1. What made you decide to write Bone Marrow Boogie?

I have always written from a place of passion and deep conviction. Prior to my cancer diagnosis, my writing focused mainly on op-ed pieces and short essays, on topics ranging from US foreign policy to race privilege and non-violent conflict resolution.

Cancer gave me a decidedly different focus. My writing turned personal and at the same time global in its implication for others. What started out as a private journal soon became a series of essays that hung together and told a story of perseverance and survival. Advised by friends & colleagues, health care providers, published authors, and a number of literary agents that I had a story worth reading, and one that has not been adequately told, I became determined to write a book. Ultimately, I wrote because it satisfied, it brought me into relationship with others, and because I believed it might make a difference to those who would benefit most.

2. You combined conventional and complementary medical practices. What were the benefits and pitfalls of that approach?

For me that was the only way to go, and because I had a supportive team of health care providers who respected one another's work, there were no pitfalls. I needed chemo and radiation to eradicate the tumor, and I absolutely needed the nutrients and sugar-free, low-fat diet prescribed by my naturopath, the energy work provided by my integrative healing therapist, the massages that renewed both body and spirit, the love and prayers to the universe offered by family and friends, and the mediation/writing/exercise program I developed for myself. According to my oncologist, I was one of the healthiest cancer patients he'd worked with and my response to treatment was exceptional. I know that embracing a holistic approach was key, and at the same time I believe that each person has to choose how to respond to cancer, or any other personal crisis for that matter, in a way that fits for her.

3. What was the process of writing Boogie like?

Never much into self-help books, I, nevertheless, took their recommendation, and immediately following the tumor's discovery, I started a journal. After a few entries, the extrovert in me screamed out for greater human contact. And so began my email correspondence with friends from as far away as Cuba and Great Britain and as nearby as my closest neighbors. I wrote to both individuals and large groups. I wrote when I felt isolated, due to fatigue or my own vulnerability to infection. I wrote when I had good news from a CT scan or blood panel. I wrote when I felt discouraged and when I felt exuberantly optimistic. I have saved all the emails I received in response (possible material for my next book (?)), and even today I re-read bits and pieces when I need a reminder of the love that abounds among friends. Soon I was writing longer pieces, essays reflecting on treatment and healing, fear of relapse, and the relationships that sustained me. Ultimately I recognized that I had created 'a memoir in bite-sized pieces' -- a series of journal entries, letters, and essays -- stories that hung together chronologically and that could stand alone to be visited as needed. I reasoned that people in crisis might not have a long attention span and would respond to a book that they could read in discreet sections whenever they had five minutes to spare: the chemo nurse on duty waiting for her patient's drip to run out; the care-giver left alone in the waiting room while his lover, mother, daughter, or friend gets her daily dose of radiation, the patient too tired to track a lengthy story looking for someone who's been there and survived. Other readers with more energy and staying power would likely be drawn in to read Bone Marrow Boogie cover-to-cover.

4. What is the significance of the title?

My friend, Dale once said, "Our Bone Marrow is the juicy part of us, where our energy is stored - our essence - as well as being the birth place of our blood cells." It seemed like the ideal metaphor for what I was attempting to convey in Boogie. I love to dance, always have. It's reflected in my email handle, starrBoogie, which preceded any thoughts about writing a book. And finally, I've always been drawn to books with 'bone' in the title, so I was determined to work it into mine. No I didn't have a Bone Marrow transplant, thank-goodness. I've got stem cells on ice I hope never to use. Since working so hard to collect them, I've given a lot more thought to Bone Marrow; mine feels strong and full of juice. I'm dancing the jig of a lifetime as I contemplate how close I came and how lucky I am. So it's a title of both acknowledgment and celebration, and in my mind it's crucial to do both.

5. What separates your book from other cancer memoirs?

The consistent message that I have attempted to deliver through Boogie is to "hold onto yourself and reach out to others. Demand to be seen and heard and treated with respect. Whoever you are, that is your right. Remember on occasion to bend down - kiss the Earth - and be glad!" I believe that message reaches beyond cancer to anyone who has hit the wall or wants to turn a personal crisis into a spiritual odyssey. While I believe that Boogie will initially be grabbed up by patients and health care providers, as well as family and friends, I know that Boogie has a larger audience as well: women (and men) facing mid-life crisis, families who've endured tough times, book groups interested in the memoir genre, personal growth stories, and tales of survival, and anyone looking for inspiration. I write in a sassy voice -- I am a pretty sassy person -- and I'm not afraid to tell my story honestly. My intention is to offer a hand-up and the reassurance to others that they too can go through a tough scary journey and live to tell the tale. My dance back into life offers both hope and possibility for the many who are on a path to recovery and for those who accompany them along the way.

