SURGEON'S CHOICE - Richard L Mabry, MD - One Free Ebook

Dear Readers, with the coming of the new year, we have a new story from one of my favorite suspense authors. I know many of you have enjoyed his work as much as I do.

Welcome, Richard. How did you come up with the idea for this story?

Like most of my novels and novellas, the impetus for this story was my asking, “What if?” In this case, I wondered how a surgeon would handle things if he suspected the father of his fiancé might be involved with drugs. Throw in a contentious relationship with a senior surgeon (of questionable character) and the result was a novella I think the reader will enjoy.

I’ve really been looking forward to it. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

This will be difficult, because I’m sure I’ll leave someone out. However, why don’t we start with Jim Rubart and Alton Gansky to make certain we explore non-traditional slants? Then Candace Calvert and Jordyn Redwood could introduce a medical aspect to our conversation. And, to help us if we decide to kill off a character or two, how about DiAnn Mills and Brandilyn Collins? See what kind of contemporary fiction I envision?

Yes, and I love their work, too. Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

This is a tough assignment, because I don’t usually read historical fiction, but I know I’ll want Liz Curtis Higgs in order to tap her knowledge of Biblical times, as well as Lauraine Snelling to contribute information about sod houses and pioneer days. Then there’s Sarah Sundin to help answer our questions about World War II and I can’t forget our co-host, Lena Dooley, who has won awards for her fiction of the old West. Finally, how about Kim Vogel Sawyer, whose historical fiction has lots of devotees, and Francine Rivers, whose book, Redeeming Love, is the yardstick by which others are measured? That should give us a lively discussion.

I would really enjoy being included in that party. I love the books of all the others, and I have recommended Redeeming Love to men and women who need to understand how deeply God loves them. Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?

Nothing in the writing process—ideas, writing, revising—comes easy. But the hardest thing doesn’t occur at the computer. Even though I’ve had eleven novels and four novellas published, because I’m a mid-list author (my work sells, but not at blockbuster pace), I still have to convince a publisher to partner with me. Since some authors, myself included, don’t have a “lifetime” relationship with a publisher, I’ve always found myself looking around to see who’d give me a contract next. I think that’s one benefit I’ve noted from “going indie” with my last few books.

I’m right there with you, Richard. Tell us about the featured book.

My novella, Surgeon’s Choice, features a young surgeon engaged in a contentious relationship with an older doctor in town. Then he finds that there are some things he doesn’t know about the divorce of his fiancé’s parents.

Dr. Ben Merrick and his fiancé, Rachel Gardner, can’t get her divorced parents to stay in the same room, much less attend their wedding together.  He is also looking over his shoulder expecting more trouble from a very senior surgeon who has shown he is still smarting from a previous dust-up. Ben doesn’t know if a series of mishaps and accidents are caused by a disgruntled patient’s relatives or represent more from the older surgeon.

Then his prospective father-in-law approaches him, needing money for reasons about which Ben isn’t sure. Rachel has an idea about the cause behind the request, but she doesn’t want to accept it. Then, when the deaths begin, Ben and Rachel begin to wonder if they can escape unscathed…and alive.

Please give us the first page of the book.

In the emergency room, Dr. Ben Merrick worked feverishly over the middle-aged Caucasian male. He glanced up briefly at the anesthesiologist. “Got him intubated yet?”

Dr. Rick Hinshaw answered from his position at the patient’s head. “Just got the tube in and hooked him up to positive pressure.” The rhythmic chuff of the machine pumping oxygenated air into the patient’s lungs underscored the statement. “Now I’m about to put in a second IV with a large bore needle.”

“Blood status?” Ben asked.

“A cross-match is going for six units,” the head emergency room nurse said.

Dr. Carl Rosser, the ER doctor, looked at Ben. “What would you like to do until that’s ready?”

Ben’s gaze never strayed from the man on the gurney. “More O negative blood.”

Dr. Rosser gave the order to a nurse. Then he took a penlight from the breast pocket of his white coat and shined it into the man’s eyes. He ran his gloved fingers over the patient’s bloody skull. “I’m pretty sure he has a depressed skull fracture, and it looks like his pupil’s blown on that side.”

Ben spared a moment to glance at the patient. “We need a neurosurgeon stat. See if you can get one here ASAP.”

With a nod, another nurse turned from the group gathered around the gurney and headed for the phone.

Ben turned back to his work and put his stethoscope on the patient’s abdomen, then percussed the area with his fingers. “He’s most likely got free air under the diaphragm. I’ll need a film to confirm it, but that can wait. A ruptured bowel is probably the least of his problems.”

For maybe an hour, possibly more, the doctors and the nurses assisting them worked to save the man’s life. But at last a sad look painted Ben’s countenance. He shook his head and looked at the two other doctors gathered around the gurney—first at Rosser, then at Hinshaw. They grudgingly nodded their agreement with the decision everyone had worked so hard to prevent. “That’s it,” Ben said. “He’s gone.”

Ben’s shirt was plastered to his body with sweat. He felt weak. He held out his hands and saw the fine tremor there,
the effect of adrenaline pouring into his body. He took a deep breath and tried to shut down for a moment, but his mind wouldn’t leave the problem. Had he done all he could? Was there something more?

And then, as he’d done countless nights in the months since Lawton Harrison died in the ER, Ben awoke suddenly from the nightmare. Sometimes he screamed, sometimes not. This time his dream ended in a silence that was somehow more terrible than any noise he could utter.

Good opening with a hook ending. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I blog twice a week—Tuesdays and Fridays. I’m also active on Facebook and Twitter. I have a Goodreads page, although I don’t visit it very often. And people can always email me at Dr R L Mabry at gmail dot com (I’ve used this format to avoid web crawlers).

Thank you, Richard, for sharing this new book with us. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

Surgeon’s Choice

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com