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1. How did you get started writing?
My mother was a journalist and short-story writer. My great uncle on my father's side was highly recognized as a writer. As a child, I had free rein to read anything I could find. Since we lived in a rural area hours away from a large city, my mother subscribed to Reader's Digest and Book of the Month Club. I devoured biblical stories from a massive family Bible that included colored illustrations. I read through the Sears' catalog and marveled over how everyday items could be described in such a way that they became magical. I read books that my older sisters checked out from their high school library – Leon Uris was my favorite popular author when I was a child. Nathaniel Hawthorne's novels held me in thrall. I remember reading short stories by O'Henry, Saroyan and Bellow. The Lottery both fascinated and repelled me, giving me nightmares for months.
I majored in English and followed in my mother's footsteps, editing newspapers and working for magazines while working on a mystery novel (still hidden in a filing cabinet) inspired by John Grisham's writing style (my favorite author when I was in my 20s and 30s). Three decades after getting my master's in English, I went back to school and studied healthcare. I have held many varied jobs, most recently working as a quality improvement leader in the Canadian healthcare system. Those experiences inspired me to write See Me: A Jeannie Johal Thriller, my first published novel.
2. What does your writing environment look like?
My home office is lined with bookshelves and filing cabinets overstuffed with research – background papers, old newspaper clippings, travel logs, and story ideas. The folders on my desktop computer – my beloved iMac – brim with ideas. I start my writing day with a cappuccino.
3. Let's discuss your book See Me. Can you give us a short synopsis?
The hero, Jeannie Johal, is a young Indian surgeon who flees her husband and begins a new life in the Vancouver area of British Columbia. While investigating when patients are harmed in hospital, she discovers a web of intrigue fueled by oversized egos and professional rivalries. A murder investigation runs parallel to her inquiry into patient harm, and Jeannie soon finds herself being threatened.
4. How did you come up with the idea?
I worked in healthcare quality improvement in Canadian hospitals for a decade. During that time, I worked with physicians and nurses on a daily basis. Some of the most heroic physicians were also the most flawed. The nurses I worked with in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) were phenomenal – dedicated to improving patient outcomes. Most of the physicians I worked with were also impressive – people with specialized skills who devoted themselves to their patients.
Part of my work as a quality leader was to investigate when patients were harmed in hospital. To that end, I drafted a fictitious investigation where Jeannie and Kathleen investigate the unacceptable treatment given by tired, overworked Emergency department staff to a homeless, Indigenous woman. These investigations are highly confidential, and I thought readers might appreciate a glimpse into a rarely seen aspect of hospital care.
I enjoy reading suspense and appreciate strong characters. I wanted to write a fast-paced thriller that would also be a novel of self-discovery – of a child-bride becoming a strong, independent, and fearless woman. And because I believe in the power of redemption, the book ends with Jeannie forgiving her workplace tormentor and giving him a second chance.
5. The reviewer praises the well-developed characters. How did you make them so lifelike?
Many of the nurses I worked with on a daily basis were Brown, and first- or second-generation Canadians whose parents had come to Canada from the Punjab area of India. These nurses inspired the character of Jeannie – intelligent, fearless in her search for the truth, and committed to providing the best possible patient care.
6. Which character is your favorite?
All of my characters hold a place in my heart. I intended for Kathleen to be the hero, but Jeannie kept inserting herself into every scene and insisting she be heard. That's the funny thing about writing. You can have a detailed outline and characters already sketched out, but when you're actually putting words on a page, things change.
7. What's your favorite line from the book?
It occurs during the formal investigation into the poor care provided by Emergency department staff: "If the patient had been your sister,... would you agree that the care provided was adequate?" I believe that all healthcare providers should aim to provide care to patients as if the patient were their child or parent.
8. What's next for you? Any books in the works?
Yes, See Me: A Jeannie Johal Thriller is the first in a series. The second Jeannie Johal thriller will be published in 2024.
I like to end with fun questions.
9. How do you celebrate when you finish a book?
I'm not sure that a book is ever finished because feedback from a reader may result in my seeing things in a different way, and I have to resist the urge to tinker. That said, when I feel I have 'finished' a book, I let out a quiet sigh of satisfaction and actively rejoin the world around me.
10. What unconventional animal would you like to have as a pet?
Since I love all things aquatic and appreciate flexibility, I would have to say a toad because they can traverse water and land, are tremendously agile and adaptable, and are under-appreciated. They have a bad rap in literature, and I tend to cheer on the underdog. I'd be happy to rehabilitate their image.
11. Who's your hero?
Growing up in a rural community in cold, snowy Quebec, Canada, it'll be no surprise to hockey fans that my hero was Jean Béliveau, the elegant skater on the best-ever hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens. For many years, my literary hero was Ezra Pound, whose poetry is exquisite. Today, I think each of us has the capacity to be a hero – true to ourselves and those around us.
12. What's your favorite drink?
A dry double cappuccino with lots of foam and a pinch of dark chocolate powder on top.
