Sunday, December 16, 2007

Having Nasal Surgery? in 2007- HIGHLIGHTS

I want to wish all readers of this blog a Merry Christmas (or happy holiday) and a happy new year. My wife is expecting our third child any day now so I am quite excited about that. If I am absent a short time from this blog, that is why.

Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! was published on August 30th and has enjoyed a successful first three months. My publisher, Cold Tree Press, selected my book and has assisted me in applying this book for some book contests, believing it stands a reasonable chance of winning one of them. To recap, its accomplishments have included:

1)Selling fairly well - more than 2 books per day.
2)Receiving favorable reviews from customers at Amazon, Kirkus Discoveries, Foreword Clarion, Midwest Book Review, BookReview.com, and Reader Views. The Amazon listing is at: http://www.amazon.com/Having-Nasal-Surgery-Become-Victim/dp/1583851976/ref=sr_1_1/104-8078597-4322336?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190430354&sr=1-1.
3)Dr. Steven Houser, who wrote the foreword, has seen a significant increase in the number of ENS patients he is treating in recent months. His research article that was published in the September 2007 edition of Archives of Otolaryngology, likely contributed to this increase as well.
4)A successful book signing at Park Row in Clinton, New York. There could be potentially hundreds of ENS sufferers in the greater Utica area. I have been invited back for a second book signing; and all bookstores locally that have bought copies of Having Nasal Surgery? have sold them without a problem.
5) Comments from a doctor in Northern California to his patients that my book is having an impact in the ENT community. According to Dr. Murray Grossan of Los Angeles, at the American Academy of Otolaryngology, for the first time at a major conference, doctors were discussing how to best spare nasal mucosa to prevent ENS.
6) Having Nasal Surgery? is posted beneath the picture of the current Vice President of the American Rhinologic Society at the Cleveland, Nasal Sinus Center website.

While there is still much more work to be done on the awareness front, and hopefully the media will take notice in the upcoming year, all of the above leads me to believe Having Nasal Surgery? is contributing to an increase in awareness of empty nose syndrome locally and around the country...and that means more doctors informed of ENS and more patients with ENS receiving better help....and that is the most exciting news of all!

Sunday, December 9, 2007

How to GET empty nose syndrome quickly

The following is a quick way to get empty nose syndrome (ENS) quickly if you so desire, although I'm not sure why you would want to. In fact, I urge you NOT to try this at home (like I did) and I'm absolutely not responsible for any decisions people make who read this blog. Enough said. Here's my cookout in the winter story:

1) Bring your gas grill outside on a cold winter day (preferably, 30 degrees farenheit or colder)
2) Once the gas grill doesn't start because it is too cold, keep the gas running
3) Bring a lighter and light the grill and....

Kaboom!

Now there must be a better way to start a gas grill on a frigid winter day. Or maybe grills aren't meant for winter cookouts. Seriously, the aluminum foil must have shot up 5 feet in the air and there was a huge fireball - almost looked like out of a movie. Thankfully, I (and my children who were inside in the warmth) was safe. Now, the gas grill did start at this point in time and I was able to cook the chicken and green beans. The plow man went by a few minutes later to clean the snow off the road. I was probably looked at cross-eyed by everyone in my area but it didn't matter because it is dark outside and you can't see them looking at me anyway. All in all, I had fun cooking some chicken while the snow fell and my wife took a picture of me making a fool of myself.

....PLEASE, don't do what I did with the grill!!!!! That's just asking for trouble.

**************************************************
Some promising news....

On a more serious note, I learned of the number of books I have sold and, according to Dr. Murray Grossan, I have sold a good number. Not enough to pay off the expenses of the book (yet), but enough to say it is making a real difference. Let's just put it this way: I am selling more than 2 per day almost solely on the Internet and without any marketing plan or major media endorsements. I would say that's pretty good. If I could sell a niche topic book of this nature fairly well, I wonder what would happen if I tried to write a book on a topic with broad appeal. I have in the past entertained writing a book on a topic related to my faith or one related to my profession of school psychology. Not that I'm planning on it, as my job and family keep me plenty busy (and rightfully so), but it is an interesting idea to ponder. I have also learned that Dr. Houser's practice has been flooded with empty nose syndrome patients (coming out of the cracks) in recent months and that he has been doing Alloderm implant surgeries regularly.

This is all good news for empty nose sufferers and raising awareness on empty nose syndrome (ENS).

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Update on Amazon Sales Rank

I am hoping to find out soon how many books of Having Nasal Surgery? have been sold in its first 3 months on the market. In the meantime, I was checking my amazon sales rank and saw this book as #1 in Otolaryngology. If it can stay at this level, then that's great, but it will take work to keep the sales rank good. The amazon sales rank is updated hourly, so it might very well change -- for better or worse during the next few hours and days.

Product Details
Paperback: 236 pages
Publisher: Cold Tree Press (August 30, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1583851976
ISBN-13: 978-1583851975
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,587 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in these categories: (What's this?)
#1 in Books > Science > Medicine > Specialties > Otolaryngology
#1 in Books > Professional & Technical > Medical > Medicine > Surgery > Otolaryngology

Saturday, November 24, 2007

SHARE Having Nasal Surgery? with....

1) ENT Doctors and Plastic Surgeons.
2) Libriarians.

3) Family and friends.

Now before reading further (or after reading further if you wish), please take a moment to visit my professional website, which complements this blog, at http://www.emptynosesyndrome.net. That site was significantly updated on November 25th. Thanks!.....OK, now read on....:)

ENT Doctors and Plastic Surgeons

As I began marketing Having Nasal Surgery?, my early concern was that some people might approach the doctor who caused them harm and angrily present my book to that doctor. I was concerned that instead of garnering doctor interest and sympathy, this might cause backlash. However, now I am convinced more than ever that these doctors are in fact the ones who need to hear the message of empty nose syndrome (ENS). It is these doctors who might be unknowingly causing ENS.

Here's how I recommend to approach the doctor: Approach the doctor in a graceful manner, and remark how you found Having Nasal Surgery? useful for your situation, as it help you put the issue of ENS in perspective, from a political, scientific and personal perspective. You then proceed to state what you really appreciated about the book is that you found solace from another ENS sufferer, and now your once-skeptical family and friends can respect and understand your condition. I recommend especially approaching plastic surgeons regarding this book, because there is no literature in the plastic surgery field on ENS. So they very much need to hear the message.

Librarians

Librarians need to hear the message of Having Nasal Surgery? This book has been highly recommended for libraries, through various professional reviews, and it is exactly what I want them to buy. I want people to have free access to information, and a library is where they can get this book free. Although many libraries face budgetary constraints, it shouldn't put librarians in a crunch to buy a single copy of my book! If they are resistant, inform them in depth regarding this book, and then offer to donate a copy to the library (after you have read it). Libraries really should have a copy of Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! Otherwise, they are missing out.

Family and Friends

Share my book with family and friends. Doing so adds authenticity to the message, and you might feel better understood in the process. Word of mouth is one of the most important vehicles behind increasing awareness of a book.

Bookstores and Health Food Stores (if you have passion to do so...)

Frankly, I encourage you, if you have a heart for promoting word of my book through bookstores and health food stores, to please do so. Unfortunately, while I have had a great experience with one local bookstore (Park Row, who has invited me back for a 2nd book signing), and anticipate future book signings with Borders, I have generally found bookstores and health food stores to be less receptive to buying copies of Having Nasal Surgery? The reason, as I see it, is too many managers are just downright ignorant of ENS and need to be educated; they assume it is a rarity, even though I know it is not. And bookstores will not buy a copy of a book unless they believe it will sell in good enough quantity. So I promote my book on the Internet and people can order through any bookstore they want, but it won't be on the shelf of that bookstore. Health food stores generally don't sell many books and are reluctant to do so. My local health food store indicated it would buy a copy of my book, but by and large, most health food stores are not jumping at the opportunity to buy new books, whatever they might be. It's not as good of business for them as selling health food. Again, if you do have a desire to sell through these venues, please go ahead and do it...

Now post your comments by clicking on the time link below...

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Foreword Clarion Review

The final of my professional reviews are complete. Granted, some of these reviews were paid becuase I am self-published and it is impossible to get reviews from some sources (such as Publisher's Weekly, Library Journal or Booklist) otherwise, but all 5 professional reviews have been very favorable toward this book. I would rate the Foreword Clarion Review, which is below, as a very accurate review. Befoe showing you the review, though, here are some interesting developments of late:

-The Vice President of the American Rhinologic Society heard from a fellow ear, nose and throat specialist who was pleased with my book.

