Welcome to The Wormhole.
It is my pleasure to feature a guest author:
Maimah Karmo.
On February 28, 2006, at 4:45 p.m.,
Maimah Karmo was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer.
She was 32 years old.
She had a 3-year-old at the time, and a fiancé, who wound up
leaving her weeks before the wedding.
While undergoing chemotherapy, she made a promise to God that if she
survived, she would create an organization that would educate, empower,
advocate for and support young women affected by breast cancer. After the
second round of chemotherapy, Tigerlily Foundation was born, and
since then, has sought to provide programs to young women of diverse
backgrounds, including those at heightened risk and those with less access to
care and to improve the quality of life for young adult breast cancer survivors
by creating vigilant self-advocates.
Since starting Tigerlily, Maimah has dedicated her life to
helping young women around the world. A sought-after speaker, she has appeared
in numerous national print outlets, including O, the Oprah Magazine, Essence, Ladies' Home Journal, Cosmopolitan,
Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, and Redbook. She
has also been featured on national television, including "The
Oprah
Winfrey Show," "Good Morning America," FOX, ABC, and CBS.
In 2009, Maimah was awarded a L’Oreal Paris’ Woman of Worth
award for her achievements in making a difference in the lives of others, and
in 2011, received the Congressional Black Caucus Leadership in Advocacy Award
for her work with young women and breast cancer. Later that year, Maimah was
appointed to the Federal Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer in Young Women,
established by the Affordable Care Act in an effort to increase knowledge of
breast health and breast cancer, particularly among women under 40 and those at
heightened risk for the disease.
While
breast cancer was an unwelcome experience, Maimah would not give back the
experience: “I’ve lived more in the past four years than I did the years
before," says Maimah. "I'm dedicated to changing the breast cancer
landscape and creating a legacy of a world free of breast cancer."
Maimah
shares her inspiring story in her upcoming memoir, Fearless: Awakening to My Life's
Purpose Through Breast Cancer (Brown Books, October 2012), which she
was prompted to write by Oprah Winfrey herself during an appearance on her show
in May, 2009. In
it, she shares her struggle and the importance of breast cancer advocacy.
Born
in Liberia, Maimah fled to the United States as a refugee with her family at
the age of 16. Today,, she resides with her daughter near Washington, D.C., in
Reston. Virginia. Learn more at MaimahKarmo.com.
She has joined us today for an interview:
She has joined us today for an interview:
? When did you
first realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I was a child. I loved to read and I had so much to say. I
would write poems and short stories all the time.
? How many jobs
did you have before you became a writer?
OMG. How many jobs did I not have? I have done everything from
working in retail to being an administrative assistant, doing various
consulting jobs, doing Government contracting, writing resumes, you name it!
? How long does
it take you to write a book?
I believe it is different for each writer. My book began as my journal 6 years ago, but
I stopped writing to focus on building my non-profit organization, Tigerlily
Foundation, whose mission is to educate, advocate for, empower and support
young women – before, during and after breast cancer.
? What would you
say is your most interesting writing quirk?
I always have a song in my head, so all of my writing is infused
with music or poetry of some kind.
? Do you have a
routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write?
I would say that I need to just get “that feeling”. Sometimes, I
am unable to write for months and then there is that time when I’m just ready
and I can just start writing and hammer out chapter after chapter and just get
it done.
? Where do you
write and how do you write ~ on paper, typewriter or computer?
I write on computer. I take a lot of notes on paper, though and
I’m always having thoughts as I’m in the car or doing something and I’ll make
notes on sticky paper, or on my phone, then sit down, sort them out and get it
all done.
? Where do you
get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?
My book is non-fiction, so it is based on my personal story.
? How do you
decide what you want to write about?
Right now, it felt like it was time to share my journey, about
coming to America as a refugee, losing everything, building my life, getting
breast cancer, watching it all fall apart, then finding my true passion. My next books will be non-fiction as well,
but I’d like to highlight some of the challenges women faced and share other
stories of inspiration and hope.
? Where does a
book start for you ~ characters, plot, ending?
For
me, it starts with the plot – even with my own personal story, I had to
consider what I would share and how I would share it; then who were the
important people in my life that had been a part of my journey, who I want to
highlight. The ending for me was the hardest part, but I did not pressure
myself, I felt that I had to let it arrive on its own – organically and it did.
? What books
have most influenced your life?
The diary of Anne Frank, Annie Proulx, Wayne Dyer, Neale Donald
Walsh, and Don Miguel Ruiz.
? What is the
first book you remember reading by yourself?
My parents used to order us Childcraft books. They came in sets
and would teach everything from geography to what people wore in other
cultures. I loved them!
? What are you
reading right now?
LOL! Well, I am reading four books at a time. Three of my good friends, Mali Phonpadith,
Misti Burmeister and KK Anadu, all published books this year, so I’m reading
them as well as a book on gratitude.
? What do you
like to do when you are not writing?
I love to enjoy my life. I have a full life with events,
friends, my daughter, my work and so many people I love. I’m never bored!
? What is your
favorite comfort food? Oreos or Cheetos!
? What do you
think makes a good story? Having rich characters with depth to them, is very
important.
? Who would you
consider your favorite author and why?
I don’t know that I have a favorite author per se, but I would
say that The Diary of Anne Frank had a huge impact on me, because, as a
refugee, I identified with losing the things that were “important”, but being
able to find joy in where I was and create adventure in a time and place where
I was still finding myself.
? What book, if
any, do you read over and over again? That’s a tough question. There are so many books that make up the
mosaic of my life. I would say books by the authors I listed above.
? Are you a
“plotter” or a “pantser”? If pantser
means, by the seat of my pants, then I’m that! J
Fun random questions:
·
dogs or cats? Neither.
·
Coffee or tea? Tea.
·
Dark or milk chocolate? Dark.
·
Rocks or flowers? Flowers.
·
Night or day? Both – I know, I’m cheating!
·
Favorite color? Brown/beige/red… I know, I’m making up my own
rules again!
·
Crayons or markers? Markers.
·
Pens or pencils? Pens.
To receive a review copy or to set up an interview, contact Megan
Renart:
meganr@prbythebook.com or 512-501-4399
x709.
