INTERVIEW WITH Dr. RICHARD MABRY

Patricia Bradley here and I'm so excited to interview Dr. Richard Mabry, a former Suspense Sister contributor. I've always enjoyed Richard's books and was really excited to learn when he decided to write another one. 

Richard and his wife live in North Texas. In addition to occasional efforts (thus far without results) to improve his golf game, he tries to convince his family that sitting at his desk staring into space does indeed represent work. 

I decided to ask him a few questions about that work.

Patricia: You’ve been published for several years now. What has being published taught you?

Richard: When I got that first phone call from my agent, I was understandably thrilled, but I soon learned that, even though my manuscript was accepted, it was not ready for publication. I then was introduced to the “editorial letter,” otherwise known as “why authors contemplate suicide.” Pretty quickly, I accepted the fact that novels may be written by one person, but it truly takes a village of people to complete them. And with every novel since, whether under contract by a recognized house or independently published, I’ve learned that one person does not publish a novel.

Patricia: That is so right and I love your description of the "editorial letter." What is your favorite part about writing. Least favorite.

Richard: Least favorite: coming up with plot points to keep things going. Most favorite: editing (believe it or not), because by and large the plot is set, and I just have to improve it.

Patricia: I knew we thought alike. Editing is my favorite part, too. Are you a Panster or Plotter?

Richard: Mainly pantser. I have a single idea, populate the story, come up with a great (I hope) ending, and then let the characters take over.

Patricia: You do! What do you do when you’re not writing? Any interesting hobbies?

Richard: I used to play golf, but some hip bursitis has minimized that lately. So I read and re-read some of my favorite mystery and detective stories.

Patricia: Golf has never been one of my vices. lol Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Richard: Initially, it energizes me and gives me a reason to get going in the morning. But occasionally it’s exhausting—especially if I’ve written myself into a corner.

Patricia: I know those corners well! You do a lot of research. Where is your favorite place to research?

Richard: Since I write stories built around medicine, and it’s been quite a while since I was in active practice, I have to be up on the latest things (many of which we didn’t have while was in practice). My computer is the best way to do that—it’s much faster than looking for something written in a library (and much more up-to-date).

Patricia: I really appreciate your diligence in making sure what you write is correct. What would you like readers to know about your story/characters?

Richard: All my characters are flawed, in one way or another. But, as I’ve often said, God uses us despite our flaws—otherwise, He’d have no one to use.

Patricia: I love that! What is the most valuable piece of advice you’d like to give to unpublished authors?

Richard: Make everything you produce better than the last. Don’t give up. It’s often being in the right place at the right time, rather than just producing a novel.

Patricia: I agree 100%. What’s next from you?

Richard: I thought I was through with this by now, but my wife convinced me otherwise. Now I’m toying with a novel about a doctor who failed at baseball…or did he fail there?

Patricia: That sounds intriguing! You can purchase here.

Dr. Mabry is giving away a digital copy of Medical Mystery to someone who leaves a comment. Be sure to leave you contact email in the comment-- i.e. you at your email address dot com 

And be sure to check out my blog (www.ptbradley.com/blog) Friday for my review of Medical Mystery! 

When her phone rang, Diane Macklin wondered what her sister wanted now. Then, she heard that their mother was in the Emergency Room with a heart problem.

The doctor tending to her mother was Dr. Joe Adams, who was far from Diane’s idea of the family doctor. He had been alone since his first wife had died, and was apparently heaven-sent as a mate for Diane, if she could only get past the trauma of her previous near-miss at the altar.

The heart problem was hard to solve initially, the subsequent difficulty turned out to be murder, and affected the lives of both Diane and Joe.

***

Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician, author of “medical mysteries with heart.” He is the author of one non-fiction book, seven novellas, and twelve published novels. His novels have been a semifinalist for International Thriller Writers’ debut novel, finalists for the ACFW Carol Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice, and Romantic Times’ Reader’s Choice and Reviewer’s Choice Awards, as well as winner of the Selah Award and the 2017 Christian Retailers Best. 

Interview with Richard Mabry

by Patricia Bradley

Today I'm interviewing Dr. Richard Mabry, formerly one of our very own "sisters" on the Suspense Sisters! His latest book, Critical Decision released earlier this week. Back cover copy at the end. AND, Dr. Mabry is giving away a print copy of his book to one lucky commenter. (must have a US address)

If you had to describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say?   

“You’d think by now I’d know better.”

Love it, Richard! What do you do when you’re not writing? Any interesting hobbies?

A friend and I began playing golf once a week about 20 years ago. Since then we’ve gone through the deaths of both our wives, remarriage for both of us, and both good times and bad times. Now, when weather interferes, we have a hot dog and just talk. I don’t think our golf is great, but our time together is.

Golfing is something I've never tried unless you count miniature golf, and I wasn't very good at that. Tell us three things about yourself that might surprise your readers.