-A fellow sufferer from California went to his doctor who remarked how Having Nasal Surgery? is having a "real impact in the ENT community." This comment was very encouraging to me and leads me to believe this book is accomplishing its objectives. And that is a wonderful thing.

Here is the Foreword Clarion Review by Joe Taylor:

HEALTH

Having Nasal Surgery?
Don’t You Become an Empty Nose Victim
Christopher Martin
Cold Tree Press
209 pages
Softcover $12.95
978-1-58385-197-5
Four stars (out of Five)

In July 1997, shortly before going away to college, Chris Martin underwent surgery to remove turbinate tissue from both sides of his nose. An ENT doctor had recommended the procedure, called a bilateral turbinectomy, to relieve the chronic stuffiness the young man had been experiencing as a result of allergies and sinus infections. In the weeks and months that followed, Martin realized that the surgery had not helped him. The cycle of sinus infections had not only continued, but had intensified. His nose was perpetually dry, his throat sore, his mucous membranes inflamed. Before long, he was also experiencing panic-inducing shortness of breath, disturbed sleep, and intolerance to cold air. He became anxious and concerned. His discomfort led him back to ENT specialists and almost into another surgery, until, by accident in 2003, he discovered a Web site that defined “empty nose syndrome.” He now knew that his problem has a name: ENS. Its cause is summed up by Dr. W.S. Tichenor, a New York City sinusitis specialist: “Too many surgeons today believe they can indiscriminately remove large amounts of turbinate tissue.” Martin and his fellow ENS sufferers are the unhappy victims of these surgeries.

For the past four years, Chris Martin has been learning how to live with ENS. With this book he has fulfilled a major step in his mission to help educate sinus, allergy, and post-nasal drip victims who are considering surgery, as well as ENS sufferers and ENT professionals and plastic surgeons, many of whom have not been exposed to the scant literature about the syndrome. In August 2006, Martin met Dr. Steven Houser, an ENT specialist in Cleveland, Ohio who has been treating ENS sufferers—at times by rebuilding the remains of their turbinate tissue. Dr. Houser has performed two implant surgeries on Martin in order to decrease the nasal airway volume. The lesser amount of air entering the nose results in more resistance to airflow, thus less dryness. A second important effect of Dr. Houser’s implants has been to partially restore the pulmonary functioning that was impaired by the “empty” or too-open nasal passages.

Martin, now a family man and school psychologist in his late twenties in upstate New York, writes not as a doctor but as a survivor. He presents here a working definition of ENS and a primer on surgical as well as other medical, dietary, and environmental ways to treat its symptoms. He includes a layman’s guide to turbinate functioning and to the science and politics of turbinate surgery. Having learned to manage his condition, he tells a compelling personal story that adds passion and authority to his presentation.

Martin grants, as his research shows, that “conservative” turbinate surgery can often alleviate chronic stuffiness, but his presentation implicates the many doctors and plastic surgeons who continue to remove excessive amounts of turbinate.

Joe Taylor

Monday, November 12, 2007

Read the Kirkus Discoveries Review

I had the following review of my book, which is posted at the Kirkus Discoveries website (http://www.kirkusdiscoveries.com). Kirkus Discoveries has a reputation for offering "tart" or "critical" reviews, so I was pleased to see that not only did my book go unscathed, it was praised. The Discoveries service allows authors who are not traditionally published to pay for a review and have it done by a professional Kirkus Reviewer. Below is the review (I put in bold the statements I thought were important):

HAVING NASAL SURGERY?
Don't You Become an Empty Nose Victim!

Author: Martin, Christopher

Review Date: NOVEMBER 12, 2007
Publisher:Cold Tree Press
Pages: 236
Price (paperback): $12.95
Publication Date: August 30, 2007
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-58385-197-5
Category: AUTHORS
Classification: NONFICTION

School psychologist Martin explores a little-known condition that has lifelong detrimental effects.

In direct, instructive language, Martin examines the devastation of Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS), a term coined by a Mayo Clinic physician in 1994. ENS is characterized by a “cluster of symptoms” that occur after too much of the airflow-regulating bony structures in the nasal cavity called turbinates are surgically removed, usually from efforts to assuage sinus pressure, headaches or nasal stuffiness (“turbinate reduction” surgery). The author believes that post-surgery, people with ENS go on to experience a wide array of harrowing symptoms including nasal dryness, sleep disturbances, excessive mucus, nosebleeds, diminished sense of smell and fatigue. Martin became an ENS sufferer after an overly aggressive partial turbinectomy performed in his late teens to improve a chronic nasal inflammatory condition. But before his ENS diagnosis, Martin endured numerous allergy injections, CAT scans, bacterial infections and the possibility of additional surgery. Determined to find answers, the author channeled his disillusionment, anger and psychological distress into increasing awareness about the condition and by positively dedicating (and educating) himself on the possibly devastating side-effects of nasal surgery. His comprehensive research has produced illustrations, tips, charts, glossaries and case studies about ENS, all presented in a straightforward manner, making the information more accessible to average readers with limited medical knowledge or experience. Martin smartly counterbalances the negative experiences (and clinical politics) of ENS with a host of beneficial natural remedies (chicken soup, humidifier, etc.), non-surgical options, as well as a chapter on the author’s own approach after suffering the debilitating effects of ENS. He had enlisted an ear, nose and throat physician to attach two restorative implants inside his nasal cavities, a procedure he advocates as beneficial in improving his own quality of life.

This slim but potent book is tremendously important and informative not only for those considering nasal surgeries, but for the specialists who perform them.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

ENS is Widespread - my book signing

If you are like most ENS sufferers, you are led to believe we are just a rarity. I strived to prove this statement incorrect by showing logic and research, that ENS is a terrible problem with the possibility of low millions suffering from it in the US. But I only had numbers. Yet after my book signing, I am more convinced than ever that my estimate is correct -- too correct. ENS is alive and well in my small city in Upstate New York I don't want others suffering from this terrible problem and it is so hard to know it is still being created right around me. Right under my nose! Yet you would never know it, unless you were an author like me running into a reader/neighbor who has ENS or a doctor treating these patients.

My heart broke today when I ran into another ENS sufferer who lives just down the road from me. (She and other patients were created from a different doctor than I had, as mine has passed away.) The first words out of her mouth were "I have all the same symptoms as you." Hearing her voice that sounded in some ways like my own, I could tell she suffered as I had. I felt so saddened to know that others are suffering like me. Then came the next patient who stated her daughtered suffered from the same problem as me from a surgery just one year ago. Next the confession that empty nose patients who have their inferior turbinates overly reduced is happening all the time locally. It is sort of like when I told a colleague about my book who immediately knew of 2 ENS sufferers who suffered all the same symptoms as I had. This is all upsetting. Then I got some customers with the genuine curiosity as to whether ENS is real, to which I should have replied if you removed your fingers, would you still have them? Just because you can't see my amptutation because it is internal, does it mean it is not there? There is such a strong scientific basis for ENS, it is not funny. Just because ENS is not talked about much and it has not been given much attention anywhere does not mean it does not exist. It exists more than we think.

Obviously, there is a real need for public awareness on ENS and I just hope those reading this blog will take interst in empty nose and please feel free to post a comment by clicking on the time underneath this message. My heart is very heavy right now...

Monday, November 5, 2007

*Listen* to my welcome message

Please consider listening to my newly added audio message at http://www.emptynosesyndrome.net It is a 7 1/2 minute audiotape where I welcome readers of my website and talk a bit about my condition of empty nose syndrome. I am not a great public speaker, as I am often short of breath and sometimes have to think twice as hard before I talk due to difficulties with concentration, but hopefully it will provide a glimpse into my world of empty nose syndrome.

Monday, October 29, 2007

I Picked The Right Publisher - Cold Tree Press

Having spent countless hours writing and revising my book, Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! it was critical that I select the right publisher to publish my book, and I did - Cold Tree Press. I meticulously researched numerous publishers, contacting many. What impressed me about Cold Tree Press was that, unlike some publishers, Cold Tree did not appear out to make an extra buck, was realistic, and seemed genuinely interested in me as an author. This attitude was constant as the senior designer, Amanda Butler, worked tirelessly with me for 3 months to produce a book that was professional, striking and engaging, both on the cover and interior. Cold Tree Press displayed an attention to detail and concern for the author that is simply unsurpassed in this industry. I cannot thank Cold Tree enough for how pleased I am and hope other authors would trust this fine publisher with their book.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Send me your comments!!!!

