STRESS TEST - Richard Mabry - One Free Book

Welcome back, Richard. Tell us about your salvation experience.

No fireworks, no bells and whistles. I accepted Christ in my home at age 12, during a conversation with my grandmother.

You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

Really tough question, and one that’s going to bother me when I think later, “I should have chosen—.” Assuming we’re talking about living authors, names that come to mind are James Scott Bell (to teach me about plot and structure), Jim Rubart (to help me with marketing), Alton Gansky (to encourage me to think outside the box), and BJ Hoff (to give me level-headed advice).

Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

Actually, after the publication of my non-fiction book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse, I spoke frequently to various grief groups and church groups. After the publication of my first novel, I was asked to speak and teach in a number of venues. I don’t actively seek these opportunities, since I have more on my plate than I can handle, but will always consider invitations to teach and speak when I can work it into my schedule. Matter of fact, I’ll be speaking to our mutual ACFW group, the DFW Ready Writers, soon.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?

One of the nice things about getting to this age is that most of the bad things in my life happened so long ago I have pushed them completely out of my mind. I do recall my shock when I saw the grade from my first gross anatomy lab exam in med school. I’d been an easy “A” student in high school and college, but I anchored the freshman class on this one. How did I handle it? Pretty much as you’d expect. I wanted to protest the grade, then I wanted to quit, and finally I buckled down and determined to do better. Come to think of it, that’s pretty much the way I handle a bad review even now.

People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

First of all, I’d try not to laugh. Most people have no idea how hard it is to write a book, much less write a good one. I’d urge them to buy—and study— about a half dozen of the best basic books on plot and structure, character development, story arc, and other aspects of the craft. Then I’d encourage them to attend a writer’s conference. By the time they’ve done all that, they should have a pretty good idea of whether they really want to try writing. If so, more power to them.

Tell us about the featured book, Stress Test.

Kidnapping leads to a near-deadly escape. What would you do if you woke to find you’ve been charged with murder? And there’s no evidence to prove otherwise? They may not have enough evidence to convict him, but they have enough to ruin his life.

Sounds totally intriguing. Please give us the first page of the book.

Would you accept page 2? I think it gives a better flavor of the novel.

Sure. No problem.

It wasn’t hard for Dr. Matt Newman to spot his silver Chevy Impala in the darkest corner of the deserted hospital garage. There weren’t many cars still there at two a.m., and soon there would be one fewer. He fished his keys from the pocket of his white lab coat and thumbed the unlock button on his remote. His hand was on the door handle when something yanked him backward and cut off his air in mid-breath. Matt dropped the keys and reached up with both hands to pry at the arm that encircled his neck.

     

In an instant Matt was slammed facedown to the cement floor. He heard a crack and felt the knife-like agony of breaking ribs. The searing pain in his chest made each labored breath more difficult. A weight pinned him to the ground like a butterfly on a specimen board.

Matt struggled, but his assailant held him fast. Fire shot through his shoulders as his arms were yanked together. There was a quick rip of tape and in seconds, his wrists were bound tightly behind him. Rough hands encircled his ankles with more tape, leaving him helpless and immobile. At the same time, someone else grabbed his hair and lifted his head. Matt gave a shrill cry before three quick turns of tape muffled his voice and turned the world black.

He tried to lift his head, but stopped abruptly when something hard and cold pressed against the back of his neck. Matt lowered his face onto the garage floor and went limp. He felt hope escape like air from a punctured tire.

Wow! I know James and I will love this book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://rmabry.com. I blog twice a week at http://rmabry.blogspot.com. My Facebook fan page is http://facebook.com/rmabrybooks. And my Twitter handle is @RichardMabry. Of course, readers can always send me an email at Dr R L Mabry at yahoo dot com.

Thanks for having me here, Lena. I hope your readers will like Stress Test.

Thank you for sharing it with us.

Richard Mabry is celebrating the release of Stress Test with a Nook HD Giveaway! Enter today.

