Jim Cangany Celebrates!

I’m so excited to be here at Word Wranglers, today. October 13 is a special day in my life. It’s my wife Nancy’s birthday. Cue the confetti and balloons! While her birthday is important every year, this year it takes on an even greater significance.
First off, today marks Nancy’s fifth birthday since she was diagnosed with breast cancer. I won’t lie. Those days in 2009 when she was going through first chemotherapy, then mastectomy and finally radiation were frightening and stress-filled.
But Nancy won her battle with cancer. We joke that before she was diagnosed, we both had gotten to the age that we dreaded another birthday because that meant we were getting old. You know, that syndrome which includes creaky joints and gray hair (at least for one of us, I think you can tell from the current photo who). Now we know better and we will gladly take all the birthdays we can get, because until medicine really does find a way to reverse the aging process, getting older definitely beats the alternative.
The other reason this birthday is so special is because it comes mere days before the release of WISH UPON A STAR, book three in my North Star Trilogy. My books are like my kids in that I love them all. WISH tugs on my heart strings a little more forcefully though, because it is a fictionalized account of what Nancy and I went through during her cancer treatment.
You see, for a long time, I asked myself what I could do to make something good out of my experiences as
Nancy’s primary caregiver. I wasn’t content with simply being thankful and grateful that she won her battle with cancer and returning to my old pre-cancer life. I wanted, no had, to do something more than that in the hope that other caregivers out there might not have to go through the feelings of isolation and loneliness that I suffered through.

It took months of flailing around looking for a direction, but, like a life preserver to a drowning man, I got the idea to write about my experiences. It took me two books to get brave enough to face those demons, but I face them I did in WISH. My hope for the book is twofold. First, I hope that readers enjoy what I believe is a really good love story. Second, I hope that somewhere out there, a caregiver who is fighting the good fight , but is feeling lonely or afraid, may read WISH and remember that she (or he-real men read romance, after all) is not alone, and draw strength from that.
So, please join me in wishing Nancy Cangany—wife, mother, cancer survivor and the inspiration for WISH UPON A STAR—a happy birthday! And MANY more!
If you’d like to check out WISH UPON A STAR, it comes out this Friday, October 17. I'm donating a portion of the royalty from the sale of each copy of WISH through the end of October to the Avon Foundation for Women’s Breast Cancer Crusade. You can pre-order it at the following links:

Before I go, I want to say thanks so much to the wonderful ladies of Word Wranglers for letting me drop by today. And remember, cancer survivors rock! Until next time, wishing you sunny skies and miles of smiles!

Comments

  1. Jim, you and Nancy are fortunate to have each other and to get to the 5-year mile marker! I'm a 19-year cancer survivor--truly, the best is yet to come. Can't wait to read WISH! Congratulations to both of you--enjoy!

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    1. Thanks so much, Judith and congrats on 19 years! Cheers!

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  2. We're so glad to have you with us, Jim, and so happy for you and Nancy. Good luck with WISH.

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    1. Thanks again for having me, Liz. Appreciate it!

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  3. Congrats on making it to book three and yet another birthday!

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  4. Happy Birthday to Nancy and wishes for many more! Congratulations on the upcoming release, TD! :D

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  5. Thanks so much, Mellanie! It's truly a day and week to celebrate!

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  6. Hi, Jim! Thanks for being her today - your story (and your wife's story) are inspiring... Good luck with your book!!

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    1. Thanks a million Kristina! Nancy is without a doubt very special, and thanks for your kind words about Wish Upon a Star!

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