I have been wanting to allow people to post on this blog and there is a simple way for you to do that: Click on the time link underneath this post and then click on post a comment. If you are having trouble doing that and have read or been reading my blog and have been touched by anything I have written, and would like to add some comments, email me at webmaster@emptynosesyndrome.org and put "blog post" in the subject line. As long as the comments are in good taste, I will post them to this blog. So I do hope to hear from you and hope this blog can be interactive.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Among New & Future Releases in "Otolaryngology", this book is # 1

For whatever it is worth, I was looking through "hot new releases" on Amazon.com. At this time, the below link shows my book is #1 in this category (these are updated hourly, so it could change but, given the sales at Amazon, I anticipate my book will continue to stay #1 in this category until it becomes "old").

http://www.amazon.com/gp/new-releases/books/227691/ref=pd_nr_pg_1/102-3020670-5236135?ie=UTF8&pg=1

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Good News - Amazon Lowered Its Price!

I was very pleased to learn that Amazon.com has lowered the price it is asking for my book. Amazon.com gets books at deep discounts - 50-60% off the retail price, so this giant company can easily afford to lower the price on books and it would be nice if the price on Amazon goes even lower. That's my goal. You see, I personally have been offering copies of my book on Amazon.com at a significant discount. Just go to the following link and click on 8 used or new and you can order a signed copy directly from me - for a very hard-to-beat discount: http://www.amazon.com/Having-Nasal-Surgery-Become-Victim/dp/1583851976/ref=sr_1_1/104-8078597-4322336?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190430354&sr=1-1 I'm not sure how the pricing works at Amazon.com, but it is my hunch that the fact I have been offering my book at a significant discount has increased competition for Amazon.com, which encouraged this company to lower its price. Therefore, if you order directly from me, you might also be helping the price drop at Amazon.com in the future. And I want Amazon.com to offer an even lower price than it is currently offering.

While I believe Having Nasal Surgery? is worth every penny, it is my hope that people would be able to read it for a low cost - free if possible. That is why I am working so hard to see that this book gets into libraries. The more people who read it, the more people who will be informed and empowered, the more ENTs will learn of this book, recommend it to their patients and take empty nose syndrome seriously, and the more help us empty nose sufferers will ultimately receive from the medical community. And that will be a grand day - and hopefully not far off in the future.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Having Nasal Surgery? - Where to go from here...

My greatest fear: Some people will be entering nasal or sinus surgery, either now or in the near future, and will come down with ENS as a result; and they won't intuitively know what their nasal problems are until much time (and good health) has passed. They will assume that complications are common after surgery but ENS is an unlikelihood. This misconception, however, could be very costly. One person remarked how they were undergoing a septoplasty, so it would not affect their turbinates. This person really needs to look at it differently because very often turbinates are pared down in size during a septoplasty.

Regarding my book, Having Nasal Surgery? has been on the market for about 1.5 months so far and it seems, at times, that it is picking up steam, hitting as high as #2 in Otolaryngology on Amazon - at least according to the Amazon sales rank - while other times its sales rank climbs steadily worse.

Make no mistake, this book is fully devoted to raising awareness for empty nose syndrome, as it is what I suffer from (in addition to allergies and sinusitis), and it is the motivation behind writing this book. The primary criticisms of this book is that 1) I am not a doctor - and I admit I am not, but am an informed and empowered patient. However, my book is endorsed by great doctors. If this is the only criticism that can be levied against this book, then that criticism is honestly quite weak. I have 3 doctors who put their names behind this book and I suffer from empty nose so I have authority to talk on this topic, whereas almost all doctors do not personally suffer from ENS. Further, 2) some naively misperceive that its application is limited - to just nasal surgery candidates or empty nose sufferers - but I am ready to prove this latter claim wrong, dead wrong. Now I dare you. If you have sinusitis or allergies, but not empty nose syndrome, buy a copy and read it. This book can help you, too, and perhaps prevent you from ever becoming an ENS patient. And of course your purchase will also be supporting a very worthy cause. I guarantee there will be some helpful tips from my years of experience as an ENS patient who also suffers from sinusitis and allergies. Read one of my earlier posts on the blog: http://emptynosesyndrome.blogspot.com/2007/08/does-this-book-apply-to-you-you-bet.html On the other hand, the various ways in which people have praised this book include: that it's easy to read, thorough yet concise, very well-written, well-organized, professionally done, very informative, and strongly backed by research.

So where do I go from here? I keep plugging away, with fierce determination and persistence, and get ready for my book signing on November 10th, which is the first of many!

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Two Very Special, Meaningful Events while Promoting "Having Nasal Surgery?"

Since the book has been published on August 30th, there have been two very special occurrences that have happened. These two happenings that have meant more to me than anything else with respect to the book are:

1) Midwest Book Review
2) A Blessed Friendship

Midwest Book Review (http://www.midwestbookreview.org/) is considered a reliable source for reviewing books. This company tends to review books for small publishers. Publicist Karen Villanueva (http://www.authorcare.com/) did a one-hour phone consult with me and I must say she is the BEST publicist around. If you need a publicist to help you promote your book, you should seriously consider her. While I know there are many fine publicists, she is the most professional and personable one I have yet encountered. She has taken her time with me, corresponded with me considerably by email, and she seems to really care about my book. So during our one-hour phone consult, Karen informed me of just how prestigious and valuable Midwest Book Review is for its authors. Apparently, after a Midwest review is done, the review appears in a cd-rom (Thomson-Gale) and in book review databases (Lexus-Nexus and Goliath), which are published for academic, corporate and public library systems in various parts of the country. So having a book review done by Midwest, who do not charge the authors a penny to have the review done, you can have a review that is placed in libraries across the country. This book review therefore was quite meaningful for me because I know it will be in databases in libraries across the country. I want people to read the book for free, and libraries are a place they can get the book for free. Unfortunately, many libraries are on tight budgets, though, so please support your local library. And, if you think about it, tell them about my book. Getting Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! in libraries is the most important and meaningful goal I have for my book. And what's the best part of having it reviewed by Midwest? Midwest receives around 1,500 books per month and review only about 1/3 of them. There is a current roster of 81 reviewers at Midwest Book Review, a company in business since 1976. And guess who did my review?? The Editor-in-Chief, Jim Cox, himself!!!! In an email to me today, he remarked, "Thank you for your very kind words. They are much appreciated. Since I was the one who wrote the review...." He wrote the review!!! This made my day. If you haven't already, please read the review by Midwest Book Review (i.e., done by Jim Cox himself) below in the blog. And, if you are an author who has been published by a small press, submit your book for review to Midwest Book Review. It's been one of the best decisions I have done for my book.

The other very special happening occurred during the process of book promotion is a friendship that has been richly blessed already. One evening last month I received an email, out of the blue I might add, with the subject line that read "ENS Advocate!" Below in the email he remarked, "God bless" and left his phone number. The following day, I called him up by phone and we talked for more than an hour, and I prayed with him and he prayed for me. (This was the same day I received the 'proof' of my book in the mail.) We have been corresponding by phone and email for the past month and we always just have a great time talking and sharing our experiences - ENS and otherwise. And we have a lot in common. He has a great sense of humor and one thing we both have in common is our faith in Christ. And another thing we both have in common, is he also plans to write a book about his experiences with ENS in the coming years. In fact, he told me reading my book was like reading his own story. This friend informed me that, since our friendship began, he has not felt alone anymore and his health (and spirit) has improved considerably. I must say ditto, especially for the latter part - the improved spirit - for me. And another "coincidence" is that he lives 777 miles away. "7" is a number associated with perfection in the Bible. You know, I'm not quite sure these are coincidences! He and his wife plan to come visit my family and I sometime in the future. I can't wait for this day to happen. You see, I have received many very encouraging words on my book, some moving and really uplifting, and these are all really wonderful, but his friendship is far and away one of the most blessed happenings since I began writing the book. I cherish his friendship.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Hits # 2 in Otolaryngology!

Below is the best I have seen my book do at amazon since its listing on August 30. It hit #2 in Otolaryngology today, October 10th. I'm very excited, but I will keep on plugging away....

