2/17/2012

EVERYONE NEEDS A LITTLE SAVING

THE BABY WHO SAVED DR. CYNICAL
Mills & Boon
Medical Romance
ISBN-10: 0263891550

Damn.  He hated these cases. 


The little dark-haired girl wasn’t quite four yet.  She had big brown eyes that looked up to him to make her feel better.

He flipped through her chart, noting all the tests she’d gone through.  The kid had been poked by more needles than a porcupine had.  She couldn’t understand..

Stay objective.  Sympathy doesn’t fix anyone.

First the baby boy, Isaac, and now this little girl was really getting to him.  He was going soft.  It didn’t help that this was the anniversary of his brother’s death—which should be the perfect reminder to keep his emotions out of the equation.

He needed a stress-reliever.

One good night in Stephanie’s bed would fix him right up.  Her, too.

Medicine wasn’t the only think he took pride in. 

WANT TO READ MORE? 

WHAT’S THE BOOK ABOUT?

To the outside world, Dr. Jason Drake is a brilliant diagnostician, but completely lacking in emotion and bedside manner. He is the genius everyone turns to when they have been unable to find the answer to a child’s medical problem, and his methods are unorthodox, his manner brash. Yet his boss, Dr. Stephanie Montclair, understands his burning passion for medicine – and over the last months has also been the recipient of his incredible passion in bed! But what was meant to be a no-strings fling has just turned complicated…
This book explores the foster care system and Phelan-McDermid Syndrome also known as 22q13 Deletion Syndrome

 
WHO’S THE AUTHOR?
I’m a Southern gal, born and raised. Y’all and Bless Your Heart are part of my everyday vocabulary. In the Southern tradition, I married young to a great man (thirty years so far), and have a brilliant daughter who graced me with a fantastic son-in-law.

Like most writers, I’m a voracious reader. I’ve loved reading romance ever since reading about Trixie Belden’s crush on Jim. I also read science fiction and fantasy. And I write whatever comes to mind. My debut novel Taking Flight is near and dear to my heart. It’s set in West Monroe where I lived for eight years and it’s won awards!

I am currently writing for Harlequin/Mills & Boon and loving it!  My agent will soon be sending a ‘big book’ out into the world to find a home, too! I belong to the writing organization, Romance Writers of America®, a fabulous local writing chapter and some very inspiring online chapters.

For all of you who have stories in you that want to come out–just do it. Sit down and write.

WHAT ARE THE ANSWERS?
ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?
CONNIE: At least once a day.  Although, I’m finding myself going for shorter reads and leaning toward magazines ( I love magazines) as I’m learning how to manage deadlines.
ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading? 
CONNIE: Clyde, the Clumsiest Cowboy. As a 1st grader, I was invited to read it to the kindergarten class to inspire them.  Before my ‘performance’ the kindergarten teacher thought I’d just memorized the book and kept pointing to random words getting me to read them to prove that I was really reading.
ANGI: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?
CONNIE: At a fundraiser, I met Dr Phelan, the researcher of Phelan-McDermid Syndrome which is featured in my book, The Baby Who Saved Dr Cynical. I got to sign a book to her—To Katie!

ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?
CONNIE:  I like the Drew Barrymore version of Cinderalla.  My favorite part is when she throws the prince over her shoulder and carries him away.  Epic!
ANGI: Connie, this is EVER AFTER. Dugray Scott is very good protraying the Prince. I just mentioned to Tim the other night that my all time favorite movies are EVER AFTER & UNDERCOVER BLUES (set in New Orleans).
ANGI: What’s your favorite “love” word?
CONNIE: Us

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
CONNIE: Hmm.  Thinking way back, it was Speed Racer.  Go, Speed Racer, Go!  Wasn’t his name Devlin?
ANGI: I loved this show too! You know, I had to look it up. The only name he has is Speed, and his brother is Rex Racer. Tim and I had to watch the first ever episode (available on hulu). 
ANGI: What turns you off like nothing else?
CONNIE: People who dis me when they think I don’t know what I’m talking about. 


ANGI: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?
CONNIE:  What clever question! I wrote The Baby Who Saved DR Cynical to a mix of Adele and Grey’s Anatomy playlist on Pandora. 

ANGI: Where do you read and how often?
CONNIE: I read at breakfast, before I go to bed and while I’m waiting for my husband. Anytime we go anywhere together, I take a book because he’s such a dawdler. Reading while waiting keeps me from getting snippy.  

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?
CONNIE: Wind.  I love to hear wind in the trees. (Also love to feel it on my face.  Of all the elements, I’m definitely a wind girl.)

ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
CONNIE:  I have to choose? Let’s go w/ action adventure. In the original fairy tales, the protagonist is too often a victim of fate or evil godmothers. I prefer to make my own destiny.
ANGI: What was the first story you remember writing?
CONNIE: Clyde the Clumsiest Cowboy. As a 1st grader, I got to read it to the kindergarten class to inspire them to read.  Greate honor! Except afterward, the kindergarten teacher kept pointing at random words for me to read to try to prove to the 1st grade teacher that I had really memorized it.  I hadn’t.  I could read the words.  (Hmmm. Maybe relates to the question about my turns me off.) 
ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
CONNIE: Star Wars: A  New Hope, the first one released, which makes it the fourth one, right?  

ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?
CONNIE: The wicked witch, sister to the one that the house fell on in Wizard of Oz.  So misunderstood.  She was only trying to rid Oz of that house-dropping scourge, Dorothy. 

ANGI: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?
CONNIE:  I switch back and forth to whoever’s point of view I’m reading at the moment.  That’s one of the reasons I like more than one point of view. I get to ‘live’ a bigger picture than just in one person’s head. 

ANGI: Is writing or story-telling easier for you?
CONNIE: Writing, although I enjoy story telling more.  But I tend to get too caught up when telling a story and I think I probably bore my audience.  With writing, I can edit out all the boring parts. 

ANGI: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
CONNIE: Thanks!  I am so honored you used some of your precious time and resources to pick up my book. Know that I respect you and try to give you my best in each and every sentence. 

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: I love the forward from you in DR. CYNICAL. Wanna share a little?
CONNIE’S GOTTA ANSWER: The people in my stories (they get insulted if I reduce them to characters) come to me fully formed in the opening scene when I write a story.  The best thing for me to do is to sit down, take dictation and stay out of their way.  Seeing what my subconscious brings up without my conscious leading the way is the most magical part of being a writer. 

ONE MORE THING: I know that Mills & Boon Medicals aren’t in stores here in the U.S. I wanted to make sure you told everyone how they can get a copy! 
CONNIE SHARES:  For a paperback copy, go to Harlequin and look under the Medical Romance section (release date March 2012) .Pre-order now for your Kindle or your Nook for an April release date. 

WHERE’S CONNIE?
Contact Connie through her website or on any social media where she plays.
Website     Facebook    Twitter     Goodreads  
UP NEXT:  My next release is The Return of the Rebel Surgeon and is an August release. It’s set in New Orleans and tackles the tough subject of autism in puberty.
WHAT’S THE GIVE-AWAY?
I’d love to have a drawing.  How about I give away 3 books to anyone anywhere.
Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed internationally. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

DON’T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes. Join us next week for the debut of AN AFFAIR WITH MR.KENNEDY by our own JILLIAN STONE. ~Angi

WHAT’S THE QUESTION FOR TODAY?
Would you prefer a moderately competent doctor with a good bedside manner or a brilliant doctor with a gruff bedside manner? Ever wonder what makes some doctors seem so distant?

26 comments:

  1. I think with all the new medical technology that is out there now I would rather have a brilliant doctor with a gruff bedside manner. Sometimes I think they are distant because it is so easy to become attached to a patient and then they grieve for that person if the time comes when there is nothing else to be done for them.It's a survival technique.

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  2. I would prefer a brilliant doctor with a gruff bedside manner because at least if I had a hard to diagnose problem he would more likely be able to figure out what it was and take care of it.
    And I will be looking forward to reading Dr. Cynical's book.

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  3. Hi Tina and Ellen,
    I would prefer gruff, too, especially if he looked like Dr Drake on my cover! Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. I want the gruff doctor...because I want to be healthy!

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    1. I'm with you, girlygirlhoosier52. But my mom is totally unresponsive to a dr who doesn't chat w/ her and make her feel comfortable. Different folks, huh?

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  5. Terrific interview, Connie and Angi, I love books that pull at heartstrings, and I love medical romances. This sounds like one just up my alley. Speed Racer, huh? Never saw it :)))) Best wishes on your sales, Connie.

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    1. Thank you, Donnell, for the comment. This book surprised me in so many ways, including the depth of emotion it pulled from me.

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  6. I prefer my cute doctor with the long eyelashes. Although my brilliant doctor smells really good!

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    1. I've always found brilliance to be incredibly attractibe, too, Abigail.

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  7. Being an RN for 26 years, I often wondered why so many docs were distant. My theory was that so many of these guys had their eyes on being a doctor (or their families did and forced them) from an early age and the focus of their lives was medicine. Socially many were underdeveloped, big time.

    If we're talking surgeons - I would much rather have a brilliant surgeon on my case than Dr. SMiley. However, my primary care doctor must have decent bedside manner, plus they can consult with other doctors about things they are puzzled by.

    Hey - your blurb lured me right in, Connie! I look forward to learning more about 22q13 Deletion Syndrome. And for the record - Drew Barymore's version of Cinderella was my and my daughter's favorite, too!