In my own mind, Boogie is more than a cancer memoir. The story does not end with my successful completion of treatment. In a society that believes in moving on and getting over it, I have insisted on speaking out about 'what next', about the fear that lingers, and on letting others in on the terror that follows a crisis, on staying with it as long as necessary, and only moving on when it felt authentic and true to me. I suspect I have made some folks uncomfortable with my outspoken ways. That's okay. I want others in crisis to feel empowered to demand the best care and the kindest attention no matter what they are facing. I want others to question the quality of the food they eat, the water they drink, and the treatment they are receiving. I want others to break out of what's expected and ask for what they need. "Falling on My Face" and "Barbie Gets Cancer" are two examples of what I'm trying to convey. I also want others to feel free to celebrate the small victories, the kindness of strangers, and the dedication of many health care providers. Ultimately, I want others to tell their stories as well. I hope that Boogie will inspire all sorts of folks to do just that.

6. Why did you go the route of a small niche press (KotaPress.com) to publish your book?

I started out going the traditional route, sending my proposal and manuscript to agents and publishers, looking for the right fit. Two, who were generous enough to review Bone Marrow Boogie, wrote how much like they liked my writing, my conversational style, and my voice. They felt my story needed to be told because it would bring hope and joy to the many who truly crave and deserve it. Then they went on to say that it has become nearly impossible to sell memoirs about cancer unless you're a celebrity.

I figured it would take years to become famous, but I am nothing if not determined, some would say stubborn and pig headed. Also, I like a good challenge. If I could survive cancer, I could certainly find a way to get Boogie published even if I had to do it myself. Of course, I hadn't a clue what that would entail. I read Dan Poynter's The Self-Publishing Manuel and began to research the confusing world of "Print on Demand." Nothing felt quite right. Too impersonal and distant, no control over the cover design, no connection to my story. In desperation I signed up for a self-publishing workshop on Vashon being given by Kara and Hawk Jones, who were highly regarded in their field. The workshop didn't fill, Kirk and I made an offer on a house on Vashon that very same day, and a week later I learned that Kara and Hawk ran their own small publishing company on the island. So, I found a new home and a publisher in the same place. It's been a fabulous experience, and I am indebted to KotaPress for believing in me and the marketability of Boogie when the big guys said it wouldn't happen. They have spent way more time with me working out the details, getting the cover and lay-out just right, encouraging me to 'go for it' than I ever deserved. Going small was definitely the right choice for me and I would recommend it to others. It's a challenge trying to break into the big bookstore chains who seem hell-bent on beating out the independents, but I'm a born advocate of the underdog, so that position suits me just fine.

7. Who will buy this book?

This sounds a little like the cancer memoir question, so I'll use it to elaborate some.

In my opinion, Bone Marrow Boogie could not be more timely. If you don't have cancer, chances are you know someone who does. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1,220,100 new cancer cases were expected to be diagnosed in the year 2000 Furthermore, the National Cancer Institute estimates that approximately 8.4 million Americans alive today have a history of cancer. According to Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma by Lorraine Johnston, about 300,000 people in the U.S. are affected with lymphoma - a form of cancer which has risen from obscurity to become the sixth most common cancer. Recent cover stories in both Time and Newsweek magazines testify to a large scale interest in the subject. When asked who is at risk of developing cancer, the answer is quite simply, "anyone."

Until fairly recently, finding personal accounts of cancer survivors was a difficult task indeed. Usually they were confined to such famous folks as Erma Bombeck and Gilda Radner and focused on tragedy rather than triumph. Nowadays, as the memoir has gained both credibility and popularity, as the incidence of cancer increases, and as more cancer patients survive to tell their story, Bone Marrow Boogie distinguishes itself as being representative of a societal shift. Additionally, cancer has, to a greater extent, come out of the closet, making it easier for patients and their families to seek support. As health care providers are becoming more open to learning from their patients and to blending conventional and complementary treatment modalities, they constitute a new readership.

As I mentioned previously, Boogie's readership will extend beyond the cancer readership, I believe predominantly through word of mouth, the help of my marketing team, Laurel Communications, and the willingness of independent booksellers to feature it in their stores.

To summarize, these are the four major markets for Bone Marrow Boogie: the Dance of a Lifetime:

• People currently facing any kind of cancer, especially women 25 and older.
• Family, friends, and colleagues of cancer patients.
• Health care providers, both conventional and complementary.
• Anyone who seeks to turn a personal crisis into a spiritual odyssey or who simply responds to a good read with positive implications.

8. Where do you hope Boogie will take you next?

I am committed to launching Boogie wherever it will benefit readers most. That includes taking it to cancer support groups, health care provider conferences, and personal growth workshops.