One winner will receive:

• A brand new Nook HD
• A $15 gift certificate to BarnesandNoble.com

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 27th. Winner will be announced on 4/29/13 at Richard's blog.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Stress Test - paperback
Stress Test - Kindle


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, 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.
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LETHAL REMEDY - Richard Mabry - Free Book

Welcome back, Richard. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

My Prescription For Trouble series is about people much like myself, with all their doubts, fears, and shortcomings. In it, I try to show the role of trusting God in getting through the dark times. Everything doesn’t always work out the way they plan or hope, but sometimes He has an even better plan. They may stray from God, even feel like they’ve lost Him, but when they turn they find He’s been there all the time.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

I’ve been fortunate to have three books in this series published by Abingdon Press, and in a series of events that can only be interpreted as a “God thing,” I was given a contract for a fourth book if I could have it ready by the deadline. I could and did, and Lethal Remedy will be published around September 1.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

My pastor, Dr. Chuck Swindoll. I don’t think he’d ever run out of stories and anecdotes, and he’s laugh louder than anyone else at the table.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

I’m retired from medicine, but my heart is still there, so I’d choose Sir William Osler, often referred to as the father of modern medicine. He pioneered specialty training, took medical students out of the classroom and to the bedside for completion of their education, and is quoted as saying, “Listen to the patient. He is telling you what is wrong with him.” I’d love to hear about the battles he fought with the system of the day as he helped modernize the training of physicians.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

It’s tough to get published, which is why so many writers are turning to self-publishing and e-publishing in frustration. I garnered forty rejections over four years while writing four books before I ever got a contract. Others have been rejected twice that many times before they succeed. With each rejection, try to figure out the reason and correct it. Write, get a critique from a knowledgeable person (not your Aunt Tillie), correct your mistakes, write some more. There comes a time when it’s futile to keep polishing the same story. Don’t be afraid to start fresh. And, as Winston Churchill said, “Never give up.”

Tell us about the featured book.

Here’s the proposed back cover copy:

This "miracle drug" could kill more than bacteria.

            Dr. Sara Miles’ patient is on the threshold of death from an overwhelming, highly resistant infection with Staphylococcus luciferus, known to doctors as “the killer.” Only an experimental antibiotic, developed and administered by Sara’s ex-husband, Dr. Jack Ingersoll, can save the girl's life.

            Dr. John Ramsey is seeking to put his life together after the death of his wife by joining the medical school faculty. But his decision could prove to be costly, even fatal.

Potentially lethal late effects from the experimental drug send Sara and her colleague, Dr. Rip Pearson, on a hunt for hidden critical data that will let them reverse the changes before it’s too late. What is the missing puzzle piece? And who is hiding it?

Please give us the first page of the book.

No one knew the man’s name. White male, probably in his late seventies, found unresponsive in an alley about two AM and brought to the emergency room. Just another homeless derelict, another John Doe.

“Pneumonia, late stages,” the intern said. He yawned. “Happens all the time. Drank himself into a stupor, vomited, aspirated. Probably been lying in that alley for more than a day. Doesn’t look like he’ll make it.”

“Labs cooking? Got a sputum culture going?”

“Yeah, but it’ll take a day or two to get the results of the culture. The smear looks like Staph. Guess I’ll give him—”

“Wait. I’ve got access to an experimental drug that might help. Let me start him on that.”

The intern shrugged. It was two AM. He’d been on duty for more than twenty-four hours straight—why’d Johnson’s wife have to go into labor today?—and he was bushed. The bum probably didn’t have a snowball’s chance of surviving anyway. Why not? “You’ll be responsible?”

“I’ll take it from here. Even do the paperwork.”

“Deal,” the intern said, and ambled off to see the next patient.

Three hours later, John Doe lay on a gurney in a corner of the ER. An IV ran into one arm, a blood pressure cuff encircled the other. Spittle dripped from his open mouth and dotted his unshaven chin. His eyes were open and staring.

“Acute anaphylaxis, death within minutes. Interesting.” He scratched his chin. “Guess I need to make some adjustments in the compound.” He picked up the almost-blank chart. “I’ll say I gave him ampicillin and sulbactam. That should cover it.”  