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    1. Hi Lynne,
      I interviewed a surgeon's wife who gave me insight to her husband and how he had to keep his tenderheartedness out of the hospital to spiritually survive. It still took a major toll on him when he lost patients.
      I'm guessing, from knowing a lot of focused engineers, that their drive may be part of it. But a lot of the engineers I know just can't express the emotions they feel--maybe even borderline Auspergers for some of them.
      Hope you enjoy the story!

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  8. GOOD MORNING CONNIE ! And all of our commenters !

    I actually have a female GP. My husband was embarassed at first, but after 14 years, we're pretty comfortable. And that's a good thing since our daughter plans on being BOTH choices, Connie. She's good-looking, nice bedside manner and plans on being a brilliant Oncologist. >>grin<<

    ~Angi

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    1. Any daughter of yours, Angi, can handle it all, I'm sure!

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  9. Lynne is right about some of them being socially underdeveloped. I am also an RN and RNP, so I've seen doctors with all types of personalities. MY theory is that doctors are distanced because to be emotionally involved with every patient is simply too draining. You end up with nothing left.

    One of the most brilliant pediatric heart surgeon IN THE WORLD killed himself on Christmas Eve about 3 years ago. Children traveled from all over the world JUST for him. He was known for his love and involvement. But when the children died regardless of what he could do for them, it was a personal loss for him as well as for the family. It drained him until I don't think he had anything left. He left behind a family of his own.

    So I think doctors (and nurses and other health care professionals) can be distant as a self-preservation mechanism.

    I love the medical romances. Reading one right now by Wendy Marcus. I'll be grabbing yours!

    Great interview. Sorry for the long response. I can get chatty!

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    1. Love the chattiness and love Wendy Marcus, too. Her latest is on my TBR stack.

      When I worked in hospitals as an engineer, I saw the same thing w/ doctors, Cynthia. I was definitely 'unnoticed' as I worked on equipment and saw a lot of the heartache that went on in private.
      Thanks for the comment!

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  10. Great interview! This sounds like a wonderful story. I love reading books about babies and kids. Will have to check out your books.

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    1. Thanks, Quilt Lady! I guess I'm partial to babies and kids in my stories, too. My first book, Taking Flight, has children in it, too. And my medical romance that comes out in August, Return of the Rebel Surgeon, features a kid, too. Not planned--just the stories that came to me.

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  11. I'll take the brilliant doctor with the gruff manner every time. I'm a big girl, I don't need people to be nice to me, I can reassure myself.

    Doctors seem distant because people tend to put them up on a pedestal and also because they have to maintain a professional distance. One of my neighbours is a doctor and because of sheer convenience, she's now my doctor and my family's doctor too. We get along really well but I'm always careful not to overstep the mark too much because the professional relationship would become difficult otherwise. Keeping a little distance is not only wiser, but possible also. It means not taking someone for granted, basically.

    Connie, it's been so nice to read your interview. I wish you great success with the book and will try to get a copy. Medical romances don't ome out in my country of residence, but I never let that stop me from getting my hands on a good book!

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    1. Hi Maria,
      Thanks for dropping in-and I know your neighbor, the doctor, appreciates your understanding and respect! The good news about Harlequin/Mills and Boon medical romances is that you can get them internationally. Try the amazon you usually use. You can get a copy there, or download to your Kindle!

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  12. I'd prefer the the Doctor with the good bedside manner. The one with the good bedside manner gets more info from the patient and less stuff gets missed.

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    1. That's my mom's choice, too. She doesn't respond well to stoicism. She had a cute Scottish dr in the ER once that she thought was worth getting ill for!

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  13. I would definitely want a brilliant but gruff doctor, but he could be cute too. That would be just dandy. For some reason, if a doctor is too nice I just don't trust him. LOL.

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  14. Great interview, Angi and Connie!

    I'd be happy with brilliant but gruff - as long as the doctor is prepared to take time and really listens!

    I'm really looking forward to Stephanie and Jason's story, Connie!

    :)
    Sharon

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  15. Hi Connie!

    Looking forward to reading Stephanie and Jason's story. It sounds so wonderful!

    Congrats on the release!

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  16. SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN CHOOSING A WINNER -- Your brain sorts of forgets everything else when you're in deadline mode...all you can think about is "THE END"

    ANYWAY...CONGRATULATIONS to:
    Lynne, Gina & Quilt Lady
    If you send an email to GetLostInAStory@Gmail.com I'll pass your information along to Connie.

    ~Angi

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  17. My son has the deletion for PM Syndrome as well as aniridia. He has two very rare disorders but is absolutely amazing!! Thanks for writing about something so rare and raising awareness! :)

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