I have been told that my ability to make people laugh while discussing the most serious topics is legend! In the early days, fresh out of college with a BA in French, I counseled low-income pregnant and post-partum teenagers. Talk about a tough audience. That led to birth control raps in middle and high school. There is nothing worse than a group of 6th grade boys when attempting to explain the importance of condom use. Down the road, I became an outspoken advocate for nuclear disarmament in the face of the escalating US/Soviet crisis. Keeping people from leaving the room was a huge challenge. I've led workshops on Diversity and Race Privilege, taught conflict resolution classes in the nearby women's prison, and have given inspirational talks to parents of adolescents, extolling their virtues against all odds. Most recently, I have been engaged in a process called Listening Councils, through which people engage in deep conversations around subjects of mutual concern. Along the way, I received master's degrees in public health and psychology. I had a small private counseling practice, focusing on everything from marital discord, alcohol addiction, to stress reduction and grief work. I have worked with health care providers and I've lived with my physician husband for over 30 years. All that, plus raising two incredible sons, has prepared me for what's next.

So now I'm ready to take the stage on behalf of Bone Marrow Boogie and more importantly on behalf of anyone who needs a story of survival. Whether that be through workshops with heath care providers, speaking opportunities with cancer support groups, or visits with book clubs and writing circles, I am looking forward to joining the conversation around empowerment, relationship, and community wherever it finds me.

9. How is a story as personal as yours relevant during these times of national and global turmoil?

The human drama that has been taking place on a global scale since the terrorist attacks of September 11, has left many people paralyzed and hopeless. Still, life goes on, for the lucky ones, the chemotherapy infusion centers continue to overflow with cancer patients who are fighting their own personal battle for survival, and people continue to seek purpose in a world turned upside down. When the dust settles, people will need a personal heroic journey story more than ever. Bone Marrow Boogie is an easily digestible memoir that offers an authentic and hopeful approach not only to cancer, but to the myriad difficulties that assail folks on a daily basis. Rather than an acceptance of death or defeat, it lays claim to life. At such extraordinary times, a simple tale of survival has an important role to play. There are many responses to tragedy, from abject defeat to defiant determination to carry on. Being in community at times of dissonance is critical. For some that means planting a garden, teaching a child to read, or spending increased time with family and friends. As for me, I have renewed my commitment to seek justice in the world, work for peace, and stay present to whatever the day brings. I fail more often than I succeed on all three accounts, so I add self-forgiveness to the mix. Boogie is simply a part of that process, and hopefully it will pull others to spend whatever time they have in ways that satisfy, enrich, and provide meaning to themselves and others. As I wrote in the closing pages of Boogie, "How lucky I am to be alive, to know life's blessings, and yes, its sorrows as well. If life is a dance, then I am ready to learn the next steps." If ever there was a time when people needed to come together and dance, in my mind, that time is now.

10. Why did you choose to give away your earnings and why did you pick Whit Oak Farm?

Since I was never in this for the money, which is a good thing, given that almost no one gets rich writing a book these days, unless they happen to be named Grishom (whom I don't read) or Atwood (whom I adore), I decided to use Boogie to support my passions. Additionally, it's a whole lot easier to promote a cause I believe in deeply than to self-promote. Right or wrong, that's how it is, for me anyway.

The obvious choice would have been a cancer organization, but then I pride myself on choosing the path less traveled. More importantly, I have always been a strong proponent of preventive health care, whether it relates to pregnancy prevention, the avoidance of war, or the protection of our planet. Cancer is an incredibly elusive and mysterious disease. No one knows for sure what causes lymphoma. But environmental factors have been implicated, and eating healthy, locally grown, organic food seems like as good a place to start as any. Unfortunately it's hard to find and it's downright unaffordable to people of low-income. In addition, 'kids these days' are being raised in a junk food culture with no connection to their food source (so were most of us by the way!), and they deserve the opportunity to participate in turning the tide. White Oak Farm offers a small model farm and sustainable living center, which provides both education and food to people of all ages, income levels, and walks of life. When such seeds have the opportunity to sprout and grow, I have no doubt that the world will be a better place. And environmentally induced cancers will diminish.

11. Are there any regrets you have concerning Boogie?

In the main, I feel incredibly satisfied with the process of writing and producing Bone Marrow Boogie. If I have any regrets, it concerns the Acknowledgments page. That was really tough for me, because I knew I was bound to leave out people that should have been included. Since I also had a book chapter, " Party Time - Celebrating Friendship", that thanked many of the significant contributors to my healing journey, I mostly focused 'Acknowledgments' on folks who'd contributed in a major way to Boogie's birth. I omitted a few significant friends whom I felt would have preferred not to be named. Now I wonder, and wish I'd asked them. There is no way I can ever adequately express my gratitude to everyone who was involved. I wish I could.