I can't wait for my book to arrive. James and I both love reading your suspense novels. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://rmabry.com, and I blog twice weekly at http://rmabry.blogspot.com. I’m on Twitter as RichardMabry and FaceBook as Richard.Mabry. I hope your readers will visit me. And thanks for this opportunity, Lena. I appreciate your friendship and support.


I love having you here, Doc. 



Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.


 Lethal Remedy (Prescription for Trouble, Book 4)


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (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 Feedblitz, Facebook, 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

DIAGNOSIS DEATH - Richard Mabry - Free Book

I read this book before it released, and it is awesome. I love Richard's medical suspense novels. Welcome, Richard, God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

I feel like I’ve been on a fast ride. Diagnosis Death is my third novel published in the space of twelve months. The fourth, Lethal Remedy, will come out in September, and after that things should slow down. I’m working on proposals for a couple of novels, and waiting to see what doors God will open next.

Tell us a little about your family.

As you know, my first wife passed away in 1999 after forty years of marriage, and I was devastated. But God has blessed me once more with the love of a wonderful woman, and Kay and I have recently celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. She deserves a great deal of credit for keeping me on an even keel.

We have five grandchildren, three boys and two girls ranging from 12 to 2 years of age, and because they all live in the region, we stay busy with grand-parenting duties. But they keep us young.

I know what you mean. We have two grandsons, two granddaughters, from 25 to 15, and one great grandson, who is alomost 4. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Well, it’s taken away some of the time I used to spend reading for pleasure. And it definitely has changed the way I read. Alton Gansky, in one of the first workshops I attended, said, “If you start writing, you’ll never read the same way again.” And he was right. When I read a novel, I’m always aware of how an author draws me into the book and keeps my interest. Unfortunately, I’ve also become much more aware of slip-ups like shifting point of view and use of the passive voice.

What are you working on right now?

I have two projects, one of which is another medical thriller featuring a male protagonist, a physician, and a strong female character, an attorney. He wakes up from a head injury and finds himself accused of murder, but has no idea why. The other is a bit of a departure from my usual “medical suspense with heart,” in which I interweave the stories of three main characters: a female doctor whose marriage is crumbling, a male medical student who’s struggling with life decisions, and a nurse who’s fighting for her life.

They both sound interesting to me. What outside interests do you have?

Since the death of my first wife, a good friend and I have played golf every Wednesday. We’re heretics, because we don’t keep score and have no qualms hitting another ball after a bad shot. Kay and I are active in our church, Stonebriar Community Church, where we are involved in a home fellowship and help facilitate the new member class. And, of course, there’s grand-parenting.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I’ve chosen to set my books in the area I know: North Texas. All take place either in Dallas or in a fictitious smaller city that I’ve put together from experience in my hometown, the city where I attended college, and the suburb where I’ve lived. It certainly cuts down on my research.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

A novelist has to be able to drop clues into the work and at the end put them together, much like a doctor interpreting a history and looking over lab test results. I’d like to spend an evening with Sir William Osler, the father of modern medical diagnosis. I think it would be fascinating to hear some of the pearls he’d impart.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

Wow, just one? I guess it would be that the craft of writing isn’t simple, and once you have mastered the fundamentals it’s going to require hours and hours and hours of writing before it eventually starts to come together. Maybe that would have kept me from being so impatient.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Every day can present a challenge or a reward, and I have to be prepared for either and accept them both with grace.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Learn the fundamentals from people who communicate them accurately.
Write, write, write. Then have the work critiqued by someone who’s knowledgeable, and revise it.
Be patient. Never submit a book until you’ve polished it as well as you can. You only have one chance with agents and editors.

Tell us about the featured book.

The whispers about Dr. Elena Gardner said “mercy killer.” It starts with her husband’s death in the ICU, continues when another patient under her care dies, and eventually drives her to another city. But a change of scenery doesn’t stop the rumors or the midnight phone calls. Why doesn’t she defend herself? What’s her secret?

Please give us the first page of the book.

She stood by his bedside and waited for him to die.

Outside the room, the machines and monitors of the ICU hummed and beeped, doctors and nurses went about their business, and the hospital smell—equal parts antiseptic and despair—hung heavy in the air.