Paperback: 236 pages
Publisher: Cold Tree Press (August 30, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1583851976
ISBN-13: 978-1583851975
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: based on 10 reviews. (Write a review.)
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #28,227 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in these categories: (What's this?)
#2 in
Books > Professional & Technical > Medical > Medicine > Surgery > Otolaryngology
#2 in
Books > Science > Medicine > Specialties > Otolaryngology

Friday, October 5, 2007

Midwest Book Review Writes Favorable Review

Midwest Book Review, a reputable reviewer and reliable source of information on books, has written a very favorable review of Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! This is posted at //www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/oct_07.htm#heal and is below:

The Health/Medicine Shelf

Having Nasal Surgery? Don’t You Become An Empty Nose Victim!
Christopher Martin, N.C.S.P.
Cold Tree Press
214 Overlook Court, Suite 253, Brentwood, TN 37027
ISBN # 9781583851975
$12.95, http://www.coldtreepress.com/

The nose is an organ of the human body that can be afflicted with a number of serious ailments to health. These problems include such conditions as rhinosinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and empty nose syndrome (ENS). It has only been in recent years that physicians have come to understand and treat ENS. But there are still a great many doctors unfamiliar with this syndrome and the treatment options that sufferers have to choose from. An ENS sufferer himself, Christopher Martin has written a comprehensive and thoroughly 'reader friendly' introduction to what ENS is, what can be done about it, and what to be aware of in various treatment options in Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! Christopher relates his own personal account of coping with ENS, offers an informed and informative evaluation of turbinate surgeries with respect to nasal conditions, provides an 'insider' look at the politics surrounding ENS within the medical community, and identifies the best treatments for ENS, many of which are also efficaciously applicable to sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, postnasal drip, GERD, and asthma. Invaluable reading for medical students, physicians, and non-specialist general readers, Having Nasal Surgery? is especially recommended for personal, professional, and community library Health & Medicine reference collections and reading lists.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

#14 in "Otolaryngology" on Amazon

On September 26th, Having Nasal Surgery? hit #14 among "Otolaryngology" books on Amazon. This is the lowest/best rank I have seen yet. This book was released in late August. As for overall sales rank, I saw it hit #40,736 on September 11th, which was the lowest overall rank I have seen for this book. I really have no idea of how many books have been sold, but my tentative plan if this book does sell enough copies is I will reinvest the money into a large, national campaign on behalf of the book. I will not know how many are sold until the end of November. My whole purpose in writing this book is to raise awareness on ENS and I am committed to that end.

Anyway, below is the listing on Amazon on the evening of September 26th, which details how it hit #14 on Amazon....

Product Details
Paperback: 236 pages
Publisher: Cold Tree Press (August 17, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1583851976
ISBN-13: 978-1583851975
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: based on 4 reviews. (Write a review.)
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #85,453 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in these categories: (What's this?)
#14 in
Books > Professional & Technical > Medical > Medicine > Surgery > Otolaryngology
#18 in
Books > Science > Medicine > Specialties > Otolaryngology

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Read the just-published, well-received article, "Surgical Treatment for Empty Nose Syndrome"

The groundbreaking research article, “Surgical Treatment for Empty Nose Syndrome,” by Dr. Steven Houser, was published in the September 2007 Archives of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. You can read and *download* this article http://archotol.ama-assn.org/ for as long as the Archives of Otolaryngology make it downloadable (it might be just temporary). This article is perhaps the first ever to properly define empty nose syndrome (ENS) and what it truly entails, while also discussing a surgical remedy of an Alloderm implant for this problem. To my knowledge, there have only been two research articles in the past that have dealt specifically with empty nose syndrome: “Empty Nose Syndrome Associated with Middle Turbinate Resection” by Dr. Houser, and “Atrophic Rhinitis: A Review of 242 Cases” by Drs. Eugene Kern and Eric Moore.

A unique concept specific to this article is what Dr. Houser calls ENS-Type, which is when the patient has adequate turbinate tissue but still experiences symptoms of empty nose and responds positively to a cotton test. The cotton test, in short, is saline-moistened cotton that is placed strategically in the nasal cavity which results in the patient reporting an improvement in breathing symptoms and thinner nasal secretions as a result.

I am also excited to report that a mailing circulating among ear, nose and throat doctors cite “Surgical Treatment for Empty Nose Syndrome” as one of the best medical journal articles for the month of September. I certainly hope this article will stimulate interest among other ear, nose and throat specialists to help us ENS patients while also encouraging them to be overall more careful with turbinate surgeries, and ensure their patients do not end up with the serious complication of ENS.

Best of luck, Dr. Houser! We are certainly hoping this article will have its intended impact!




Wednesday, September 19, 2007

This book is # 98 on Amazon..

I am pleased to announce that, after only 3 weeks after release, Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! is #98 on Amazon in the category Otolaryngology. I am happy, but I will continue to work hard in promoting word on this book! Below is the listing:

Paperback: 236 pages
Publisher: Cold Tree Press (August 17, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1583851976
ISBN-13: 978-1583851975
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: based on 4 reviews. (Write a review.)
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #394,930 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in this category: (What's this?)
#98 in Books > Professional & Technical > Medical > Medicine > Surgery > Otolaryngology

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

ENTs are now discussing ENS

The following was posted at the www.postnasaldrip.net website. Hearing that ENTs are now discussing how to better spare nasal mucosa nearly brought tears to my eyes. I appreciated what Dr. Grossan said so much that I thought I would post it here:

Yesterday I invited people who have read the newly released book by Chris Martin to express their thoughts and comments. The book is entitled “Having Nasal Surgery? Don’t You Become An Empty Nose Victim!”The well known ENT specialist and author, Dr. Murray Grossan, sent in the following comment. Dr. Grossan is the inventor of the Hydro Pulse nasal irrigation system that has helped countless sinus sufferers, including myself. Here is Dr. Grossan’s message:

“Chris Martin's book is excellent and I recommend it to patients. ENS is so little understood or appreciated by the ENT profession. I am attending the national ENT convention and for the first time there is discussion of care to spare the mucosa and prevent ENS, this has come about from patient advocacy. I think patients benefit when they can discuss with the doctor, "will this procedure cause ENS and are there alternatives?"

Because of my connection with the Hydro Pulse I probably hear from more persons with ENS than the average doctor so I can appreciate what the patient feels.

The important point is that ENS is preventable and this book will go a long way to that prevention. Yes, if you are having ENT surgery read this book.

Murray Grossan, M.D.

Thanks to Dr. Grossan for his comments. ENS is still in the awareness building stage, so if you have friends or family who also are considering sinus surgery, please pass the word about the new book.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

*Upcoming Reviews

I recently made the decision that Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! will undergo great scrutiny in the form of numerous professional reviews. These reviews include places such as Kirkus Discoveries, ForeWord Magazine, Midwest Book Review (I hope!), Readerviews.com, and bookreview.com. I will also have reviews completed by a number of other people - and I can't wait for them as well. All these reviews will take place in the next few months, with most of them likely done by Christmas.

I firmly believe that once people start reading this book, they will embrace it. Some initial thoughts on people who have very recently received this book seem to suggest that. I am committed to seeing these high-quality reviews take place, as I strongly believe word of mouth will benefit this book and the ENS cause.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Sales Rank at Amazon (whatever it means)

I don't understand how Amazon sales rank works when it comes to book sales, except that a lower numer on the "sales rank" means more sales. I admit I'm a "numbers nut" and I could probably watch these numbers all day left to my own volition. But from what I have read, I doubt the Amazon sales rank really means much at all.

I learned that if you bought a lot of books at once, your sales rank would plummet significantly. In fact, I read that if you bought 1,000 books in a single day, you might fool Amazon and become an Amazon bestseller! Trust me, I'm not planning on doing that. Of course, it would be amusing to see this book hit the bestseller list - that is, until I have to sell all 1,000 books. For whatever it is worth, though, I checked a few days ago, and my Amazon sales rank was in the 40,000s, which is actually pretty good, considering there are more than 100,000 books produced each year. My rank has generally hovered between 40,000 and 260,000 in the past week, a big range indeed. I've seen other sinus self-help books such as The Sinus Cure and Sinus Relief Now in this range as well, although I think Sinus Relief Now has been even lower than 40,000 at times and it has been out since last December. Here are the numbers (although they are probably creeping much higher and in the 6 digits as I write this; I gotta keep this number low to prevent acid reflux! (joke):

Product Details
· Paperback: 236 pages
· Publisher: Cold Tree Press (August 17, 2007)
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 1583851976
· ISBN-13: 978-1583851975
· Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
· Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
· Average Customer Review: based on 2 reviews. (Write a review.) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #40,736 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Paperback or ebook?

