Tag Archives: cancer

Book Review: Rocket Man – by Jan L. Coates

Posted on August 15, 2016 | 8 comments 
Rocket ManBook: Rocket Man
Author: Jan L. Coates
Publisher: Red Deer Press
Date: May 2, 2014
Genre: Middle grade (age 9-11; gr 4-6)
Pages: 120, paperback
Price: $12.95
My rating: many youngsters will relate

Rocket Man is a story I’m sure both male and female MG readers will really enjoy. Jan Coates‘ books are always appealing, and this one covers more than one topic to which many readers will relate.

Her main character is an eighth grader named Bob who is awkward around girls, bullied by a couple of guys at school and on his basketball team, feels he has to live up to his older brother’s example as an athlete. All that, and his dad, who also was a basketball legend, is fighting cancer. Bob considers himself to be Mr. Invisible.

The reader gets to like Bob right away. He practices hard to try to move up to the Division 1 basketball team, but things just don’t seem to go his way until one of his bullies gets into trouble. Bob’s brother starts paying more attention to him, impressed by his earnest efforts, and comes up with a more positive nickname for him – Rocket Man. You have to read the book to find out the reasons behind that.

Bob also puts a lot of work into an idea for a major fundraiser because of his dad having cancer, and that has exciting results.

Jan Coates has created a story of hope. She has touched on family dynamics and the emotions of a young boy in the midst of the struggles going on in his life, in a way that makes the reader care.  If your pre-teen boy (or girl) is a reluctant reader, give him/her a copy of this book – even if he/she is not into basketball. Don’t let the cover fool you, it’s not really a book about basketball but the main character finds a way to make the sport work for him. Rocket Man is a good read.

You can find Rocket Man on my BUY THE BOOK page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

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Another sad good-bye

Posted on June 12, 2015 | 19 comments

It has been a stressful, sad time of late. 

My dearly loved father-in-law passed peacefully from this life in the wee hours of June 10 with many of us, his family, near. It was a special, quiet, reverent time, although very difficult until his pain could be brought to a manageable level again. Breakthrough cancer pain is horrible. The minister came to pray with him and us, which brought assurance to his soul, and a last broad smile to his face.

Preparations have been completed … the service and reception scheduled for Sunday afternoon, June 14.

I will miss my father-in-law tremendously. He was a constant in my life for 39 years, and has been a wonderful role model for my husband and children. (My beloved looks so much like his dad and is very similar to him – and that’s a good thing.)

Now you know why I have not posted much lately. My energy and focus have been mostly elsewhere. I will get back to some sort of posting schedule as soon as I can.

Thank you for understanding.

Please check out the following information. We had known about asbestosis but had never heard of mesothelioma until my dad-in-law’s diagnosis. It is, and will be, affecting far more people than even, as yet, realize it exists – until it surfaces.

http://www.medicinenet.com/mesothelioma/article.htm

http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

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Illustrator contributes his talent for children with cancer!

Posted on October 30, 2014 | 2 comments

There’s always something, isn’t there? 🙂  I finally finished the book I was reading and was going to get a review ready when I discovered I’d lost my internet connection. Repairs were being done on the tower after something went wrong following the weekend’s stormy weather, I was told. When all was restored I didn’t get back to my computer at a decent time to prepare the review.

I am scheduling this post for Thursday morning. Since on that day I am going to be participating in a Dementia Strategy in the city (an hour away) I’m not staying up late tonight (Wednesday) to work on my review. I’m very tired, trying to stay ahead of depression and not doing very well at it, and making myself go to some things so I don’t crawl under a rock to hide. (I’d really rather hide.) Besides that, October 30 is my husband’s and my anniversary, so we are meeting after the strategy and his work day to go out to dinner somewhere before coming back home.

What I decided to do instead of working on a book review is share a post the wonderful Tara Lazar has on her blog. (She wants it shared; I don’t just copy other people’s posts.) Tara is the creator of PiBoIdMo which I’m happy to be participating in again –  with the hope it helps me keep going and thinking creative thoughts.