With one decisive move she flipped the switch of the respirator and stilled the machine’s rhythmic chuffing. In the silence that followed, she imagined she could hear his heartbeat fade away.

She kissed him and exhaled what passed for a prayer, her lips barely moving as she asked for peace and forgiveness—for him and for her.

She stood for a moment with her head bowed, contemplating the enormity of her action. Then she pocketed the empty syringe from the bedside table and tiptoed out of the room.

I'm telling you, Readers, you won't want to miss this one. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://rmabry.com/. I blog twice a week at Random Jottings: http://rmabry.blogspot.com/. And I’m on Facebook and Twitter as RichardMabry.

Thanks for spending this time with us, Richard.

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.



Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (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 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, 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/

MEDICAL ERROR - Richard Mabry - Free Book

I'm thrilled to feature Richard with his new book Medical Error. I read the ARC and loved it. I wrote a review of the book. Click on the tab at the top of this page that says Reviews - Books I've Read and go down the page until you find it.

Welcome, Richard. Why do you write the kind of books you do?


I write “medical suspense with heart.” Let’s break it down:
I practiced medicine for over four decades, so it’s no surprise that my novels have a medical setting.
I’ve been reading suspense all my adult life, and I’ve learned a few things about it along the way, so I write suspense.
You can take the “with heart” a couple of ways. There’s a bit of romance, although not enough to make the male audience put down the book. But my work also features the love God has for His children. And that’s important for me to communicate.

And you do it so well. Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

God has given me so many great days that it’s hard to choose. I suppose I’d pick the day I first held my granddaughter.

Yes, holding each grandchild for the first time is like touching heaven. How has being published changed your life?

It has validated the call I felt when I attended my first writing conference. I went there thinking I’d like to write a non-fiction book after the death of my first wife. The publication of that book, The Tender Scar, fulfilled that particular dream. But the subsequent publication of my novels, Code Blue and Medical Error, makes me more certain than ever that God has called me into this endeavor after my retirement from medicine.

What are you reading right now?

I tend to re-read the works of some of my favorite authors in order to keep my own writing fresh. I’ve just finished a legal thriller by John Grisham and a medical thriller by friend/fellow physician Michael Palmer. These are in addition to the “to be read” pile of books by my fellow Christian fiction authors.

What is your current work in progress?

I’ve completed all three of the books contracted by Abingdon and am currently at work on my next novel. Here’s a taste. “A man she swore she’d never trust again offered a drug that could save lives. It looked like a miracle drug until deadly side effects surfaced.”

I'm interested in it already. What would be your dream vacation?

Two weeks with Kay on Maui, with no cell phone or Internet access.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

As much as anything, it has to do with my familiarity with the region and what fits the book’s plot. My first book was set in a smaller town because that contributed to the tension of the plot. My second book was set in a larger city—Dallas—because it offered more opportunities for me to exploit the setting.

I agree with you. I just finished teaching a workshop in Shreveport yesterday on Taking the Setting to the Next Level. If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

My pastor, Chuck Swindoll. Not only is he a fantastic preacher and wonderful Christian, I think he has more and better stories than anyone I’ve heard.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

That would be golf. I’ve had a standing golf date every Wednesday for many years with my friend and attorney, Jerry Gilmore. We’ve consoled each other through the death of our spouses, congratulated each other when God blessed us again with the love of wonderful women, and maintained our friendship whatever the circumstances. Oh, and we don’t keep score!

If I played golf, that's the way I'd want to play. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Sloth! It’s nice outside. There’s a book I want to read. I’d like to see a movie. But instead I have to write. How do I overcome it? Like anyone else, I just do it. Apply rear end to chair, write, revise, keep at it. Lather, rinse, repeat.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Learn everything you can about the craft. When you think you know it all, realize you don’t, so keep studying. Practice, practice, practice. Get your work critiqued by someone who knows whereof they speak (not your Aunt Erma, she’s prejudiced). And don’t give up. God’s timing isn’t ours.

Tell us about the featured book.