I have entertained the possibility of making Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! an ebook, but with time, thought, and some logical reasons, I have decided a paperback only is best.

The reason? An ebook, although I would make 100% of the retail price if I sold it through my website, might appeal more to someone who "wants it fast" and might not read the book as thoroughly, or who might be tempted to distribute it to friends (who also don't read the book carefully). Conversely, a paperback looks more professional than an adobe pdf, it is easier on the eyes, and those who purchase a paperback are more apt to read it and take it seriously. I want people to read my book closely and take it very seriously. That's my mission. I only make 30% (or $3.88) for paperback books sold directly through Cold Tree and 15% (or $1.94) for books sold through other outlets, such as amazon. But my goal in writing this book is not to profit but to generate greater awareness on empty nose syndrome (ENS), and I believe selling a paperback will help me reach that goal much better than selling it as an ebook.

Friday, September 7, 2007

Sales good so far...after all, it's a book for 70 million

I am very pleased to announce that book sales seem to be doing fairly well during the first week of Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! I am not sure exactly how many have sold, but the Amazon sales rank has been relatively low. I can tell this book is going to do very well, as I will continue to put energy behind it.

One unsubstantiated comment that a few have suggested to me is that my book is too specialized, so let me address that here. That's a bunch of baloney. Make no mistake, my book wants to help the low millions of Americans (or foreigners) who have ENS more than anything and is dedicated to promoting our cause, the motivating factor for me to write this book, but this book has numerous treatment ideas for 70 million Americans who suffer from all sorts of sinus and allergy problems. Got that?! If you can treat ENS (with co-morbid conditions of sinusitis and allergies, like I have), then you can probably tackle any sort of sinus problem with some success. My nose starts at point A, so I feel the effects of treatment strategies better than anyone, particularly someone with a more mild problem. I'm not a frog in water with the temperature gradually increasing! Rather, I have a nose that, because it is so largely removed, feels significant effects from treatments. Consequently, I can probably offer a lot of insights based on my experiences to patients suffering from sinusitis, allergies, postnasal drip, nasal congestion, the sniffles, acid reflux and asthma.

Happy reading!

Friday, August 31, 2007

An author's confession of what to do now

While I am going to do everything I can to promote Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! I will not be putting another dime into it for the time being, although maybe in the future - I am honestly broke (read my August 30 blog to see why) - I will need to sell some copies so I can reinvest in a large-scale campaign. That is why I need the readers of this blog to purchase the book. The only ENS sufferer who read this book thought it was great, the indexer said my book is very well-written and should be very well-received by the medical community, and a number of people have said they "cannot wait" to read it. So now is the time to purchase and start reading it - it is available! In the meantime, I will be promoting it through various marketing strategies that don't make me go more broke than I already am. These strategies include, but are not limited to, some additional Internet marketing, article marketing, book reviewings, book signings, and contacting the media.

1) Some people have suggested I should "give out" copies to surgeons, medical facilities, or certain people - that is a reasonable thought, but it would cost me about $15 per book to do that. While a few are getting copies, for the most part, that's just not feasible for me right now.

2) What is desirable for me is to return my life to normalcy to the best I can, as even my health has suffered some from the stress associated with writing Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! Here are some things I want to do in the coming months:
-Exercise or run each morning so I can get in shape again.
-Sleep 8 hours per night.
-Spend more time with my wife, two daughters, and prepare for our unborn baby who will be born around Christmastime.
-Spend more time in prayer and in reading the Bible, which is my most favorite book.

3) If you are reading this blog and interested in Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! rest assured that money I receive from purchase of this book will be reinvested into raising awareness for empty nose syndrome further, perhaps through a large-scale campaign promoting this book.

Thank you for reading this blog and have a GREAT day.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

What will 'make' or 'break' Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim!

1) To purchase the book, please click: http://www.coldtreepress.com/catalog/book/187/
2) The *new* empty nose website: http://www.emptynosesyndrome.net/

Now that I got those off my chest, I'm going to do my little pep talk from an "author's perspective" for readers of this blog. I guess you can call me that - an author - as of today because my book was released into distribution on this very special day. And I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! will be a smashing success, elevating ENS awareness to a new level. It's too controversial for it to be ignored. Just wait. You'll see. Even just one little person can make a difference.

Now here's what goes into a book. An author has a career that is excruciatingly hard but very rewarding, not for any monetary incentive unless you hit it big, but because your book can be helpful to people who are suffering or because your book can make a difference in the lives of others. You see, if you purchase the book, Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! you are not reading the first draft of it, you are reading the 150th. That's right. The 150th. No exaggeration. And at least 1,000 hours went into it, no less. These hours consisted of readings and re-readings of research, email contacts, lengthy phone calls, casual conversations, copyright requests, writings, incorporation of edit suggestions by person A, by person B, by person C, by person D, etc., exhausting late nights (and even a couple all-nighters), review of publishing options, details you never thought of before, details no one but you and anyone who wants to sue you will read, and details that are excessively trivial but somehow make or break the book, never mind the index. Heck, if you are like me, you might receive threats that your book will damage an entire medical profession. Believe it or not, I actually did. And I have been told from a credible source that there are mailings circulating among a certain specialty of doctors in the US and abroad who are very concerned about the impact of my book - that the book is not only confrontational (which it isn't), but that my book might steer too many away from nasal surgery. Of course, not a single "professional critic" has read the final version and I received some endorsements from some excellent doctors because of the genuine, respectful message of the book. So I'll say thanks for the free PR and keep talking about it! And if Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! encourages some to make good choices for their health, be it surgical or non-surgical treatments, then this book has accomplished its purpose. I admit, it is controversial, but we ENS sufferers need a bit more attention to our very serious problem and I'm not sure anyone could argue that we have received it from the medical profession. We haven't. Our topic is still hush, hush, taboo times 40, and buried in silence. That's all we want.

Back to the publishing aspects: and if you are not one of the famous ones published by a traditional publisher with a great big title by your name, then expect to be forking out $2,500 just for YOU to do all the work. Or you could pay an additional $5,000 and have a ghostwriter do it. Either way, you will go broke.

Then when you are getting ready to sell the book, you are told that 477 books are put into print each day, what will make yours stick out? Ah, so here's the interesting part: when your book is published, it really is just the beginning - now you have to market it. Got that? I have been told the publication of a book is like the birth of a baby. Not sure I care for that analogy because babies are precious human life while books are made from trees, but there's truth about the liveliness of the book after "birth." This is when the fun starts. Now, after your $2,500 in the hole, you can choose to pay publicists $1,000s of dollars to promote your book or let it sink to the bottom of the self-published barrel amidst the ravenous, highly competitive book market in the world. You can contact A, B, C, D, and E by email to let them know about your book and you might get one response (if you are lucky) or you can send 6 million emails out by doing a highly ineffective eblast campaign that is read by roughly .0002% of the recipients, as the emails get deleted before they are read. Never mind those options. I have a better one.

There is just one key for you to remember when writing a book, and it is one that readers and writers of this blog should appreciate alike: it is that you do the work yourself. It is too cherish those 6 individuals who respond to your emails and give you some verbal support. It is too continue to work hard whether or not people tell you that your book is destined for success or failure. It is to work your little tail off, be it writing an article for the Internet (as in article marketing), making a phone or email contact with someone, and having thick skin so you don't take "no" for an answer. It is persistence, nothing else, that will pay off. Don't let anyone tell you your book will fail. They are wrong - unless you just sit on your book. You just need to have drive. Incredible drive for a lousy book can probably make it a bestseller. That's what will make or break a book.

So, when you are reading Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! (or any book for that matter) if you made it this far in my blog, remember what went into the process of writing it and, if you can get some good sleep on a regular basis, please share with me how.

And, lest I forget to mention, buy the book! You are getting THAT much of someone's effort when you read this book. Better yet, you are helping a worthy cause with ENS in the process or perhaps, after reading the nose surgery critique, you are informing and empowering a potential nasal surgery candidate and perhaps thereby preventing someone from a lifetime of ENS misery. And, if you suffer from sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, postnasal drip, nasal congestion, the sniffles, asthma, acid reflex, or even just kleenex overload in your house, you'll benefit from reading some treatment strategies that just might help your condition.
God bless.

