Your book looks amazing -- and I don't read/watch medicals, but I think I'll make an exception in this case. ;)

I can tell you are a really high-energy person -- what do your colleagues think of your writing career?

And thanks for the hunky pictures! :) Can't wait to chat with you today, though I know you'll be in and out because you're doing a talk, but we'll all be here. :)

Sam

Thanks for having me here today, Sam! My colleagues pretty much thought I was crazy when I made the leap of faith and left my medical practice to focus on writing....have to admit, there were a few months where I was unemployed and I was wondering myself.

But then Berkley called and asked me to create a new medical suspense series for them--and I hopped on the publishing rollercoaster!

It's been an exciting ride, to say the least--almost the same adrenaline rush as waiting for a fresh trauma to come into the ER.

Hi, CJ! Super congrats, and I hope everyone at Left Coast is treating you royally on this very special day.

I think I've had a soft spot for medical stories since the days of Dr. Kildare (yeah, I'm old!)

CJ--I enjoyed your insight into the real world of the ER (although I have to admit I love Hugh Laurie no matter how inaccurate his portrayal of a doctor is. Funny thing is that his father is a doctor in real life.) But big time congratulations on the release of your book! There's no other feeling like seeing your book on the shelves for the whole world to see--and buy!

Alexis Morgan

Congratulations!! Can't wait to dive into Lifelines! I've worked in hospitals for years, and I'm like you - I've never met George Clooney either (although we do have one surgeon who bears an uncanny resemblance to Noah Wyle of ER). But George - not even a close second). Maybe I'd still be there if I had :)

CJ, the book is great, and I'm so glad you set me straight--about not yet meeting George Clooney, I mean.

But in all seriousness, I've watched ER ever since the show hit the air, and I'm happy to say that your new book is even better than that great show. And not just because you have more than 60 minutes (including 20 minutes of commercials) to get the story told. I've caught myself not breathing several times while reading--good job!

But if I see George before you, I may forget to give him your book and contact info. I tend to get amnesia about others when I'm pushing my own info .

Can't wait for your next book!

Joan

This post cracked me up. Kind of like the soap star bad girl who went to the movies and got clubbed by an old lady with a purse while being lectured to "Leave your sisters husband alone!" It always surprises me that people believe tv so completely.

Clearly, folks haven't had as many trips to the ER as I have, lol. It always takes like 12 hours and I always come home sore. And that's me the patient, laying there like veal. The doctors and nurses, though, moving all the time. I'd complain. But I'm lazy, lol.

Can't wait to see the book!
Dee

Hi CJ,
I'll be looking for your book this weekend.
As a former R.N. in pediatrics, it will be interesting for me to read. I never worked in the E.R. Too much excitement for me!
I've been asked which of the t.v. shows most typifies the real life and I say Grey's Anatomy, though it goes off the deep end, too. E.R. started out good, but then got rather silly, IMHO. Scrubs? Never. House? As you say, that doc wouldn't have lasted long. I did have a surgeon who threw around instruments and swore while I was in training. I don't think he would last today, either. Good luck on your book. Ann

I spent until 3 a.m. finishing Lifelines this morning. It was a helluva read. You delivered the equivalent of a fastball with your debut novel. That's all I'm sayin'. No spoilers!

Did you spend a lot of time in EMS? How did you handle the adrenalin rush?

There's a t-shirt? Verra cool.

Much success.

Hi CJ,

Thanks for cluing everyone in on reality versus medical fantasy. I'm seriously looking forward to reading your book!

Lynne Marshall

To win contests here at Cigars, you have to be a registered user -- it's easy, it's free, but if your name is anonymous, or says "not verified" then you can't enter to win -- so go register now. :) we do this to maintain some security control over contests, and eliminate spam. :)

Back to our regularly scheduled programming....

Sam

I wanted to become a resiratory therapist, but unfornately I don't have the stomach for it. I found out when shadowing in the ER I would blackout a really bad times. Which I might have gotten over if I would have stuck it out, but I decided to do the next best thing. I went into medical transcription. I throughly love my career choice.

