I'm about to finish my sequel to my cancer survival story called "Crossing the Chemo Room." The sequel is titled "I Saw You in the Moon." It covers the last 6 1/2 years of my life since I finished chemo and ended "Crossing the Chemo Room." I finish stories I started in "Chemo," such as what happened to Lori my friend from The Chemo Room. I introduce other cancer patients and their stories. I tell about my children growing, the joy and challenges of giving up teaching college English to homeschool them, and the adventure of us all moving to the mountains.
I delve into the world of post-chemotherapy recovery and the long-term effects such strong drugs have on a person, such as nerve damage in my feet with pain (neuropathy), sleeplessness, and post-traumatic stress disorder. I also tell about having 5 miscarriages after chemo, even though my doctor assured me that such things shouldn't happen!
All in all, I survived and now figure skate and hike with my husband Edd, daughter Jessica (10), and son Jonathan, now 8, who was only a baby when I got a rare form of cancer that sent me to surgery, CAT-scans, and The Chemo Room.
In "I Saw You in the Moon" I also discuss my love of fantasy writing. My first fantasy novel, "Selah of the Summit," was published in 2002. It is a lyrical tale set in the beautiful mountains--about a slave girl who escapes the hot valley and journeys to freedom on the Summit (sort of a Christian alternative to "Harry Potter"). My children love "Selah" and want me to turn it into a trilogy. In "I Saw You in the Moon," I compare my own journey to Selah's.
I also discuss some of my favorite literature and films, such as the recent "The Lord of the Rings" film trilogy by Peter Jackson. (My son Jonathan looks just like a Little Frodo). I end the book with a journey off to New Zealand on the Trail of the Ring and our own family adventure.
You can currently read the first 5 chapters of "I Saw You in the Moon" for free (with photos) on my website at http://www.lonnawilliams.com
