Welcome to Nothing But Books
Today's Featured Author
Roni Teson
I first want to thank you for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to do this interview. Speaking of your busy schedule you are one of the authors in the best-selling book Women Who Soar.
Tell us a about yourself?
About me, Roni Teson, author of paranormal novel Heaven or Hell, which won a Readers’ Favorite award and a first time novelist award at the Los Angeles Book Festival—and then author of Readers’ Favorite and Dante Rosetti award winning YA novel Twist?
I should be dead.
Heading into my ninth year of survival from advanced stage cancer, and a few other challenges that have resulted in a life well lived, I’ve gained some insight through my experiences. And luckily, the better parts of me have found their way into the forefront of who I am today. Light hearted yet stubborn at times, dedicated, striving for knowledge, fun and happy to be alive—I’m on a constant search for joy.
My mission to appreciate every day, regardless of what challenges appear, just might have everything to do with my survival.
What’s the title of your chapter?
My Life Reboot
Tell us about your chapter?
Our lives don’t always take shape the way we want, but perhaps they emerge the way we need them to. I got knocked down more than a few times after the cancer diagnosis, but I bounced back and felt as though I was on the mend. Surely the actions I’d taken to rebuild my life would be enough. New place to live, new job, cancer in remission, broken heart still active, but I’d get over that, right? I had this!
Seriously, what else could I possibly lose? Home, pets, finances, career, relationship, all gone.
But I had more challenges ahead and with the worst timing ever, just as I started My Life Reboot. My chapter goes there—my memoir goes beyond.
What do you hope readers will learn/discover from reading your chapter?
Hope. Major life crises sometimes show us what we are made of.
What inspired you to participate in this anthology?
The title. It seemed to go with my memoir. And I really have a lot of respect for Paulette Harper. She worked with me on my book promotion for Twist.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently writing a memoir The Order of Things. It’s about survival and realizing your strength when your world falls apart. Not all marriages survive an intense major illness or crisis. I tried anything and everything to make my relationship work, including seeking help from a gypsy-woman who claimed to have unique powers. When things didn’t go the way I wanted them to, moving on seemed more difficult than fighting cancer. The order of Thingsis about more than just surviving—it’s about finding an extraordinary life.
What was the most difficult aspect of writing this chapter?
Staying on point, which is also the most difficult aspect about writing the memoir. Keeping a focus on the universal theme of survival and the discovery that the daily ups and downs are part of the rollercoaster ride we call life was hard.
Why do you write? Is it something you've always done, or always wanted to do? Or is it something that you started fairly recently?
My passion for writing came after I got diagnosed with stage IV cancer. The doctor refused to give me a prognosis. Facing a potential early death, I had a few things to accomplish before my life ended. Writing a novel had been a long time dream, with many starts and stops over the years. So I finally saw it through and penned my first novel. I loved every second of that process—the dreaded blank page, the critical edits, and the massive rewrites. Becoming a published author before I died was a big win for me. The entire experience ignited my desire to write, and I believe having that passion has helped keep me alive and well.
In three words describe your chapter?
Never Give Up
How can people connect with you?
roniteson@yahoo.com
3 comments:
It was a pleasure working with you again Roni
Congratulations Roni, Keep on Soaring!!
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