Cancer Stinks
It has been quite awhile since I added to my blog, and it wasn’t because I was being lazy, or having more fun writing fantasy (although I’ve employed both excuses in the past.) No, my excuse this time is because a test I requested early in 2025 showed a worrisome spot on my lungs. A spot that turned out, (multiple visits for medical tests, biopsy and more CT scans later,) to be cancerous. Found because I refused (thank the gods I’m such a belligerent human being!) to take a cholesterol lowering drug without first checking the status of my blood vessels (which turned out to be in fine shape for my age.)
Adenocarcinoma of the lung (like the spot I had) is the most common, and is usually associated (but not always) with smoking. I have never smoked (Nasty, hideously expensive habit! Like taking out a kill contract on yourself.) August started with major surgery to remove about a quarter of my lung capacity, (an experience I hope never to repeat) followed by four chemotherapy sessions, which is how I finished up the remainder of 2025.
Chemo is no joke. It takes over your life, kicks your derriere and lays you out flat. The recovery after each session becomes increasingly challenging. I was recently told that full recovery will take 6 months to a year. Plus the follow-up drug I’m now on, and will remain on for three years, costs the price of an average new car in 1995… Every. Single. Month. Yay me. Fortunately, there are laws in place to keep this from bankrupting my husband and me.
But enough whinging! I am ALIVE and recovering, and once again hard at work on the fourth (and most likely the final) book in Raven and Kellas’ heroes journey. (Don’t worry, I have plans for more books!) Book Four (as yet unnamed) answers all the questions raised in the books that came before, and you will learn more about what motivated so many in Raven’s inner circle of friends. AND, because it’s fascinating to see what going on in Kellas’ brain, half the chapters will be from the Cait Sidhe’s perspective.
I have no set plan as to when it will hit the bookstores, other than I’d like for it to be out by Samhain, which is the same day as Halloween for you standard Americans. But I am not putting undue pressure on myself, because, well, I’m still in recovery, and I have a really motivating vacation planned for this year. No longer putting off exploring Ireland! A lifelong dream of mine. There will be Insta and FB posts for sure.
For a special ‘you ain’t gonna die, Annie’ motivation, I bought myself a horse. A kind little Morgan gelding who I hope will carry me and my much loved grandkids all over the USA. More to come later on handsome Rian (Ree Ahn… means Little King, pictured above) You guessed it, it’s an Irish name.