Be Brave
Carolyn Gundrum
Gundrum Publishing Co LLC (2023)
ISBN: 979-8987526002
Carolyn Gundrum is a certified Library/Media Specialist and Art Teacher. She grew up in Kelowna, B.C. Canada and has lived in Michigan, Indiana, Nevada, and Oklahoma. In 2021, while renovating her little house, she felt like she had the flu. It turned out to be Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and her life changed. She understands what cancer patients go through and now is a survivor.
Carolyn, Welcome to Reader Views! Could you start by telling us what Be Brave: ABCs of Inspiration for Cancer Patients from Winnie-the-Pooh & Friends is about and what readers can expect to find within its pages?
Inspiration! This darling book gives inspirational quotes from A.A.Milne’s Winnie the Pooh along with illustrations adapted from E. H. Shepard. There is a journal at the end of the book for readers to write their own thoughts.
Would you mind sharing a bit about your own journey with cancer? How has this experience influenced your outlook on life and your work?
I just felt that there was something not right. I wasn’t “sick,” but I wasn’t my usual bubbly self. I had a terrible case of the flu in September 2022, so I thought that was the reason I was lagging. In October I was listless. When my sister came over to see how I was doing, she called 911.
Apparently, my head was twice as large as it was supposed to be!
I was admitted to ICU and my sister called my son in New York to come visit me. He stayed for a whole month to help nurse me back to health.
What inspired you to write Be Brave and choose Winnie-the-Pooh as a companion for those navigating the cancer journey? Was there a particular moment or realization that sparked the idea for this book?
When I was getting the chemo infusions, I could hear other cancer patients talking. Being a professional eavesdropper 🙂 I could hear many saying they wished they had something to cuddle or lightly read. One woman said she wanted her squishy. These are adults just wanting comfort.
Winnie is known worldwide for being a sweet character.
What made you choose Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends as the central figures to deliver inspiration and comfort to those affected by cancer?
Winnie is non-judgmental, comforting, and full of great sayings. They are also sweet to look at.
With so many memorable quotes from Winnie-the-Pooh, how did you decide which ones to include in your book? Was there a particular criterion that a quote had to meet?
I read the whole series over and over looking for the right quotes and to match up with what I planned to draw. Many of the books still have little post-it tabs in them.
Do any of the quotes you included hold a special significance to your own experience with cancer? Could you share one and its impact on your journey?
All of them do.
M is for Morning. I couldn’t eat anything anytime, especially in the morning and I lost a lot of weight. I’m normally slim but I got skinny! Thankfully I could eat soft fruit and the chocolate chip cookies that my neighbor Fred Bucklin brought over!
F is for Friendship. When I lost all my hair, many of the neighbors didn’t either recognize me or didn’t know how to approach me. I made the first step and when they knew who I was, they started conversing with me.
What were some of the hurdles you faced during the writing process, and how did you overcome them?
Since it is a book organized alphabetically, I really had to search for the quotes to match the letter. There were many to choose from and I had to really think about how they connected to what I wanted to say.
Since the publication of your book, what kind of feedback have you received from readers, particularly from those undergoing their own battle with cancer?
All positive and touching. All the reviews are 5-star and personally, readers have said I should write another for other things: Be Kind or Be Brave when someone dies.
From your perspective, how significant is maintaining a positive outlook in the face of such adversity?
It’s everything. I’ve always had a positive attitude and being sick proved no different.
There was only one time in the middle of the night when I just wanted to die. I was all alone (my husband died in 2020) and I was too sick to get out of bed very fast to get to the bathroom. I was so angry at myself because I was all alone, but did I reach out to anyone? Not in the middle of the night. Had a good cry that night, but I got over it.
My neighbors were fantastic. While I was in the hospital, my sister organized a few neighbors to clean my house, do all my laundry, and take care of my dog.
Based on your experiences and the insights from your book, what advice would you give to someone currently battling cancer or to those who have survived it?
It’s a journey. One of my best friends from my hometown just died from Cancer. While we were both ill, we would Facetime or call or text one another. It helped that we understood this journey.
How has your background in teaching children to read globally influenced your approach to writing and communicating complex emotions in a manner that’s accessible to both children and adults?
I think there is a little child in all of us. Of course, we read things differently as adults, but we can still relate to being sick! Sometimes I want my mum because she was such a wonderful nurse and caregiver.
Could you explain the thought process behind including a journal section at the end of the book and how you envision readers using it? How did you decide on this interactive aspect, and what do you hope it brings to your readers?
I wanted to make the book interactive. Yes, you can write in a separate journal or calendar or paper but having it right with the book is handy! I would hope they either write or draw in it.
Who or what are your biggest inspirations when it comes to writing, especially in the realm of books that offer comfort and inspiration?
Inspirations come from everywhere. My mum who lived to be 96 and loved to laugh. She was a nurse and took great care of me. My dad, who died of cancer at the age of 59. He was a wise man. Wise men and women who have “common sense.”
Why do you think Pooh and his friends resonate so well with people of all ages, especially those facing serious health challenges?
Pooh and his friends get into predicaments where another character or characters help them out.
Having successfully combined your personal experiences with literary characters to inspire others, do you have plans for more books? If so, can you share any details about your future projects?
I wrote another book about helping kids to read. It will be available in an e-book format. No illustrations this time, but I often think about writing another book like Be Brave.
For those inspired by your journey and looking to write their own stories, especially on tough topics like illness or recovery, what advice would you offer them?
Stay positive. Go for a walk outside. Get out of your head that you are weak. As Christopher Robin says: “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.”
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about your book, your journey, or your future plans that we haven’t covered in this interview?
I’m back to painting. I always liked to paint abstract art and that is what I am doing! 🙂
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR!
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/.Carolyn_I_Gundrum
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-gundrum-10949a96/
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