The post is about an illustrator who is contributing his talent to help children with cancer. Please go HERE to read about it. It’s really inspiring. There’s even opportunity for you to help if you are so moved.

While you’re on Tara’s blog, take a look at the PiBoIdMo page. Sign up if you want, there’s still time to get in on the fun if you’re reading this before November 8th. If you don’t want to register you can still benefit from the posts but you can’t participate in draws to win neat writers’ stuff or join the FaceBook group — if you’re on FB — which I’m not — so I miss out. (I seem to miss lots of stuff because of that. *sigh*)

As I was saying, check out Tara’s guest – Illustrator Steve Barr. You’ll be impressed, and you get a drawing lesson, too! 

Do you draw or want to learn? (I want to learn!)  Are you taking part in Picture Book Idea Month in November? (You are? Me too! 🙂 )

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

 

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Posted in Miscellanea, Preambles to Writing, Reviews & Interviews

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Reminder: book giveaway January 22, and news!!

Posted on January 21, 2013 | 9 comments

Hello everyone!  I have exciting reminders and news for you!

Picture_Cartoon_Character_with_a_String_Tied_around_Its_Finger_to_Help_Remember_in_an_Illustrated_Stock_Photo_111209-153839-316001REMINDER #1:

This is to remind you of the giveaway of one of Sue Harrison‘s books tomorrow. If you have left a comment, you have a chance to win!! If you have not left a comment HERE, what’s stopping you? You have until 6 PM EST, Tuesday, January 22 to do so. 

REMINDER #2:

If you are keeping note of my COUNTDOWN CLOCK, you will see there are only three days to go!  To go? Go where, you might ask?  

hint 1: On the morning of January 24 the first installment of an exciting monthly feature will be posted.

hint 2: It is a help for writers.  You won’t want to miss this!

hint 3: It is offered by an accomplished author.

This is a great time for you to sign up for email notifications of new posts on my blog. 

NEWS: 

If you have been following my blog, you will know that we have been under added stress with cancer diagnosis, surgery, recovery, and waiting for test results. Those results were received this morning — the lengthy pathology report summed up that my husband is cancer free! When I called and told him he laughed with relief. It is such a load off us with all else going on. I think when he walks in the door tonight I might cry with happiness. 🙂 What he doesn’t know until he gets home is that we are going out to celebrate tonight with our family (eight or nine of us) to dinner at Swiss Chalet. It feels like a new day.

I heard on the radio this morning that today, January 21, is known as Blue Monday. As my sister-in-law said: “Blue Monday debunked!!”  🙂  It also is known as International Hug day. I can assure you, my husband is going to be sufficiently hugged today, starting with me!  🙂 A big Thank you, to everyone who prayed.

Reminders: Leave a comment for your chance to win a book; sign up for email notifications to new posts on my blog; come back to find out what the special feature is all about.  Full details on that tomorrow when the winner of Sue Harrison’s book is announced.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

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A B C’s: Alzheimer’s, Blogging, Cancer?

Posted on December 12, 2012 | 19 comments

I have been missing in action again. Well, not really missing, but absent from blogging. It was not intentional. I just need sleep, I think.

Since NaNoWriMo ended I have been trying to do a little catch up on other things. This is my week home from caregiving (Alzheimer’s) and even though I have had some time, I’m finding it hard to accomplish much extra. My blogging has suffered (again!), and for that I apologize to you, my readers.  My stress level is climbing and I’m quite tired, but Christmas is coming and I have to get busy!

2160578-tired-santa-claus

The added stress is that recently my dear husband was diagnosed with level 2 melanoma, skin cancer. (I had to pause before typing out that hated word.) My husband told me he doesn’t care if I talk about it here; he says many people know anyway, and it is what it is and will likely become obvious. I am sharing this information in the hope that Believers will pray for him. He has had one minor surgery, and on December 18 he will be undergoing a more involved one. After that one and before doing reconstructive surgery the surgeon will be searching for lymph nodes in order to remove some for testing. This all will happen within six hours on the same day. Test results are to come back four weeks later.

