I almost quit. After months of writing, editing, sharing vulnerable stories from my life, and getting nothing but silence from literary agents, I sat at my desk and thought, Maybe this is it. Maybe no one cares. But that’s not the whole story. I’ve done everything they say you’re supposed to do. I broke through […]
The Story Deserves to Be Told Read More »
The Sedona Room is my writing oasis. An artist hand-painted a sunrise over Cathedral Rock in Sedona across the walls and ceiling, wrapping the room in warm desert hues. The reds, oranges, blues, and purples stretch across the sky, giving me the feeling of being immersed in nature while still sitting comfortably inside the air
Let the Readers Feel the Fight Read More »
I woke up to another rejection email today. It was polite, almost too polite: Thank you for responding to us. We appreciate your platform and mission. However, after delving a bit more into the market, we could see this project isn’t quite a fit for us. We decline with the greatest respect and deepest regret.
Rejection, Walt Disney’s Swamp, and My Own Crossroads Read More »
On a flight home from Boston, I found myself watching Bill & Ted Face the Music. It was Thanksgiving, and Jocelyn and I had just spent the holiday with my family, catching up with old friends and reminiscing about the past. As I settled into my seat and let the movie play, something about Bill
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Lesson in Collaboration Read More »
The conference room buzzed with tension. Five round tables filled the space, each packed with five team members hunched over stacks of documents, their voices rising over one another in an unproductive back-and-forth. Papers rustled, pens tapped against notepads, and someone let out an audible sigh of frustration. I stood at the front of the
There’s No Such Thing as Good Writing—Only Good Editing Read More »
When I first encountered Spalding Gray’s Monster in a Box, I was struck by the absurd yet deeply relatable concept of wrestling with an unfinished manuscript. For Gray, the “monster” was a daunting novel he couldn’t seem to finish. For me, it wasn’t just one manuscript—it was a scattered web of digital and physical fragments:
Monster in a Box: Taming the Digital Dilemma of Unfinished Work Read More »
**Originally posted by Matt Cavallo on Mango Health at http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/143011766224/the-healing-power-of-pets** I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the spring of 2005, and I was laying in my hospital bed wondering if I was ever going to walk again. A month after my hospital discharge, I was devastated to find out at the follow-up appointment
The Healing Power of Pets Read More »
Many of us out there are living with a chronic illness. The challenges that we face with that illness can be overwhelming. What are you doing to stay inspired despite the cards that you were dealt? For me, inspiration came in the form of a dog, my Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, Ted. When I couldn’t walk or
Finding Your Inspiration Despite Living with a Chronic Illness Read More »
I was recently asked to appear on the Jennings Wire podcast to talk about my life with MS and my books. The following is a link to my podcast interview. It is about nine minutes long and according to the host and all the social media comments, very inspiring. It is also free of charge,
Listen to Matt’s Inspirational Podcast on Jennings Wire Read More »