I served as minister of music at our church in the Azores and as a fill-in for the General Protestant services there, as well as for a small church in Dallas. I’ve played beach volleyball with the Pittsburgh Steelers, golf with Charlie Pride, and baseball with Mickey Mantle. And while honeymooning in Thailand I almost pushed my wife off an elephant.

Wow! You've met some interesting people! And I'd love to hear the story about the elephant. What genre did you start out writing? Have you changed course? Why or why not?

I started out writing about medicine because that’s what I know, but there was no form to my early novels. Then, at the suggestion of my first agent (who finally said, “I don’t know what we’re going to do with you”) I tried writing cozies—big mistake. Eventually, with a new agent I found my “voice” writing “medical mysteries with heart.”

And you do it very well! If you could go back in time and do something differently at the start of your career, what would it be?

When I was young, I thought it would be glamorous to be a pilot. Maturity has shown me the fallacy of that dream. Then I wondered about the law, but I was soon disabused of that. I guess I’d go through it all the same way again, with the same complaints and high points as before.

I'm with you there! What is the most valuable piece of advice you’d like to give to unpublished authors?

Make every piece you write (published or not) better than the last one. And don’t give up. If you’re the only one who reads what you’ve written, you’re reached at least one person.

I so agree about not giving up!

Here's the back cover copy of Critical Decision:

It began with an innocent-appearing package on her front porch
The box contained a cell phone, which rang as soon as she opened the package. A voice that called Dr. Kathy Hoover by name said that her husband had been kidnapped. To get him back she would have to poison one of her patients.
At first, she didn’t believe that her husband had been taken from the conference he was attending, but soon she discovered that the kidnappers really had Darren. If she wanted to see him again, she had to give medication that would murder Kelton Rush, former Vice-President. What was she to do? How would she handle this critical decision?

How would you handle this critical decision? Leave your answer in the comments and I'll enter you in a drawing for a print copy of Critical Decision! (US addresses only for print copy) Be sure to add your email address so I can get in touch with you.

Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician, now writing “medical suspense with heart.” His novels have been a semifinalist for International Thriller Writers’ debut novel, finalists for the ACFW Carol Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice, and Romantic Times’ Reader’s Choice and Reviewer’s Choice Awards, and winner of the Selah Award. Critical Decision is his most recent novel. You can find more details at his web page and blog. He also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter.

THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS

We’re planning another great week on the Suspense Sisters. Check out our posts, our interviews, and our awesome giveaways!

THIS WEEK:

On Tuesday Mary Ellis will tell us What’s Hot in Inspirational Suspense and Mystery.

On Wednesday, Mary Alford will tell us what's going on in her world, including her new release,  Amish Country Kidnapping! Mary will be giving away a copy of her book to someone who leaves a comment, (US Addresses only) so be sure to leave your email addy!

And on Friday,  I'll be interviewing Dr. Richard Mabry on his latest Medical Thriller,  Critical Decision. You don't want to miss that one! Richard who is a former Suspense Sister is always entertaining! And he'll be giving away a copy of his book, too. A print copy to US addresses and a Kindle copy to all other addresses.

The Suspense Sisters

We love books!

Coming Down Off The Mountain

We used to say that spring and fall were the seasons for writing conferences. Now there are writing conferences throughout the year, and I’m delighted to see them proliferate like that. It means there will be even more good books out there soon. But there are pitfalls for those who attend the conference. And whether you're a writer or a reader, I think you'll be interested in this advice.

One of the biggies, the annual meeting of the American Christian Fiction Writers, has just ended. For multi-published “veterans,” it is a wonderful opportunity to renew and strengthen relationships already established. For unpublished writers, it presents one of the best chances to hear things that make your fiction even better while forging friendships with like-minded folks. And for most of those who attend, the conference (and others like it) will represent a mountaintop experience that leaves you energized. You’ll return home with new determination and a sense of mission. That’s great, but a word of caution is warranted—coming down off a mountain can be difficult.

Think about the contrast between your life at a conference and your everyday existence. At the conference, those around you (by and large) understand your views, your problems, and even your activities. At home, most people have no idea what a writer does, what the roadblocks to publication are, how to deal with situations when the words just won’t come or the plot wants to bog down and grind to a halt. At the conference, there’s time for prayer, for worship, for listening to speakers who talk about doing a better job at what you do and why it’s important. At home, you work to snatch time to write, your support system is entirely different, and there are times when you wonder if it’s all worth it.

Once we’ve ascended the mountain to hang out at conference with others of a like mind, it’s tough to get back to the lonely valley below. We may discover that the agent or editor who said, “Send me a proposal” wasn’t as interested as they seemed. It’s possible that the brilliant idea we had for our novel looks less than golden when re-examined in our office at home. We may even find ourselves remembering snippets of conversation, shoved to the back of our consciousness at the time, that remind us of the limited opportunities for writers to hit it big.