That happens to be my week at Dad’s, so I am working out details to have someone there in my place while I am with my husband for two days. Once he is doing okay then I’m back to Dad’s for the rest of the week. Plus, it’s going to be crazy trying to get everything ready for Christmas during all this. We have been attempting to get our shopping completed in preparation, and I got my ‘away’ gifts all mailed yesterday.

A fun thing for me is that on Saturday I met a new author who is a bit of a celebrity. She signed her book for me and after I finish reading it I will be doing a review here .. after the others I have lined up.

** If I told you I would read and review your book, please send me a quick email and remind me. I must have misplaced my list (can’t imagine how!) and really have to get a better system together. I hope you understand it’s been difficult to get into reading and reviewing lately. There are some exciting books lined up for me to review, though, and a couple of giveaways are included. Please stay tuned! 🙂

I cannot end this post without saying that in the long line of people waiting for the signing of books on Saturday, three people behind me was none other than the lovely and talented author Laura Best! Remember my review of her book Bitter, Sweet and our interview? We had a chance to chat a little which was enjoyable for me, with comedy added since her husband was her “professional photographer” and quite a kidder.

I suppose most of this reads like a “woe is me” post. Admittedly, I’m feeling rather blue right now, but after a good sleep things should look a little better. Truly, I rely on the Lord although it may not seem like it right now. My human nature is to look at the situation and then have to remind myself to look to the One who knows all. One of my life verses is Romans 2:28: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

I hope you are not stressing, but if you find life to be overwhelming … look to the One who knows all. 🙂

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

 

 

 

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When Sorrow Weighs You Down (warning: deals with death)

Posted on February 3, 2012 | 18 comments

Warning: this is a sad post and deals with death. It is not the post I had in mind for today.

Please .. no more bad, sad news. Enough.

It seems every time someone calls with news this year it is sad.

Actually it started in November of last year when a wonderful friend, Linda, passed away quietly in her sleep. She was in a nursing home for the care needed because of her illnesses. She was only 60.

On the very first day of January this year, Cynthia, an elderly friend, passed away. She had Alzheimer’s, was in hospital after suffering a broken hip, and did not recover. Added to her husband’s pain, near the end of that month, their son James contracted Meningitis. All efforts failed to save him and he passed away in hospital.

News of two other deaths came this week. The husband of an acquaintance was found, having died suddenly, the cause yet to be determined. Then on February 1, the best friend of the boyfriend of one of my daughters came home and found his young wife had passed away unexpectedly due to a medical problem. He is left to raise their two small children.

All of those are so heart-wrenching, but what has personally hit me the hardest is the news I received this morning. Ruby, a long-time friend and my husband’s cousin, passed away this morning. She was a cancer survivor but the treatments seven years ago seriously damaged her heart so when more cancer was discovered in December there was nothing that could safely be done for her this time. She chose to not try it. Hardly out of her fifties, her spirit departed this life and her loved ones a few hours ago.

My heart is heavy. I have cried many tears, grief sweeps over me in waves. But even though I sorrow it is not without hope. I am reminded of the Scripture verse 1 Thessalonians 4:13 that says in part, “that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” I know for a fact that three I mentioned above knew the Lord Jesus, the others I cannot say for sure. But families and friends can find their comfort in the Lord, and will carry on – even with heavy hearts.

If you are a Believer I know your prayers would be appreciated for the spouses, families, and friends of the ones I mentioned – for comfort and strength. It’s a rough beginning to this year and a long road ahead.

If you yourself are facing difficulties .. be encouraged. There is One who knows and is ever-present and waiting to walk through them with you.

Life changes, brings circumstances that sometimes we wish we never had to face, but life still goes on. It is our choice what to do with the short time we have.

On the flip side there are exciting surprises and situations that come into our life path, things that make us dance or sing or jump up and down. And, I have found, that even when death comes .. for the one who has hope there is reason to rejoice.

Do you have any experiences that you would like to tell us of God’s comfort?

If you know of any books for children on this topic of death, mourning, grief, please let me know by leaving a comment. Thank you.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

 

 

 

 

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