R. That’s taking charge! She also mentioned that perhaps shaving her head was a little premature, but I disagree. You’re taking control of that part of the process. Your hair is going to fall out anyway … so why not? Despite the fact I’ve had it happen twice, there’s something very disconcerting about washing your hair in the shower and suddenly having your hands full of it. Better to handle the hair loss on your own terms.

I thought the henna was a nice touch. LOL.

Thinking of you R and want you to know that we’re all pulling for you. If you get a chance, drop a line and let us know how you’re doing. If you ever want to talk, shoot an email to me at liz@lizkreger.com and I’ll send you my cell phone number.

Repeat after me … “YOU ARE A CANCER WINNER”

Hi everyone:

Just want to announce that today is the release of my second book … PROMISE FOR TOMORROW, published by Samhain Publishing. This is an exciting day for me. You can see the cover and read a bit of the excerpt on the main page of my website.

If anyone is interested in checking it out, you can go to this link. Samhain Publishing.

Cyber Chocolate and Cyber Champagne for everyone!

It’s a interesting next step. Once you’ve written that book, now is the time to either seek an agent or submit to an editor. I’ve seen writers absolutely freak out up at the mention of an agent or an editor. I’ve been to a number of conferences and attended workshops featuring agents and editors. They are the first to tell you that they don’t bite. Nibble a little bit, maybe, but not bite. Yes, they are professional and would hope that you behave in the same manner. Doesn’t matter if you’re pitching to them cold or reading your pitch from an index card. As long as you get your story across in a somewhat coherent manner, they cut you tons of slack.

My very first editor meeting was with Kate Duffy of Kensington and it was an unmitigated disaster on my part. That’s a story for another day, but at the last conference I attended, I reminded Kate of that incident. Naturally she didn’t remember it, but we were able to have a good laugh over it.

I’ve met oodles of agents in the more informal setting of the pub or bar during conferences. Amazing how much business is done there. I’ve shared Margheritas with Lucienne Diver, chatted with Kristen Nelson while hoofing it over to the next workshop, met with Roberta Brown. I’ve always kept these encounters social (unless I had an appointment to pitch to one of them) because I always figured they had enough meetings with newbie authors and certainly didn’t need another pitch thrown at them while trying to relax over a drink. I could be wrong … but I leave it up to them to open the discussion of any work that I might have ready to pitch.

My advice is to relax. Be prepared. Yes, nervous stuttering will be expected and understood. A dithering breakdown is a waste of time for you and the agent and/or editor. Enjoy the process. It is a learning experience.

I’ll talk more about agents and editors next week. It’s a subject well worth exploring.

Here’s a pet peeve. Common courtesy. Where has it gone? The other day my family and I were at a local Chilli’s Restaurant. We were entering ahead of another couple and I held the door for them. Did I get a thank you or even a grunt of acknowledgment? Nope. Same thing as we were leaving. A pair of elderly women were leaving at the same time and I again held the door. Not a word. I can almost expect it from the younger couple, but I would have thought common courtesy would have been drilled into an older generation. Evidently not. I would almost forgive it if they were in deep conversation, but they weren’t.

Where has politeness gone? When I worked at a McDonald’s Restaurant a number of years ago, it was hammered into us that we greet the customer, serve them, thank them courteously and to have a nice day. Now you’re lucky to get a grunt from the counter server. I make it a point of being overly polite to them and wish them a nice day. If it happens a second time with the same server, I’m not adverse to asking for a manager and bringing this lack of courtesy to his or her attention.

Rude behavior is a pet peeve of my husband and I. We drill it into our daughter that the words “please” and “thank you” will get you far in this world. I’ve even taken to lecturing her little friends when no greeting or acknowledgment is forthcoming.

This world is difficult enough and getting more so. Let’s have a little common courtesy to make the journey a little easier. Please?

Got a call last night from my Oncologist’s nurse (waving hi to Judy) with word that my cancer markers were at 30. This is good news. Anything under the 40 mark is what I want to hear. I seem to have averaged out with this current treatment of Tykerb and Xeloda. The first time I was tested, I was at 26, then 28, then 31.2 and now 30. The doctor said it would fluctuate a bit and if this is the extent of it, we’re gold.

However, Dr. D wants me to do a round of scans … i.e., PET scan and CT scan. My first reaction was a very cautious “why?” but then he explained he wanted a new baseline because we’re talking about taking me off the chemo. Talk about awesome!

However, because this treatment is so new, Dr. D cannot find any literature on what happens when the doctor takes the patient off the meds. Looks like I get to be a guinea pig again. He’s going to do some research before we make any type of decision. My fingers are crossed for discontinuing but if it turns out that its in my best interests to stay on the meds, well … what the hell … beats the alternative.

Repeat after me … “YOU ARE A CANCER WINNER”