Stories about cancer diagnosis, treatments and aftercare unlike any other
Combines two acclaimed volumes: ‘Might Make You Smile’ and ‘Good for a Grin’
Published March 14th 2024 by Matthew James Publishing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Matthew James Publishing is proud to announce that two acclaimed collections of short stories about cancer, curated by author Brenda Burling, are set to be re-released as a new single volume. ‘Cancer Quips’ by Brenda Burling recounts the honest, and often hilarious, real-life stories of men and women who have experienced cancer in an easy-to-read collection. The book is set to be released on March 14th 2024.
‘Cancer Quips’ reworks many of the brilliant and inspiring stories that were originally released in ‘Might Make You Smile’ (2017) and ‘Good for a Grin’ (2018) — two books that have been praised for normalising cancer and providing comfort, both to those on their cancer journey and their families.
Highlights of the book include: how a misfired foam dart became a disaster for breast reconstruction, a couple taking a democratic approach to choosing treatment, the trouble with drawing your eyebrows on in the dark, and how a few beers with your mates can be just what you need (even if they are taking the mickey).
“I had no idea how the concept would work other than a gut instinct and the desire to make anyone affected by cancer feel connected through sharing the experiences of others.” – Brenda Burling
From the Back of the Book:
CANCER SUCKS! but we’ve got to talk about it…
Cancer isn’t an easy thing to talk about: Nobody knows what you’re going through, how you’re really feeling, or even what to say. It can be an exhausting, isolating, experience – especially when all you want is a brew and a chat.
‘Cancer Quips’ is a book born out of positivity and connections with other people. When author Brenda Burling began gathering stories for her work, she realised the love, community, and power that came from men and women opening up about their cancer journeys.
October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and both Brenda Burling and the team at Matthew James Publishing are proud to have worked on this book with many women who have experienced breast cancer. Brenda originally embarked on this storytelling journey following a trip to a local breast cancer support group and was amazed by the community, the humour, and the collective resilience of the group. “I had no idea how the concept would work other than a gut instinct and the desire to make anyone affected by cancer feel connected through sharing the experiences of others.”
James Shaw, publisher at Matthew James Publishing, added: “I am so happy to be able to reintroduce these stories to the market again. As someone who has lost family and friends to the Big C myself, I have a few of my own hilarious stories”
‘Cancer Quips’ by Brenda Burling is set to be published on March 14th 2023. For further information on the book and to request a review copy, please email Anthony Barlow (anthony@andrewsuk.com)
About Brenda Burling
Brenda Burling is an author and columnist based in Essex. A writer of both fiction and non-fiction, Brenda has a number of novels to her name alongside ‘Cancer Quips’ — a collection of short stories about cancer, publishing in 2024.
About Matthew James Publishing
Established in 1993, Matthew James Publishing is an imprint of Andrews UK. Matthew James Publishing focuses on high quality contemporary fiction and popular non-fiction books.