The Shroud Underground

Phil Kuhlman · Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 5:41 pm Post subject: Writing against Cancer

Hey hey everyone. A friend of mine named Nate Kenyon has recently gotten his first novel published in a mass market form. Before this it had actually been nominated for a Bram Stoker award, but that's not the point of this bulletin. This is a message he sent me yesterday and has asked me to send it along. If you have time I really hope you'll check this out, he's basically donating all the proceeds of his paperback release to cancer research.

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Hey Phil, I'm thinking of doing something and I'd like your opinion, since you're going through this fight yourself. I've drafted a letter I'm thinking about circulating that explains why I've decided to donate all my royalties from Bloodstone to the American Cancer Society. Will you read this below and tell me if it comes across in the right way? This is important to me, but I want it to really have an impact, otherwise it's not worth sending out. I want it to gain some traction, hit people hard, make them sit up and take notice. At the same time, I don't want it to come across as whiny, or patronizing, or ineffective.

Thanks.

April 29, 2008

As I sit here waiting for the biopsy results on a particularly scary mole removed from my arm, I write to ask for your help. Not for me, but for millions of people in the fight of their lives. It’s time to step up and make a difference.

A few of you may know about a double tragedy I suffered during my childhood, but most do not. When I was eight years old, my mother was diagnosed with an advanced stage of ovarian cancer. A short time later, my father was killed in a freak automobile accident, leaving my mother alone to care for two young children and battle a terrifying disease, with no hope for a cure.

My mother never let anything destroy her remarkable spirit. When I was only 4, she and my father left a comfortable life in Seattle and drove to Maine with nothing but a Volkswagen full of their personal belongings. My father set up shop as a small-town lawyer while my mother, a former teacher, learned to build passive solar houses. Then she built our home, from the ground up, with her own two hands.

I tell you this to illustrate her incredible strength and determination. She lived another five years after my father's death, four years longer than her doctors predicted, astonishing everyone. But even she could not beat this disease forever, and when I was thirteen, she passed away peacefully with her family at her side.

I cannot express how devastating this was to me. It has taken me many years to begin to face those days from an adult's perspective. The simple fact is, an experience like this damages a child in ways that are permanent and life-changing.

My mother loved the arts, and always encouraged me to draw and write as much as possible. Her enthusiasm and support made me want to become a writer, which brings me to where I stand today. Bloodstone, my first published novel, was released this week in paperback by Leisure Books. It is (I hope) a fun, scary read full of ghosts and demons and possession and old, long-buried family secrets. But there are also many references to cancer in the novel. I didn't do this intentionally, but it crept in from my subconscious all the same. I guess it was also an exorcism of sorts for me.

Millions of families have been devastated by cancer. Many children are left alone to cope with overwhelming feelings of anger, sadness and guilt when their parents pass away, as I was. Many children are, themselves, suffering from the disease.

I want to make a difference in these children's lives. With this in mind, I have decided to donate the profits I earn from Bloodstone—every penny—to the American Cancer Society, in my mother Pamela Kenyon's name.

But that's nowhere near enough. Which brings me to you. I'm asking you to do something, right now, today, to join me in this fight.

Go to the American Cancer Society online at www. cancer. org, or use this direct link:

https://www. cancer. org/docroot/DON/DON_1_Donate_Online_Now. asp?from=hpglobal

and make an online donation to ACS. Small or large, it doesn't matter. Just don't wait: go RIGHT NOW. It will only take a moment, but if we work together, a few minutes and a few dollars will make all the difference in the world to so many people.

Maybe one of your own loved ones. Maybe even you.

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Since I wrote the first part of this story, I received the results of my biopsy. They were negative. I was lucky, but I can't help thinking of many others right now who are receiving far more frightening results. It's easy to forget that none of us are alone in this world, and that we are all part of something much larger than ourselves. We need to work together to fight such a powerful enemy. Please forward this on to everyone on your list, share it with family and friends. Encourage them to give. By working together, we can finally wipe cancer off the map forever.

Sincerely,
Nate Kenyon

www. natekenyon. com
nate@natekenyon.com

Don’t forget to donate today—and drop me an email at nate@natekenyon.com to tell me your story! If you like, I’ll post it on my site for others to read.

https://www. cancer. org/docroot/DON/DON_1_Donate_Online_Now. asp?from=hpglobal

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There it is folks, the guy is going to donate all the profits from his first major paperback release to fight Cancer. So for any fans of horror, I ask you to try to find a copy, it's a very good read. And you'll be helping the cause. And if you don't feel like buying the book, just go check out some cancer websites, or at the very least if you know someone who's fighting cancer, see what you can do to help them out. The best thing you can do for someone who's dealing with cancer is to just offer a hand in any way you can.

