I'm publishing (tentatively scheduled for next Feb. or March) a memoir by Laurie Hoirup. Her condition was initially diagnosed when she was one year old, and has progressed over the years. But she has accomplished much (including having two children, teaching, completing bachelor's and master's degrees, and holding administrative positions). A literary agent instantly rejected her manuscript, saying, "We don't do misery memoirs." Pfah. Laurie is one of the least miserable people I have ever known. Hers (like yours, I suspect) is not a story of misery (despite challenges and hard times) but of accomplishment.Hi I'm new. This is is my first post outside of introducing myself. I'm writing my memoir, the story of having a debilitating childhood illness that started when I was 10 years old. . . .
I'm publishing (tentatively scheduled for next Feb. or March) a memoir by Laurie Hoirup. Her condition was initially diagnosed when she was one year old, and has progressed over the years. But she has accomplished much (including having two children, teaching, completing bachelor's and master's degrees, and holding administrative positions). A literary agent instantly rejected her manuscript, saying, "We don't do misery memoirs." Pfah. Laurie is one of the least miserable people I have ever known. Hers (like yours, I suspect) is not a story of misery (despite challenges and hard times) but of accomplishment.
Good luck with your memoir. You might find Laurie's book, I Can Dance: My Life with a Disability, of interest when it becomes available.
--Ken
Wayne, you might find the gentleman behind this site of considerable interest (and the site itself, of course). He is also a member of AW's forums, and that is how I met him.I became a product of the care system when i was 14. By 15 i was in the Criminal Justice System. . . .
Update: I Can Dance: My Life with a Disability, by Laurie Hoirup, is scheduled for March 14, 2012 publication, but it has leaked out already and Amazon is shipping. BarnesAndNoble.com is taking pre-orders, but I would not bet they will fill the pre-orders. (I have prior experience with them that leaves me skeptical on that specific point.) See www.laurieslegacy.com for more information. (BTW, the book is very frank, and for age 18 and up only.). . . P.S. Although the publishing agreement is not yet signed, I expect to publish a memoir by a woman who tells of her life with serious physical disability, progressive since birth. She is now in her fifties, with a bachelor's, master's, and years of employment, including as a state department director. It is an intimate, detailed, and revealing book that will open eyes. I've done a lot of preliminary work on the manuscript and design; we have just not gotten around to a signed agreement yet. Not MY memoir, but maybe of related interest here.