Sometimes the answer lies in chocolate and talking with friends. In most cases, though, the best remedy for the depression that lies in wait at the foot of the mountain is to remember why we’re writing in the first place…and for whom. That’s why I have these lines from author B. J. Hoff on a card above my computer. I commend them to you now:

“It matters not if the world has heard

Or approves or understands…

The only applause we’re meant to seek

Is that of nail-scarred hands.”

I'm pleased to offer a copy of my latest novel, Medical Judgment, to a randomly selected commenter. Don't forget to include your email address so I can contact the winner, who will be chosen in about a week.

Tweet with a single click: "How do writers come down off the mountain after attending a conference?" Click here to tweet.

Interview with Dr. Richard Mabry by Marji Laine

Richard L. Mabry, M.D. is a retired physician who writes “medical suspense with heart.” His novels have won multiple awards. He and his wife live in Central Texas. You can follow Richard online at RMabry.com, as well as on Twitter (@RichardMabry), and Facebook at RMabryBooks.

He writes in his biography on his website:

In addition to the practice of medicine, my past includes a stint overseas in the US Air Force, several periods as an interim music minister, and an all-too-brief experience as a semi-pro baseball player. In other words, there’s more to me than “M.D.” covers.

          www.rmabry.com

I hope you had an excellent Christmas and New Year break, Dr. Mabry! What is your favorite thing to do for Christmas?

I’ve reached the stage in life where I can truly mean it when I tell my family, “I don’t need anything. I just want us all to be together.” I think my favorite thing is watching my grandchildren with their presents, and having family members around me.

One of your most recent books, Miracle Drug, delves into rare viruses. Did you have occasions during your practice to deal with such?

Fortunately, in the practice of otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat) I didn’t encounter a lot of potentially fatal infections, and certainly none like this one. When I read about such severe viral or bacterial illnesses and the havoc they can create, I’m impressed with the research efforts required to stay one step ahead of such infections.

You are uniquely equipped to weave suspense through the hospital/medical environment. How did your training help you with this story?

I’m often asked if some of the aspects of my novels are taken from my experience. The answer is, “No.” But sometimes things I read, either in the professional journals or in the newspaper, act as a catalyst for my stories. And, since I’m trained to understand and interpret the language, I guess in that way I’m uniquely qualified to present these stories to people without a medical background.

I know you must have had an interesting research experience with this story. Care to share?

Because this book was written before Ebola became a household word, I found myself making up things right and left, yet wanted them to be believable. That required a good bit of research, and it was gratifying to see how close I came to the measures used in dealing with Ebola. I found myself saying, again and again, “Man, I’m glad this is all fiction.”

In addition, although I knew former presidents receive Secret Service protection, I had no details. I started out with what I could glean from commonly available sources, then let my novelist’s mind fill in some blanks. Of course, I wanted things to be authentic, so I tried to check my facts. At first, the Secret Service didn’t respond to my efforts to contact them. When I sent a letter to former president George Bush, who lives in the area, he was kind enough to ask the Secret Service to communicate with me, which they did, and told me I was pretty accurate.

What are some of the most interesting things you found about this subject that you weren’t able to use in the story?

Along the way, I discovered that, although Bacillus decimus infections (as detailed in the novel) aren’t real, there are numerous infections—not just Ebola-— in various parts of the world that are just as dangerous, and there are brave men and women who risk their lives every day to combat them.

What can readers expect from the next Richard Mabry novel? 

My next published novel will be Medical Judgment, which is due out in May, 2016. It deals with a widowed doctor who is under attack from an unknown individual. Her sources of help are a family friend (who wants to be more than just a friend) and a detective who is a recovering alcoholic.
Since the publishing process is so slow, I’ve also recently self-published two novellas, Rx Murder and Silent Night, Deadly Night.

As you look forward, what is your focus – career-wise, spiritual, etc. – for 2016?

I really have no idea. I expected, by this stage of life, to be playing golf, traveling, and enjoying a quiet life. But about the time I planned to retire, my first wife died. Partly as therapy and partly to pass on my experience, I wrote a book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse, and I’m happy to say that it is still in print ten years later and continues to minister. After several years of trying my hand at fiction, with many rejections along the way, I’ve now had nine novels of medical suspense published, with the tenth coming next spring. I had no idea my life was going to take this turn…but God did. I have no idea what He has in mind for 2016, but I can hardly wait to see.

Thanks so much for sharing some of your time with us! If you want to connect with Dr. Richard Mabry, visit his Facebook page, Twitter profile, or Website! And check out all of Dr. Mabry's books on Amazon.

Do you want your own copy of Miracle Drug? Leave a comment for Dr. Mabry below with your email and one goal for 2016 and you'll be entered in a giveaway. And check this out! If you win, but you've already read Miracle Drug, name one of his books that you'd like and if he has a copy, he'll send that to you instead! Woohoo! Winner chosen on January 16th!