Friday, March 28, 2014

Brooklyn Rocks! My Big Apple literary debut

Woke up at 4 a.m. thinking about my signing last night at Powerhouse on Eighth books in Park Slope.

About 35 people showed up, filling the small space to capacity. So many friends, people I haven't seen in years, in some cases decades. From Brooklyn, Manhattan, Long Island, New Jersey, and as far away as Philadelphia. 

My voice is weak and there wasn't a microphone but none of that seemed an issue as I read an excerpt from my novel and answered really good questions. What can I say? The bookstore sold out its stock and then sold some of my personal stash. 

But one of the most touching moments for me was meeting Michelle, a fellow survivor of
 Medullary Thyroid Cancer, who's from Texas but happened to be in the area and came with her husband Sam. I'd never met her before and here I was able to share my comedy about cancer with her. She's a five-year survivor and going on strong.


Also reunited with fellow Park Slopians I hadn't seen in more than a decade. Lots of former Associated Press colleagues, and Binghamton alumni. Not to mention my family from Long Island.  

So last night was a homecoming and a literary debut I'll never forget. Thanks to more people than I can reasonably mention here. Here's some photos taken by friends, including my faithful matey, Douglas Boettner.

David Kalish is author of the new comedic novel, The Opposite of Everything, finalist in the Somerset Fiction Awards, which can be purchased on Amazon or at bookstores. For more information, click here.  

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Giving Something Back to the Cancer Group that Helped Me

The Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, ThyCa, has helped me through some rough times during my long struggle with Medullary Thyroid Cancer, and now I'd like to give something back. As I kick off my book tour this week, starting tomorrow night at Northshire in Saratoga, I've decided to donate one-half of proceeds from my book to THYCA during special times such as Head and Neck Cancer awareness week (in April), Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month (September), and the week of ThyCa’s annual conference in October. I will keep you updated on details. Thank you to Cherry Wunderlich at ThyCa for helping me arrange my donation.

After several operations, chemotherapy, and experimental treatment, I'm grateful to the group that's provided me with a community of survivors and helped me research and find an effective treatment. THYCA has been in the back of my mind as I've written my novel, The Opposite of Everything, a comic twist on my journey through cancer, divorce, treatment, and renewal. Here's my Amazon link, and my Web site.

I can't wait to see my THYCA friends at the annual conference in Denver in October, where I'll be presenting alongside Bill McClain on the subject of Art as Therapy.