Book: My Race For Life
Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
My name is Alison Delgado. I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and now live in Park City, Utah. I have been a runner since I was 12 years old and I work full time as a primary care pediatrician. My family has a love for the outdoors and we enjoy going on off road trips through the many parks in our state.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘My Race For Life’ book?
This book is about an injury that I survived back in the fall of 2010. It was an injury that I was not supposed to survive. In writing this book I had to go back and get details regarding moments that were very scary and painful for myself, friends and family. I spent some time on the phone with others in tears as they described and re-lived those times. It was hard to do this but I knew I needed to hear from them so that I could do my best to make sure those emotions were felt in my writing. The process again made me so grateful that I was surrounded by people who were always by my side, always cheering me on.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
I don’t know if there are any particular books or authors that influenced my writing but I have read many excellent books and the best always left me wanting to keep reading. I tried to end each chapter in such a way that the reader would hopefully want to keep reading. I have also read many memoirs in which I felt the writer added a lot of “fluff”, details that were not really necessary for the story, so I tried to be concise with my writing and I tried to ensure that everything I wrote was pertinent.
Q4. What’s your favorite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
That is tough because I have been to a lot of fun places but I feel my favorite thing is to go camping. We have camped in places like Moab, Escalante, Ouray… all places with beautiful scenery and trails. I feel camping is my favorite thing because that is where I can actually sit down and relax. In any other place I often find myself finding other tasks to do and not truly relaxing.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘My Race For Life’ book?
It took me a little over a year to write the book. I could really only write in the evenings after my son had gone to sleep and when my spouse was working, and I also had to make sure I was in a good mind space to write. I had an outline of how I wanted each chapter to unfold and I wanted to be sure I wrote the details adequately. One of the reasons it took me so long to start the process of writing the book was my fear that I would not write with enough details. One of the biggest deficits I had to overcome from my accident was a speech deficit, so I had a fear that this would hamper my writing but I knew it would be more powerful if it was in my own words. I wanted to give my story justice so I took my time to make sure everything was right.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘My Race For Life’ book to buy?
My book can be purchased through my website http://www.myraceforlife.com, through my publisher’s site http://www.cincybooks.com or through Amazon. It is available by paperbook or kindle. I also have sites on Facebook and Instagram – My Race for Life. I will admit I am not the best with social media but I can be reached through those platforms or through my email: raceforlife1016@gmail.com.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘My Race For Life’?
Well, I wanted to find a picture that went well with the title. That photo is actually a picture of me in the last several miles of the Flying Pig Marathon in the spring of 2012. This was my big comeback race after my accident in the fall of 2010, so it was a good fit!
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
As I mentioned in a previous question, I really wanted to make sure all of the appropriate details were in the book so that my readers could really feel what we all were going through. I spoke with several people who cared for me, I read through my mother’s journal and jotted down some notes before writing each chapter to be sure that I would include everything pertinent. I tried to write in such a way so that all of the emotions got through. I wanted people to feel as though they were there.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
I would say that the book definitely covers my accident and recovery but it also goes through some of the demons I battled during my teenage and college years. I hope that my story also shows how my accident helped me to overcome those worries I had in the past. Life was different. The things that seemed important before weren’t so important. I am lucky to be here. I was given a second chance and I am grateful for each day I have to go to work and do all of the little things that were taken for granted previously. I want people to know that you are worth much more than you often give yourself credit for. Each day is a blessing.
Book Is Available On Amazon
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