According to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, every four minutes, one person in the U.S. is diagnosed with a blood cancer ... leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma. Those new cases, were said to account for more than 9 percent of 1,529,560 new cancer cases diagnosed in the U.S. in 2010, alone.
Every 10 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies from a blood cancer. This statistic represents nearly 148 people each day, or more than six people EVERY HOUR!!
Jane is a phenomenal fighter, and organizations like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society continue to make important strides in research and finding cures for all blood cancers.
Those are just a few notes of interest I wanted to share as I set the writing production schedule with actual dates. Here we go!
November 1: Have proposal updated with the new statistics from LLS; other information revised/updated completed and sent to "editors" & Jane to proof.
November 7: Have all book chapters completed, at least in draft form, sent to editors/Jane.
November 10/11: Edits back in hand, update manuscript as needed!
November 15: Complete edits/revisions, finalize manuscript
November 18: Mail/e-mail queries with sample chapters to would-be literary agents/publishers
I can write it. I can do the marketing/public relations. Jane and I can do talk shows, radio interviews, etc. Need a literary agent/publisher to back it. Endorsements.
Here's a small piece of the overview from the proposal. If you like reading it, and want to follow the story, I can start posting portions of the chapters, assignments, etc. Let me know what you think.
This manuscript, in any form or piece, is
the work and creation of Lisa R. Rigoni. The text, in part or whole, may
not be reproduced, copied, distributed, or used in any way without the express
permission of the author. Contact the
author: Lisa R. Rigoni, 217-553-6781 Lisa_Rigoni@yahoo.com or LRigoni@prwithpurpose.net
Overview
It may take a
traumatic experience or even a threat to one’s life or to that of a loved one
to learn valuable life lessons. That’s what it took for teacher, Jane Byram, to
learn five of the toughest lessons she has ever experienced. Those lessons
began with what could be likened to a classroom of unsuspecting students who
were just told to clear their desks for a pop quiz. Only Jane was told to clear
her life – she had acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Readers of Lesson Plans for Life will take a
journey with Jane beginning in the days when she said, “It felt like I’d been
hit with a two-by-four. I think God tried to get my attention in more subtle
ways, but I didn’t listen. Do I think God caused me to have leukemia?
Absolutely not! Do I think God has used my AML to help me better understand how
to slow down, to really live? There is no doubt!”
As the lessons are
outlined readers will see how Jane dealt with each at the beginning stages of
her illness, and as a survivor continuing to deal with them today. Readers will
go through emotional ups and downs with Jane, her friends and family. There
will be laughter and tears. There will be personal and spiritual growth and
emotional healing.
Jane has changed
her focus, and others can do the same by applying what she has learned in these
tough, life lessons. She was a teacher after all, who better to help people
understand what she learned first-hand?
The book is
formatted so that readers may simply read it as a story of hope and
encouragement or use it as a learning tool in personal study or in a small
group setting. Each chapter includes personal interviews and testimony,
scriptural and motivational references, as well as a set of
topical questions or conversation starters to help facilitate meaningful
thoughts and discussions.
Throughout Lesson Plans for Life readers will
encounter some tough-life,
tough-love questions and hear
solutions which they can implement into their own lives. Some they’ll like;
some will hit too close to home, and might cause emotional discomfort. Those
are the ones readers especially need to read, understand and apply to their
personal situation.
Having leukemia
helped Jane put life in perspective. Her hope is that those who
take time to go on this journey
with her, by reading Lesson Plans,
won’t have to endure anything so drastic as leukemia, or if a tragedy or crisis
has already crashed into someone’s life, that she can encourage them to keep
hoping and living!
Blessings!
Lisa
