Nurses Who Write
The marines have a saying, “Once a Marine, Always a Marine.” I believe this is true for nurses as well. While some nurses make a lifelong career out of it, others of us do it for a season of our life.
Best-selling author, Sue Monk-Kidd, was once a practicing nurse. Monk-Kidd left nursing to pursue a passion for writing in her thirties. Lucky for us readers, she did! She is probably best known for her novel, The Secret Life of Bees, which went on to be a film. Her latest book, The Invention Of Wings, a historical fiction piece, excavates the horrors of urban slavery and takes on women’s oppression. It, too, is a best seller and was selected to be on the coveted Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 List.
When I was a novice nurse, I remember the buzz about a nurse named Echo Heron. Heron wrote a book that hit the New York Times Best Seller List: Intensive Care: The Story Of A Nurse. That was a big boost to the profession back in the late eighties. We felt heard. Heron has gone on to publish several other books including a medical mystery series featuring a nurse protagonist.
Paula Stokes, has stepped away from her role as an Oncology nurse to focus on fulfilling contracted books. Her latest novel, The Art of Laney, can be found in the YA section of online and brick and mortar bookstores. She reports she is also teaching a continuing education class to aspiring nurses and may consider Psych Nursing in 2015.
Joanne K. Singleton, has an accomplished list of degrees after her name: PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, FNYAM. Somehow she has managed to also add the title of ‘author’ this year while working as a nursing profesor. Her newly published novel, White Beret: The Story of an Urban Nurse, is Set in a major New York City hospital. The book gives an insider’s look into life and death struggles on a pediatric unit during one crucial day for young patients, their families and the nurses who put their lives on the line to care for them.
New to the book world is nurse blogger, Kati Kleber. Kleber’s blog, Nurse Eye Roll, (don’t you love the name!), has thousands of followers. Her light, supportive nature is captured in her new non-fiction book, Becoming Nursey, From Code Blue To Code Browns, How To Care For Patients And Yourself, has already hit number one on Amazon’s “New Release, Nursing” list.
As for myself, no one was more surprised than I to see my written words published. What started as a cathartic way to deal with the intense nature of nursing-writing vignettes about patients in private, led to some of my essays being published in a collective work, Touched By A Nurse. To be honest, I thought my publishing days were over. I left nursing after thirteen years to pursue other interests, one of them being gardening. As I designed gardens in the quiet of nature, I was nudged internally to write a novel. I fought it until it won and found its way out. My first novel, I Know You’re There, features a nurse protagonist who gets in a fatal accident after doing a double shift. Then came its sequel, By The Sound Of The Crow. Who knew?
Nurses are ideal for the book world. Whether they are telling stories, or sharing wisdom, they have had unique access to the moments that connect us all as humans. Perhaps through their writing they continue to heal and help others feel better. Or maybe just enjoy a good read.
Check out the ‘Nurses Who Write’ Pinterest Board. As I find more, I’ll add them. http://bit.ly/1FdxU6c
Best-selling author, Sue Monk-Kidd, was once a practicing nurse. Monk-Kidd left nursing to pursue a passion for writing in her thirties. Lucky for us readers, she did! She is probably best known for her novel, The Secret Life of Bees, which went on to be a film. Her latest book, The Invention Of Wings, a historical fiction piece, excavates the horrors of urban slavery and takes on women’s oppression. It, too, is a best seller and was selected to be on the coveted Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 List.
When I was a novice nurse, I remember the buzz about a nurse named Echo Heron. Heron wrote a book that hit the New York Times Best Seller List: Intensive Care: The Story Of A Nurse. That was a big boost to the profession back in the late eighties. We felt heard. Heron has gone on to publish several other books including a medical mystery series featuring a nurse protagonist.
Paula Stokes, has stepped away from her role as an Oncology nurse to focus on fulfilling contracted books. Her latest novel, The Art of Laney, can be found in the YA section of online and brick and mortar bookstores. She reports she is also teaching a continuing education class to aspiring nurses and may consider Psych Nursing in 2015.
Joanne K. Singleton, has an accomplished list of degrees after her name: PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, FNYAM. Somehow she has managed to also add the title of ‘author’ this year while working as a nursing profesor. Her newly published novel, White Beret: The Story of an Urban Nurse, is Set in a major New York City hospital. The book gives an insider’s look into life and death struggles on a pediatric unit during one crucial day for young patients, their families and the nurses who put their lives on the line to care for them.
New to the book world is nurse blogger, Kati Kleber. Kleber’s blog, Nurse Eye Roll, (don’t you love the name!), has thousands of followers. Her light, supportive nature is captured in her new non-fiction book, Becoming Nursey, From Code Blue To Code Browns, How To Care For Patients And Yourself, has already hit number one on Amazon’s “New Release, Nursing” list.
As for myself, no one was more surprised than I to see my written words published. What started as a cathartic way to deal with the intense nature of nursing-writing vignettes about patients in private, led to some of my essays being published in a collective work, Touched By A Nurse. To be honest, I thought my publishing days were over. I left nursing after thirteen years to pursue other interests, one of them being gardening. As I designed gardens in the quiet of nature, I was nudged internally to write a novel. I fought it until it won and found its way out. My first novel, I Know You’re There, features a nurse protagonist who gets in a fatal accident after doing a double shift. Then came its sequel, By The Sound Of The Crow. Who knew?
Nurses are ideal for the book world. Whether they are telling stories, or sharing wisdom, they have had unique access to the moments that connect us all as humans. Perhaps through their writing they continue to heal and help others feel better. Or maybe just enjoy a good read.
Check out the ‘Nurses Who Write’ Pinterest Board. As I find more, I’ll add them. http://bit.ly/1FdxU6c
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