It is Now Available!

Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! is now available!!! It was released into distribution on August 30, 2007. You can purchase it at Cold Tree Press by clicking on the following link: http://www.coldtreepress.com/catalog/book/187/

It should also be available to purchase from amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and booksamillion.com in about 2 weeks from now. I'm getting quite excited about marketing this book. And this marketing will be done aggressively. I will be pursuing all options to ensure this book receives maximum exposure to the press, and that public knowledge will hopefully improve ENS awareness everywhere.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

New Empty Nose Website Launched

You can now visit my website, http://www.emptynosesyndrome.net/, where you will soon be able to purchase Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! This website was setup for the sole purpose of raising further awareness for this book and hence the cause of empty nose syndrome as well. I'm anticipating this book will enter distribution either at the end of this week or sometime next week.

A special feature of this site is I will be writing a free monthly newsletter on empty nose syndrome that includes treatment tips and news related to ENS. I would encourage anyone interested to please enter your e-mail address at the bottom of this new website. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Press Release: Empty Nose Syndrome, No Laughing Matter. What it is, and what you can do about it!

Are you among the 1 in 5 Americans who suffer from sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, nasal congestion, postnasal drip, acid reflux or asthma? Having Nasal Surgery? Don’t You Become An Empty Nose Victim! details numerous treatment strategies that can improve your condition and perhaps prevent the need for surgery. Such holistic strategies include, but are not limited to:

1) Pulsatile nasal irrigation
2) Allergy medicine and injections
3) Exercise
4) Proper diet
5) Adequate sleep

It is critically important, though, that you are aware of one treatment that can make you worse - far worse. It is an overly aggressive nose surgery in which so much tissue (turbinates) is removed from the nose that there is nothing left. Symptoms of empty nose syndrome (ENS) include shortness of breath (despite a wide open nose), thick, sticky, viscous mucus, shallow sleep, along with high rates of depression - and, yes, even documented cases of suicide!

Having Nasal Surgery? Don’t You Become An Empty Nose Victim! offers an inspiring account of a nationally certified school psychologist who has lived with ENS for 10 years, a critique of the medical literature on nose surgery, politics surrounding empty nose (and why doctors do not understand it and have not taken it seriously), and key treatment strategies for it and other sinus conditions. Enthusiastically endorsed by top doctors familiar with empty nose, the audience for this book includes the lay person as well as the medical professional.

For further information, please visit my blog at http://emptynosesyndrome.blogspot.com/. For an interview or review copies, please contact me by email at webmaster@emptynosesyndrome.org

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Christopher Martin

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Some are getting ready to read it....


Encouraging words from a high-profile individual:

Thank you for referring X. I spoke briefly with her—she said your book was fantastic...I thought the cover looked tremendous and bravo for writing this—it is an important service to patients, potential patients, and ENTs! I can hardly wait to buy a copy and read it all.

******************************
Walt Ballenberger, founder of www.postnasaldrip.net, a website for sinusitis sufferers like himself, sent the following notice to members of his site. Be sure to read Walt's review when it comes out. I will provide a link for you to read it when that time comes. Thanks, Walt.


Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become an Empty Nose Victim!, by Christopher Martin, will be released and available in 1-2 weeks.

If you are considering sinus surgery or even if you have had one, this book can provide valuable information about empty nose syndrome (ENS). This is a tragic condition caused by excessive cutting and removal of turbinates during sinus surgery. Chris has set up a blog for people to discuss the book at http://emptynosesyndrome.blogspot.com/

Take a look at the blog and check it out again after the book comes out. I’ll be reading it as soon as possible and will write a review and it will be available at http://www.postnasaldrip.net/.

Walt Ballenberger, founder of http://www.postnasaldrip.net/

What causes empty nose syndrome?

I have been reading on various websites where some people are questioning if allergies or sinusitis can lead to empty nose syndrome. The answer is a resounding no. Allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, postnasal drip, asthma, and acid reflux do not lead to empty nose. Only an aggressive turbinate surgery can. A CT scan and/or a thorough physical examination that details how much turbinate tissue is left, along with subjective patient reporting of symptoms, can provide a diagnosis of ENS. A cotton test, where a doctor places saline-moistened cotton in the nose, can also be used to determine whether it improves breathing or not, and consequently if the patient might have ENS. Unfortunately, there is such little understanding on empty nose syndrome that some people believe that a variety of conditions might cause empty nose - that's simply not true. This lack of knowledge and lack of readily available resources is part of the ambition for sharing my story.

The fact is only an overly aggressive nose surgery (of the turbinates) can lead to empty nose syndrome. Granted, a long-term sinus bacterial infection might lead to primary atrophic rhinitis but, given the increased antibiotic use and improved hygiene, this is rather rare in the Western World. What some people might be suffering from is in fact enlarged turbinates that are blocking breathing. Do I suffer from sinusitis and allergic rhinitis? Yes, I do, I have nasal and sinus inflammation, but this inflammation is not blocking breathing as it is with patients who have enlarged turbinates that largely block the airways. I have difficulties with breathing (among other nasal issues) because too much of the turbinates have been removed and my nasal airway is too wide open - a very hard concept for some doctors and patients to understand.

I believe that not all turbinate surgeries result in ENS. If they did, they would have ended long ago. But some do, and that's a point I hope every reader of this blog appreciates. And I further readily acknowledge a conservative turbinate surgery can be helpful, but I am a firm believer that all reasonable non-surgical treatments should be exhausted prior to undergoing surgery. It is just better practice to try to do everything possible before going under the knife. My experiences are proof of that.

Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! describes what non-surgical treatment ideas are beneficial for treating the nose, which might prevent the need for surgery in the first place. Many treatment strategies for empty nose, although it is a distinct and different problem, apply to sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and postnasal drip. It also critiques the medical literature on nose surgeries so that a patient can make an informed decision when and if they decide to pursue a turbinate surgery. I am not aware of any books that tackle the medical literature on turbinate surgeries and present the options in straightforward language, without vested interests of protecting surgery. Most books will just say if after you have tried various treatment strategies, then surgery might be a good option for you; here is how to prepare for it and what to expect. Conversely, Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! details which turbinate surgeries are safer than other ones based upon the literature, which ones might leave you most at risk for empty nose, and what important questions to ask your doctor before surgery. This newfound knowledge might intimidate your doctor, but an informed patient is all the more power to you. Hopefully your doctor will appreciate that you want to take more of an active role in your health. Because you are the one who needs to take control of your health. No one else will do that for you.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Does this book apply to you? If you made it to this blog, I bet it does!

Some who browse this blog might think "empty nose," I never heard of it, so Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! must not apply to me. If you are one of them, in my earnest attempt to prove you wrong, let me ask you the following questions:

1) Do you have allergies? If you are among the millions of Americans who answered yes, then let me inform you that so do I. In fact, if I had treated them properly, perhaps I could have prevented the need for surgery in the first place. Allergies lead to enlarged turbinates, which doctors resect. When doctors resect too much turbinate tissue, it can lead to ENS.

2) Do you have sinusitis? If you are among the millions of Americans who answered yes, then let me inform you that so do I. Sometimes turbinates are removed in conjunction with a sinus surgery to better access certain sinuses (e.g., ethmoid sinuses).

3) Do you have postnasal drip? If you are among the millions of Americans who answered yes, then let me inform you that so do I. If you do not treat postnasal drip properly, you could develop sinus infections. Strategies in this book are proven to effectively treat postnasal drip. And not only are these strategies doctor-endorsed, these strategies come directly from a patient who has many of these conditions!

4) Do you have acid reflux? If you are among the millions of Americans who answered yes, then let me inform you that so do I. And my acid reflux either gets better or worse, depending on the treatments I do for my nose. Strategies in this book can effectively treat acid reflux.

5) Do you have asthma? OK, I admit, you got me on this one, because thankfully I do not have asthma. Many ENS sufferers do have asthma, though. But I do have allergies. And 60% of asthma patients have what is called "allergy-induced" asthma.

6) If you are considering nose surgery or have empty nose syndrome, then this book most certainly applies to you! :) Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become An Empty Nose Victim! includes a review of medical literature on nose surgeries from a patient who has no vested interests.

