What it’s Really Like to Write a Book about Cancer

It wasn’t easy writing a book about one of the worst experiences I’ve had to encounter. I remember when writing the section about chemotherapy, I swear I could feel the cannula in my hand and the chemo seeping up my arm. Similarly when writing about the emotional side of cancer, reliving the rollercoaster once again and remembering points I was so low I wanted to give up, I came away from my computer crying.

But for me that was important, to delve deep into the emotion and make sure I was honest and open about what I had been through. To keep heart in the book so that the reader would know they aren’t alone when feeling negative or difficult feelings.

People often say ‘it must be so cathartic’ and it was, but reliving the experience was certainly as emotional as it was cathartic, with lows as well as highs — much like cancer itself.

I had cancer when I was 31, I was a wife, mother to a two-year-old and three-month-old, a writer, I had friends, family, liked to travel, go out… I was so much more than ‘just’ a cancer patient. I looked for books to guide me though but I found books at the time either very medical, or memoirs of people who had died. Not what I wanted to be reading at all! I wanted to know about the lifestyle effects of having cancer — what to pack for hospital, how to stay social when I didn’t feel well enough to go out, how to survive a social event, how to explain it to children and what to do when depression takes hold.

Coming towards the end of my treatment, I felt I had to write a book that gives real advice, from real women, who have really had cancer, (not just me from me, there is advice and thoughts from other much more fabulous ladies too). To include tips, examples, stories, information and ideas and plenty of kind words and inspirational stories. I also made sure that it is written with some much needed compassion and humour. I’m really pleased with what I achieved writing ‘The Fabulous Woman’s Guide Through Cancer,’ and it definitely felt like the most wonderful closing of a chapter when it was finally published.

In truth, nothing beats getting messages from ladies who have felt helped and inspired by reading my book and who have taken the time to message me. Obviously nothing will make having cancer ‘worth it,’ but getting those messages get’s it pretty damn close.

This weekend only, The Fabulous Woman’s Guide Through Cancer is only 99p on Kindle