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A Book to Pay Attention To
By Denis Ledoux
Over the years, I have worked with many writers to help them create and shape their memoirs. It's my pleasure to bring to your attention one such writer: Peggy Kennedy from San Ramon, California, for whom I had the pleasure of providing coaching and editing help. After a number of years of preparation, her memoir of growing up in a family with a mentally-ill mother, Approaching Neverland, is now in print. (Ordering information below.)
Peggy recently sent me news of her book's success in the months following publication.
"Approaching Neverland is doing well. I'm pleased to say that the Midwest Book Review gave it five stars. I'm also pleased to be losing my fear of speaking before an audience, and I'm almost to the point of looking forward to it! I'll be on 'CBS 5 Bay Sunday,' a Bay Area morning show, on August 2. The interview will be online on CBS 5 Bay Sunday website.
"It turns out, 2009 is the 100th anniversary of the mental health movement (who knew?) so it is a lively topic these days. I've been asked to be the keynote speaker at an annual mental health conference in Boca Raton in September. I'll be doing a presentation on what it was like to grow up with a mentally-ill mother. Maybe there was a reason why, as hard as I struggled to get it completed sooner, my book wasn't ready for publication until 2009. Interesting.
"I'm very excited by the response to the book and am enjoying this new marketing challenge!
"I have to admit there were times that I wondered if this day would ever come! Thanks again for all your support for the book, Denis."
Readers can order Approaching Neverland from Amazon.com or by typing in Approaching Neverland under "Book Section" at Amazon.com or they can go to Peggy's website (DL: the site also contains many family photos.)
EXERCISE
This is an exercise to help those of you who have put your writing aside.
1. Reread your manuscript as a stranger might. (Play a role if you have to! "Let's see what do we have here? I wonder if it's any good?") Take notes about what moves you and what doesn't.
2. Take the portion that still moves you and start reworking your story from there.
3. Write for one hour today and then set up a time when you will write tomorrow. (Tomorrow, set up a time when you will write the next day. You get the idea!)
4. Remember: Inch by inch, it's a cinch; yard by yard, it's hard."
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copyright 2009 © Soleil Lifestory Network
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