Thanks everyone,
Phil

**shroud** · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 1:07 am Post subject:

Ironically I am reading Bloodstone right now. One of Nate's stories s in Issue two which is on its way back from the printer.

I'd love to print this letter in Issue 3 of Shroud. Thanks for bringing it to our attention Phil. It is a wonderful gesture. I will shoot Nate an email.

Tim
_________________
Tim Deal
Editor & Publisher
Shroud Magazine
The Journal of Dark Fiction and Art
http://www.shroudmagazine.com
http://www.myspace.com/shroudmag
1-800-796-3759

Sheldon S. Higdon · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 1:38 am Post subject:

What Nate is doing is beyond words. And I will definitely go and pick up Bloodstone. I've never loss anyone to the dreaded 'C' word but as a kid I did lose an Aunt to Lupus. And someday these diseases will be wiped clean.
_________________
Soon All Your Fears Will Come True!
www.myspace.com/sheldonhigdon

Phil Kuhlman · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 2:25 am Post subject:

It's great hearing the response this thing is getting. I just got my 6 month bodyscans done yesterday checking up to make sure the cancer I had is fully in remission, and the best thing you can do for someone with cancer is to just reach out, and I think that this is the kind of thing that will make a lot of people feel just that way.

In fact, a big reason I started writing "fulltime" was due to my cancer. It managed to destroy 5 of my high spine vertebrae, and that kinda damage does limit one's job prospects, but I'm glad to see that the writing community is willing to help where it can.

kenyonn2000 · Initiate Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 5

Phil, thanks for posting this, Tim, thanks for your wonderful offer to publish it in Shroud, and thanks to everyone for taking the time to read my message. I hope you all will take just a few moments and visit ACS online to give even a few dollars. Alone, it's not much, but together, we can really make a difference for people diagnosed with cancer and their families.

**shroud** · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 10:57 am Post subject:

Phil Kuhlman · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 4:46 pm Post subject:

It's getting better lately. The chemo changed my hair color and texture which is odd, but it's not the worst that could have happened. The surgery was performed by the same doctor who did the spine rebuilds on Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, and Steve Austin so I was in good hands. It took nine hours to get all of the tumor out of the vertebrae and rebuild the 5 that were damaged, two had to be replaced all together from dealing with it for a full year before the doctors decided to listen to me about my injury.

3 HOSPITAL VISITS over the course of a year before they decided to do an mri. of course they had to do one by then, as I was paralyzed that day Laughing

But I'm not paralyzed anymore, and the chemo killed the tumor pretty fast. Though they told me it was a ewing sarcoma and most metastatic cases have a lifespan of less than 10 years, they tell me that at my age it shouldn't pop back up, and though I can't do a lot of the stuff I used to be able to (I'm just now able to walk with a cane and the surgery was a full year ago now) I'm able to act again, and I can still write, so I'm in good spirits, and now I know that I can be a positive example to other people dealing with the same kinda problems. Thanks for your support on this, everyone!

John P. Wilson · Disciple Joined: 19 Mar 2008 Posts: 44

I'm glad to hear things are going better Phil and that the tumor isn't going to come back. I can't even imagine what you've been going through. I'm going to pick up a copy of the novel this weekend.
_________________
"You feel lucky? Well, do you, punk?"

kenyonn2000 · Initiate Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 5

Phil, you're an inspiration...the way you've dealt with this is amazing. Keep up the fight, and keep writing!

Phil Kuhlman · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 1:27 am Post subject:

I'm just glad something good has come from my run in with the cancer bug. And duly glad that I'm not doing chemo anymore, nothing ruins your ability to write like dealing with chemo-brain.

Nathaniel Lambert · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 12:49 pm Post subject:

What a selfless act. I willd definately buy his book.

**shroud** · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 12:52 pm Post subject:

Shroud would like to back Nate Kenyon's efforts with a full-on campaign. Shroud will offer advertising space in Issue 3 for this endeavor. In addition, Sheldon. Higdon has suggested that Shroud publish an anthology to benefit the America Cancer Society as well. I will announce the details under the BOOKS section. Feel free to repost on the HWA and NEHW boards.
_________________
Tim Deal
Editor & Publisher
Shroud Magazine
The Journal of Dark Fiction and Art
http://www.shroudmagazine.com
http://www.myspace.com/shroudmag
1-800-796-3759