Here’s a little about Medical Error:

Dr. Anna McIntyre’s life was going along just fine until someone else started living it. Her patient died because of an identity mix-up, her medical career is in jeopardy because of forged prescriptions, and her credit is in ruins. She thought things couldn’t get worse, but that was before she opened the envelope and saw a positive HIV test with her name on it.

Her allies are two men who are also competing for her affection. Dr. Nick Valentine is a cynic who carries a load of guilt. Attorney Ross Donovan is a recovering alcoholic. The deeper Anna digs to discover who’s behind the identity thefts, the higher the stakes. Finally, when her life is on the line, Anna finds that her determination to clear her name might have been a prescription for trouble.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Eric Hatley’s last day alive began routinely enough.

He paused beside his brown delivery truck, shifted the bulky package, and turned in a tight circle to search for the right apartment.

Shouts filled the air. Firecrackers exploded all around him. A dozen red-hot pokers bored holes through his gut.

The package flew from his arms. He crumpled into a privet hedge at the edge of the sidewalk, clutching his midsection and recoiling when his fingers encountered something wet and slimy.

A wave of nausea swept over him. Cold sweat engulfed him.

Eric managed one strangled cry before everything faded to black.

* * *
Dr. Anna McIntyre bumped the swinging door with her hip and backed into Parkland Hospital’s Operating Room Six, her dripping hands held in front of her, palms inward. “Luc, tell me what you’ve got.”

Chief surgical resident, Dr. Luc Nguyn, didn’t look up from the rectangle of abdomen outlined by green draping sheets and illuminated by strong surgical lights. “UPS driver, making a delivery in the Projects. Got caught in the crossfire of a gang rumble. Took four bullets in the belly. Pretty shocky by the time he got here.”

“Find the bleeding source?”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://rmabry.com. I blog twice a week at http://rmabry.blogspot.com/.
And I can be found on Twitter and Facebook as RichardMabry

Lena, thanks for having me as your guest. I hope your readers like Medical Error.

I'm sure they will. Thanks for sharing it with us.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.














Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. (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 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

CODE BLUE - Richard Mabry, MD - Free Book

I've been looking forward to running this interview with my friend, Dr. Richard Mabry. I've read and reviewed Code Blue. You can find the review by clicking on the Book Review link at the top of this blog. Welcome, Richard. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Well, obviously I use what I learned in 36 years of medical practice to make that part of my writing authentic. In everything else, I use a lot of imagination to make the characters come to life. I don’t think that there’s much of me in the male leads of my books—maybe what I’d like to be. For the female characters, especially the protagonists, I depend on my wife for input.

Kay didn't lead you astray with any of the female characterizations. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Conquered my fear of heights long enough to walk across the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver, BC. It’s 150 yards long and 230 feet high (that’s 23 stories!) and it sways with every step. Never again.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I guess it depends on what you mean by “writer.” While I was practicing medicine, I wrote or edited eight textbooks and had over a hundred medical papers published. After my first wife died, I used journaling as a coping tool, and the process of turning those thoughts into the basis for a book (The Tender Scar) was the first step toward writing seriously. I think the turning point came at the Christian Writers’ Conference at Glorieta, NM, in 2003, and the people who got me started on the road to serious writing were James Scott Bell and Alton Gansky.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

More than 90% of what I read falls into the realm of adventure, suspense, mystery, and police procedurals. The other part consists mainly of non-fiction work like the books written by my pastor, Dr. Chuck Swindoll.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I mentioned The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse. Kregel published that in 2006, and it’s still selling and ministering. My first novel was about a doctor who failed as a professional baseball player, then got a second chance, but discovered that there’s more to life than either medicine or baseball. The second novel dealt with a young surgeon struggling with the frustration of a fledgling marriage, a dying father, and a wife who’s the target of a stalker. The third novel involved a surgeon who was kidnapped in a case of mistaken identity. About that time, I began to figure out that, with 85% of readers of Christian fiction being women, I’d better have a female protagonist. Thus, Dr. Cathy Sewell, the lead character in Code Blue was born.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I suppose the question of whether I’ve actually remained sane is open for discussion, but assuming I have maintained my tenuous grasp on mental health, I have to give a lot of credit to Kay. God has blessed me once again with the love of a wonderful woman, and she keeps me grounded. In addition, I’ve played golf once a week for over ten years with my friend and attorney, a standing date that began with my need for support after Cynthia died, continued after the death of his wife, and now that we’ve both remarried, just involves beating a little white ball around the course while not keeping score. Oh, and I can’t forget our church. Since moving to this area, we’ve been members of Stonebriar Community Church. Every Sunday, Dr. Chuck Swindoll blesses us and sends us out ready for the next week.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