However, if you still do not believe this book applies to you, then I should ask if you have family and friends who have sinus problems or know someone considering or who has had nose surgery. If you answered "no" to those questions, then I concede this book perhaps does not apply to you. But nevertheless, I still extend an invitation for you to read my story anyway because it addresses an unspoken, undeniably tragic, real-life medical issue that is in need of further attention.

I thank you for your interest! I'm already very excited about the enthusiastic comments I have received about Having Nasal Surgery? Don't You Become an Empty Nose Victim! from people who answered "no" to questions 1 -6 and could not book this book down. I can't wait to share my experiences and ideas with you....

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Review by an ENS Sufferer

I received the following comments from an ENS sufferer whose surgery of 3 months ago led to ENS:

I have read through the book and have found it really helpful. Chris' story is inspiring.. how he has suffered with ENS for so long and manages to still have a positive outlook. I think it covers a lot of important information, both technical and emotional. It is a book that many people could read -- sufferers of ENS, friends and family, people thinking about getting surgery. It has helped me to gain a better understanding of what to expect, what turbinates are, their functions in the body, and how to better live with this serious condition. Oh! I wish I was informed like this before the surgery.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

A Valuable Sinus Self-help Resource


Have you had nose surgery, but

now find that you are

experiencing:


1) Shortness of breath (despite a wide

open nose)?


2) Chronic nasal dryness?


3) Thick, sticky mucus?


4) Does the air you inhale seem too

cold or dry?


5) Have you felt anxious or even

depressed over it?


If you have had nose surgery and could answer "yes" to any of the above, then there is the possibility you might have empty nose syndrome....Read on...

Based upon living with empty nose syndrome for 10 years, a nationally certified school psychologist (N.C.S.P.) has written a valuable sinus self-help resource for patients as well as the medical community, which will cost you less than a lunch at McDonald's....

Symptoms of ENS include shortness of breath (despite a wide open nose), nasal dryness, throat irritation, thick, sticky mucus, and sometimes chronic sinusitis. Many with ENS are depressed. Some have even committed suicide. Endorsed by well-known doctors familiar with ENS, Chris offers a genuine message to the reader and hope for the injured patient through:

1) His personal triumph in coping with ENS. There is room for hope as Chris shares his personal story.
2) A critique of turbinate surgeries for anyone considering nasal surgery. After reviewing the medical literature, Chris has strived to inform and empower YOU, the patient considering nose surgery, to know which turbinate surgeries are more effective than other ones and which ones might leave you at higher risk for empty nose syndrome. Doctors will always tell you their particularly surgeries are safe and effective, whether it be laser, cautery or a resection procedure, but as a patient Chris has no vested interests -- he will tell you flatly which ones are safest, which ones will leave you most at risk for empty nose syndrome, and what questions to ask based upon the literature.
3) An inside look at the politics of ENS. (Never-before explored!)
4) Best treatments for ENS, many of which also apply to sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, postnasal drip (PND), GERD, and asthma. More than 40 pages of the book is devoted to treatment strategies. Did you know that by effectively treating the nose, you might be able to treat or prevent other problems as well? Did you know that many of the strategies for treating the nose and sinuses also apply to other conditions, such as even acid reflux and asthma? Yes, they do! And this resource lays out why it is so important to treat the nose effectively, how these are all inter-connected, and most importantly, exactly what you can do about it....based upon Chris' experiences as a patient with many of these conditions.

Now, read what well-known doctors, an expert indexer, and empty nose sufferers have said about this book below in this blog or view the Table of Contents, which also includes quotes from the book, by going to the February section of this blog.

Read on....

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Expert Indexer Signs On...

Just recently, it was determined that Margy Olmstead, an expert indexer from Oak Grove Indexing Services at http://www.oakgroveindex.com/, will be creating the index for this book. Margy informed me that she sometimes does indexes for Health Communications, Inc., which is a top publisher of health information today.

Margy wrote to me: I have looked at your book and am delighted to provide it with an index. You have written a valuable book for ENS sufferers and the medical community. In later correspondence, she wrote: I have said this before, but I am really impressed with your book and hope Cold Tree can give it great distribution. As you know audiences for the book will include both lay people who are considering surgery or treatment and the medical community hence the index must be accessible to both. Given these considerations, I will include a peer review to be certain I give this fine, informative book the index it deserves!

I am certain she will do an exceptional job for this book and I look forward to working with her, as I am confident her efforts will enhance the final product.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

What Top Doctors Had to Say....


“Chris Martin's book is a must-read for anyone with nasal problems so they, too, can understand ENS and avoid becoming an ENS patient. His up-to-date information can empower the patient to best therapies.”

-Murray Grossan, M.D., Author of The Sinus Cure and inventor of the Grossan HydroPulse Nasal-Sinus Irrigation System

“I applaud Chris’ attempt to bring this critically important issue to the public’s attention. If one person can be saved from the devastation this surgery can cause, he will have performed a great service.”

-Wellington S. Tichenor, M.D., Creator of award-winning website http://www.sinuses.com/, and wrote the introduction for this book

"Chris is addressing a tremendously important issue in otolaryngology. Empty nose syndrome is a real entity that requires further investigation. Although Chris' book is written for the general public, I truly hope my colleagues in ENT will read this book and take it to heart.

-Steven M. Houser, M.D., ENT specialist, MetroHealth Medical Center and the Cleveland Nasal, Sinus and Sleep Center, assistant professor, Case Western Reserve, and wrote the foreword for this book

Sunday, June 17, 2007

June Update

Update...
I have been continuing to work on the book with Cold Tree Press, and am still anticipating a publication date around August 11th, 2007. The senior designer at Cold Tree has produced a cover page (which you will notice to the right). She has also started the initial formatting of the interior of the book. It is quite exhilarating to see these efforts over the past year come to fruition. It is about time empty nose will be taken seriously!

On the marketing front...
Locally, I have talked with a small bookstore owner and they have offered for me to do a book signing. I have also requested to write a piece for my local newspaper (circulation 60,000), which I am confident will happen. On a personal level, I have also been able to get family, friends and colleagues interested in reading the book. This book will be available on many different websites, such as Allergy Buyer's club, Dr. Tichenor's website, Dr. Grossan's website, as well as Barnes N' Noble's and Amazon's websites. All these developments are encouraging to me. Once the book is out, I will pursue further marketing in numerous media outlets to ensure the voice of empty nose is heard loud and clear, never to be forgotten!

What about its critics?
I anticipate this book will have its critics, because empty nose is considered a controversial topic and I do not shy away from discussing the politics of it all; rather, I view discussing politics of empty nose as providing the reader with necessary context and documenting history on empty nose syndrome. And the fact is I have truth on my side (that I present in a fair, but firm manner). And personal experience. I am attempting to reveal that truth and that is what scares the critic the most. Truths such as:

1) doctors have largely ignored ENS
2) there may be millions suffering from ENS
3) ENS is a tremendously important problem in need of far greater attention

To that end, I sincerely hope and pray this book will have its intended effect. Please stay tuned.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Publication Soon

I am pleased to announce that I have submitted the book, Having Nasal Surgery? Don’t You Become an Empty Nose Victim!, for publication. Cold Tree Press (http://www.coldtreepress.com) has notified me that it takes on average 90 days from the date of submission until publication, as they strive to make their books in the best possible condition for the market. That means this book will be published sometime in the summer, perhaps by August 11th. I will keep you posted as this date approaches.

Cold Tree Press is one of the top self-publishers in America and this company is selective regarding the manuscripts they publish. I feel fortunate to be working with such a talented publishing company. As you can see above, they have already created a great cover design for this book and I look forward to continued working with them on it.

Empty Nose Sufferers on the ENS Book

Although the book will not be out until August 11, I have been communicating with a patietn who had a nose surgery just 3 months ago and is now experiencing full-blown ENS symptoms. I knew she was suffering quite a bit, so I shared my adobe pdf of the book with her. Below is what she wrote after she read the the book:

I have read through the book and have found it really helpful. Chris' story is inspiring.. how he has suffered with ENS for so long and manages to still have a positive outlook. I think it covers a lot of important information, both technical and emotional. It is a book that many people could read -- sufferers of ENS, friends and family, people thinking about getting surgery. It has helped me to gain a better understanding of what to expect, what turbinates are, their functions in the body, and how to better live with this serious condition. Oh! I wish I was informed like this before the surgery. I would definitely suggest this book to my friends and family so that they have a better understanding of what ENS is and what it entails. There are so many people every year who get butchered by doctors who for one reason or another do not inform their patients properly of the procedure and possible side effects. This is a problem in many areas of medicine. Chris' book is a reminder not to go blindly into surgery but also to live bravely with things one cannot change.

