Q: How's your health now Laura?
A: My health is great, thank you for asking! I have now passed my three year anniversary from diagnosis, and knock on wood, every scan comes back with a big booyah! All is well, couldn't be better. I totally appreciate the queries, thank you for caring about me.
Q: When and where can I get your book?
A: RIGHT NOW!!! Go, go, go! Go get it! Where are your keys? Do you need a lift?! I'll pick you up in five minutes! The book is sitting on the shelf of your local bookstore right now! It's also at all on-line retailers, too, AND available in ebook format, too (Kindle, Nook, iTunes, etc.). No better time than right now! :)
Q: Will you come to my house/church/women's group/cancer support group/cancer organization/book club to speak or perform?
A: Heck yeah, I will, if at all possible. Contact me in the contacts section, and let's chat. If you are in Southern California, we can work something out, even if it's a small group. If you are outside Southern California, I will come to you depending on the size of the group. Maybe I can be a part of your book club, maybe I can perform some songs, or answer some questions . . . I WANT to spread the word about my book, I WANT to be engaged with readers and people who have any interest whatsoever in my book, my story, my music, my message, any of the above. Especially for you in Southern Cali, no group is too small -- please help me spread the word about Rocking the Pink!!!! Thank you!
Q: I am a writer, too, Laura! Will you write a blurb for my book?
A: Congratulations! Writing is so awesome, isn't it? Once your book is in the form of a bound galley from a reputable publisher, I will do my absolute best. If your book is at the manuscript stage, and you do not have an agent/third-party publisher, I am sorry, I cannot help you. But keep pushing, chugging, and do not give up on your dreams. Trust me, I hustled my butt off, and it paid off. Hustle, baby, hustle, and when you get the bound galley, lemme know.
Q: My niece/daughter/goddaughter is a singer-songwriter, too! Will you listen to her music and tell her how to break into the music business?
A: Congratulations!!!!! Songwriting/singing is the best, I love it. I really want to help everyone who asks me, I really really do, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of requests for my time and heart. I am pulled in many directions. I do try to help as many people as I can, so contact me in the contact section of this website, and I will do my best to reply to you. No promises, but I promise I will do my best.
Q: What's the story behind your song "George Clooney?"
I was in the middle of chemo when I wrote that song, and I could smell the chemo "stink" on me all the time. No matter how many times I showered, it was coming out my pores, it was in my jammies, and on my sheets. I hated that smell. So, basically, I said, "When this is over, I don't want to smell that chemo smell anymore! I want to smell the best smell in the whole world. . . . . George Clooney!"
Q: Have you met George Clooney yet? Has he called you?
Sadly, no. Can you help me with that?
Q: How are Brad and the girls?
A: They are great. I love them so much. They make my life complete. There are lots of pictures of them on the "Book Photos" page of this website.
Q: I've read your book, and now I'm wondering if Jane, your TNBC sister from across the Pond, is all right?
A: First off, thank you for reading my book! Yes, My Dearest Jane is GREAT. I recently told her, "Too bad my book is non-fiction, Jane. If it were fiction, I'd have killed you off at the end -- what a tear-jerker that'd be!" She said "Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated." (And she said it with a British spelling, of course.) I love my Janey Jane! You can see a picture of Jane and me together on the Book Photos page of this site -- we both had the same fuzzy hair growth.
Q: You reference several songs in your book. Where/how can I get your music?
Thank you so much for your interest in my music. If you've read my book, you know my music is integral to my story. Please listen to my music on the MUSIC page of this site. If you like what you hear, you can purchase both my complete albums (Girl Like This and I'm Still Here) on the STORE page or on iTunes and Amazon. Or, if you want only the selected songs referenced in my book, I've made it very easy for you -- purchase Rocking the Pink: Music from the Book, a collection of songs culled from both of my albums, plus two brand new tracks not available anywhere else ("Rocking the Pink" and "Perfectly Sophie.") The compilation album is available on my STORE page, iTunes, and Amazon. Thank you again for your interest in my music! I am so grateful.
By the way, you can get a free download of the song Rocking the Pink, the theme song for the book, when you join my mailing list.
Q: Any more music on the way?
A: I've recently written enough songs for a full third album. Let's see what the future holds . . .
Q: Do you still perform with your cover band, Cool Band Luke?
A: Heck yeah, I do! Anyone who knows me or who has read Rocking the Pink knows how much I love singing with CoolBandLuke. No matter what is going on with my original music, book, or anything else, I will never stop performing my favorite cover songs with CoolBandLuke! It is one of the greatest joys of my life. You can keep up with CoolBandLuke at www.coolbandluke.com. Here's a recent video of me with the band:
If you have any questions for me, send them to me in the contacts section and I will answer you directly or post the answers here! Or, please "like" me on Facebook (facebook.com/lauraroppe) and post something to me, OR follow me on Twitter @lauraroppe and I'll answer your direct tweet! I'd love to hear from you!