In the beginning, I just chose random names, often combining first and last names from my past. I even dug out my high school yearbook for this. However, I soon learned that names should help the reader paint a mental picture and keep the characters straight. Now I spend a good bit of time going over names until one seems to fit the image I have in my mind for the character.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’ve been blessed with so many things, both personally and professionally, that it’s hard to settle on one. It’s not an “accomplishment,” but I’m terribly proud that my three children (Allen, Brian, Ann) have grown into fine Christians. They are all married, are making significant contributions to society, and are living out the values Cynthia and I tried to model for them. And I can’t leave out my grandchildren—again, not an accomplishment, but a source of pride nevertheless.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I suppose I’d be a cat. That way, people would feed me and care for me, and I wouldn’t have to answer to anyone.

What is your favorite food?

That’s an easy one. Anything Tex-Mex. Since moving across town, I’ve become especially partial to the chile relleno at Christina’s.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

The periodic crisis of faith that every writer experiences. You read a great book, and think, “How can I compete with this?” When that happens, I find that it helps to dig out something I’ve written and polished a while back. Quite often, I end up thinking, “I don’t really remember writing this, but it’s good.” Then I thank God for the opportunity, and try to leave the ultimate reception of my writing to Him.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

There’s so much to learn. You can’t sip from a fire hose, so take it in small doses. Learn the basics of plot and structure, point of view, all the groundwork that has to be as natural to you as breathing. The best way to do that is to attend writers’ conferences if at all possible, and supplement that with reading and re-reading some of the classic books on writing. While you’re doing all that, examine carefully the reason you want to write. If it’s for money, forget it and get a job as a greeter at Wal-Mart. If it’s for fame, stand in line to audition for American Idol. If it’s to fulfill what you feel is a divine call, ask God to keep that flame burning every day, because there are going to be many tough times that will almost extinguish it. And look upon other writers as friends and colleagues, not competitors.

Tell us about the featured book.

Why don’t I share the back cover copy? “Code Blue means more to Dr. Cathy Sewell than the cardiac emergencies she faces. It describes her mental state when she finds that returning to her hometown hasn’t brought her the peace she so desperately needs. Now two men compete for her affection; the town doctors resent the fact that she’s a woman and a newcomer; and the potentially fatal heart problem that results from one of her prescriptions may mean the end of her practice. But a killer doesn’t just want to run her out of town—they want her dead.”

Please give us the first page of the book.

As I write this, the final edits aren’t in, but here’s the opening as it currently stands.

The black SUV came barreling out of nowhere, its oversized tires straddling the centerline. Cathy jerked the steering wheel to the right and jammed the brake pedal to the floor. Her little Toyota rocked as though flicked by a giant hand before starting to spin off the narrow country road, hurtling toward the ditch and the peach orchard beyond it. For a moment Cathy felt the fearful thrill of weightlessness. Then the world turned upside down, and everything went into freeze-frame slow motion.

The floating sensation ended with a jolt, and Cathy’s scream was lost in the screech of ripping metal. The deploying airbag struck her face like a fist. The pressure of the shoulder harness took her breath away. The lap belt pressed into her abdomen, and she tasted bile and acid. When her head began to clear, she found she was hanging head-down, swaying slightly as the car rocked to a standstill. In the silence that followed, her pulse hammered in her ears like distant, rhythmic thunder.

See, Readers, isn't that a good hook? Now, Richard, how can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://rmabry.com/ , while my blog is http://rmabry.blogspot.com/ . I am also on Facebook as RichardMabry and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/RichardMabry .

Lena, thanks for this opportunity. I appreciate it, and treasure your friendship.

Richard, thanks for allowing me to showcase your debut novel.

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