I wish to thank this patient for her kind comments. I really hope her condition improves and her prognosis is good. And I hope the readers of this blog will find her comments useful.

The interest from members of the empty nose syndrome forum at (http://www.emptynosesyndrome.org/) is encouraging to me. This is a great website for ENS patients to come together and support each other. (I read posts on the ENS forum on a daily basis.) This website contains a lively discussion forum, a section where Dr. Houser answers questions, and a tutorial on the nose and turbinates. A half-hour audio tape of Dr. Eugene Kern’s lecture on empty nose syndrome is also available.

I thought it would be helpful to post some of their thoughts they have publicly posted on the ENS forum in support of this book:

Forum Member "3":

Very impressive! You should get the 21st century genius award.

Forum Member "TT":

I think it’s great to put a face on ENS. I'll keep a close eye on your blog. I wish you the best of luck. Your children are adorable.

Great work on the site!!

Excellent job! The fact that there is now a book written entirely about this disorder really legitimizes the cause. Otherwise it remains just a footnote in a technical journal.

I love the name of your book. "Nasal Surgery?" Really windens up the audience to anyone having nasal surgery over just people that found out they have ENS. I hope you're able to get a wide distribution into mainstream stores across the country. It is important to get the word out.

Forum Member "Simon81":

Wow, looks good Chris. Nice Job.

Forum Member "Sp1d3rdan":

Chris, Great work! You should give them away at Medical Schools so that the latest group of ENTs are aware of this.

Forum Member "Andrew":

Looks great. Best of luck and thank you for doing this!!

Forum Member "Tom":

Great cover, looks very nice. I can't wait to read it.

Forum Member "Matt":

Howdy Chris, Thanks for all the effort. I look forward to reading it! Best, Matt

Forum Member "MF":

Chris, You really have to be commended. Working this hard on a book that can not really help your self that much, yet can save hundreds or thousands of people the distress we all experience, is a noble and selfless act. Bravo!

Forum Member "Jdog":

Looking forward to the book Chris!!

....I'm excited for the book! It should be pre-requsite reading by the doctor before you agree to surgery.

Dr. Tichenor on the ENS Book

I am very happy to announce support from Dr. Wellington Tichenor. Dr. Tichenor wrote the Introduction to the book. He is a medical specialist in sinusitis who does not perform surgery, but primarily treats patients who have not responded well to surgery, such as ENS patients. Dr. Tichenor is a leader in both prevention and treatment of ENS. His website, http://www.sinuses.com, has won numerous awards for outstanding content.

Here is Dr. Tichenor’s back cover endorsement:

“I applaud Chris’ attempt to bring this critically important issue to the public’s attention. If one person can be saved from the devastation this surgery can cause, he will have performed a great service.”

Saturday, April 14, 2007

April 2007 Reflections on Writing the ENS book

Writing a book is a lengthy, time-consuming process but it is also very rewarding, and I cannot wait to craft this ENS book into a finished product. Not only do I hope the book will help others, I also find writing to be a therapeutic process for myself as I have come to understand ENS on a deep level which,in turn, has enabled me to better understand and treat my own condition.

My primary hours of working on this book have been between 9 PM and 2 AM so I can spend time with family during the day. In the meantime, I also work a full-time job as a school psychologist.

I recall reading that the average author of a non-fiction book spends about 480 hours, or 2 years, writing it and I believe it. There is more to writing a book than just writing itself. In my book experiences, I have come upon various challenges and opportunities: researching and fully understanding scientific issues (particularly unfamiliar ones), securing copyrights for quotes of more than one word, having artists develop quality sketches, researching publishing options, numerous phone conversations, and then having it reviewed from medical and lay edit perspectives; and the book is revised numerous times to incorporate this ongoing feedback. In retrospect, I think the hardest part of writing this book was explaining the medical details, which took NUMEROUS revisions. I found myself even late in the editing stages revising medical details. In addition to being a layperson, which I made clear in the disclaimer, compounding the issue is explaining a medical topic like ENS that is complex and not well-understood. Thankfully, feedback from various doctors has helped me write a book that I believe is medically accurate. I have certainly strived for the highest level of accuracy, and patience has been to this book’s benefit.

I have had ENS for 10 years now. I first thought about writing this book 3 years ago, when I first discovered I had ENS. I started to write, but little came out as I still didn’t understand my condition that well. It was not until the past year, through the help of Dr. Houser, the empty nose website and discussions with fellow ENS sufferers, when I finally put A-B-C-D together and was able to write the book from start-to-finish. When all is said and done, this book will have been a 1-year project. It is 41,581 words in length, which means it will likely be between 150-200 pages. It will come in paperback form.

As much as I am going to work hard to promote it once it is out -- and I have been assured it will be listed on numerous high-traffic websites (Dr. Grossan believes sales are assured)-- I am also thankful to be bringing it to a close so I can focus on family and friends more.

Thus far, I have had my book reviewed by 4 ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists and 3 lay persons. My chief editor, a good friend of mine with an English degree, spent nearly 2 months editing it to a "t" and he did an amazing job; his efforts will significantly enhance the finished product.

*Dr. Eugene Kern, Past President of the American Rhinologic Society and International Rhinologic Society who coined the term "empty nose syndrome," read my book and was quite positive about it. He remarked that my story was "compelling." Like the other doctors, he gave me many ideas on how I could improve the medical aspect of it and considerations to address.

*Dr. Murray Grossan also offered numerous ideas on how to enhance the book and his contribution has been invaluable. He is a true champion of the ENS cause and it has been a great pleasure corresponding with him regularly about the book. He also has a great sense of humor. His revised and updated version of The Sinus Cure just came out on April 10. Page 269 has a nice summary of empty nose syndrome.

*And of course, Dr. Steven Houser was the doctor who gave me the ambition to write it and has offered immense support as well.

In attempt to raise awareness for the ENS book, Walt Ballenberger, founder of the Postnasal Drip Website, has offered book commentary on the following links (interestingly, my book managed to get onto "women's fitness" links);

www.postnasaldrip.net/Blog/

ezinearticles.com/?Pulsatile-Irrigation,-ENS,-and-Other-Sinus-Issues--A-Discussion--Part-1&id=466841">

articles411.com/article.php?id=44414&act=print

abc.eznettools.net/.../bbtopic.cgi?

SUID=X305810&&topic=Empty_Nose_Syndrome&&category=3

www.womens-interests.com/health-and-fitness/page_18.html

www.refinance-mortgage-search.info/walt.htm

www.thepharmaweb.com/healthcare/Pulsatile%20Irrigation,%20ENS,%20and%20Other%20Sinus%20Ossies-%20A%20Disc...

bobbie.lovestoblog.info/index.php/archives/date/2007/02/26/

Walt has not read the book yet, but he plans to buy it once it is out. In these comments, he remarked I am a "driving force" behind the ENS symposium at http://www.emptynosesyndrome.org, but I have informed him I am not, just an ENS sufferer who wants to help others suffering from the same condition. I just do not wish to take credit where it is not due.

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Dr. Houser on the ENS book

Chris is addressing a tremendously important issue in otolaryngology. Empty nose syndrome is a real entity that requires further investigation. It is fully preventable if the otolaryngology community will embrace it and work to understand it. Furthermore, it is not a hopeless situation; there is hope for improvement and recovery. Although Chris' book is written for the general public, I truly hope my colleagues in ENT will read this book and take it to heart.

-- Steven M. Houser, M.D.
http://www.geocities.com/shouser144/index.html

Dr. Grossan on the ENS book

Chris has done a fine job of presenting empty nose syndrome (ENS). Remarkably this subject is practically unknown by the medical profession. Patients present with I can't breathe through my nose, not getting enough air, I am constantly sick, loss of sense of smell, not sleeping at night. The doctor sees a wide open nose that you can drive a truck through and can't understand the complaints.

But it is like a garden hose - if it is narrow it reaches the far wall, the opening is wide open, the water drips at your feet. The symptoms of ENS are serious and Chris does a fine job explaining what to do.

-- Murray Grossan, M.D.
http://www.ent-consult.com
http://www.grossan.com
http://www.hydromedonline.com/presentingthehydropulse

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