I also love reading stories about the medical feild and your book sound really great. Thanks for the wonderful blog.

Hi CJ! I will have to keep an eye out for your book! I like trying new settings for stories!

When I was in high school, I lived with what we have come to call my "honorary parents". He was a doctor and she loved to watch ER. She could not understand why he would not watch it. I remember him finally saying "I deal with that all day at work...why would I want to come home and see them mess it up on TV?" I confess that was the first time I realized that maybe shows on TV were not exactly true to life.

Congratulations on being in such an important specialty. I am impressed with your abliity to find time to write as well as being an ER doc. You certainly are creative and smart. Many doctors have that ability to write well and be excellent doctors.

I have always been interested in watching Hugh Laurie since I think that his personality and acting make this show a hit. Aside from that you are definitely to be commended for your dedication since ER doctors work extremely hard and are always wexposed to the worst mightmare situations. Only admiration for doctors who work so hard and live for their dream.

Congrats CJ

I have been waiting for Lifelines to go on sale.

Hi, CJ!

Thanks for sharing some of the real behind-the-scenes scoop with us today, and congrats on Lifelines hitting the shelves! Plus, thank you for being a real life saver! It might not put you in regular contact with George, but all those people you've helped would surely agree that you're the real star!

And I do admit I love watching House, even though there's no way he'd be a real doctor at a real hospital! That's why he's on TV--it's entertainment, people! (Maybe here's where we segue into how the lines are blurring too much and with the whole reality TV thing, people just don't get that TV is pretend...)

Seriously, thanks for the fun post, and if I do run into George, I'll definitely point him in your direction!

Isn't it amazing what some people believe lol. I love your sense of humor and assume there's some in your books. I don't think too many romance readers would be interested in a typical day in a real ER. And I've never met a doctor that looked like the ones on TV lol.

CJ--Chiming in a bit late due to deadlines, but what a great blog! One of my students is the son of a physician and he says, "House makes my dad so angry!" I laugh when I think about it. It's like those shows with the teachers that, by being cool, make kids realize their true potential and turn their lives around. Now, granted, that happens, but in real life, I think school is a lot more like Fast Times at Ridgemont High than Welcome Back Kotter. (Am I showing my age here, lol?)

Great having you!
Jeannie

Estella, you're the winner of a LIFELINES t-shirt! I'll contact you off list to arrange things!

And thanks again to everyone for stopping by!

Have a great weekend!

Hi CJ! Congratulations on your book release. It's been a long time coming, and I'm sure you're savouring every moment of it!
Now, you've completely ruined HOUSE for me - it's one of my favourite shows, lol. :) I used to watch ER but after the main characters left and they turned over on the actors, I dropped it. Grey's Anatomy's never interested me for some reason. But HOUSE! No, docs shouldn't be pill-popping, etc., but I love the way the show comes up with these obscure diseases/illnesses and leads the audience down the path of figuring out what it is. The whole bit about House mis-diagnosing is that he's unpeeling the wrapping of what the core disease is - don't you think? I consider it a bit of a "mystery" show.

As for the reality of ER's, I shattered my shoulder Jan. 17th. The ER doctor wanted to send my home IN A SLING, because he said 'nothing could be done" for the type of fractures I had. My dh insisted on a second opinion and I ended up with an orthopedic surgeon giving me a metal plate with 9 bolts to hold me all together. The moral of the story is, any doctor can make a mistake (and that would've been a whopper!) so I'm sure life in an ER is always interesting in terms of keeping up on patients changing status, and dealing with whatever comes through the door. My BIL is an ER doc and anethetist, and he loves it. Thrives on it, actually. Unfortunately for my sis, he's not as handsome as George Clooney!

Have a great time with your book launch, and thanks for such a great post!

I haven't read a medical romance yet, but this one looked too good to pass up, I can't wait to start reading it tonight.

Amanda Murphy w/a Jill James
http://www.jilljamesromance.com