Vital Signs

LIFELINES wins Best First Novel!

2009-02-09T10:27:00.003-05:00

LIFELINES won the Readers' Choice Award for Best First Novel of 2008 at the recent Love is Murder Conference!

Needless to say, I'm thrilled! And I couldn't have done it without the support of all my friends and readers.

I'd like to also thank the organizers of Love is Murder for inviting me to Chicago and putting on such an outstanding conference! You guys rock!

CJ in The Big Thrill!

2009-02-01T12:53:00.004-05:00

Recently Julie Kramer interviewed me for The Big Thrill, a wonderful e-zine that covers everything related to thriller/suspense novels.

For those of you who don't subscribe to The Big Thrill, I thought I'd share my interview--if you want to read more about thriller authors like David Morrell, Sandra Brown, James Patterson, and many, many more, sign up here for The Big Thrill.

Warning Signs by CJ Lyons

By Julie Kramer | Permalink

CJ Lyons is swapping her M.D. title for that of national bestselling author with the release of her new novel, WARNING SIGNS, this month. Both occupations involve blood, sweat and tears, but at least in fiction, her patients don't really die. By writing what she knows, Lyons launched a series that combines the pace of E.R. with the sizzle of Grey's Anatomy.

She's been there in the medical trenches of trauma centers, on the Navajo Reservation, even as a flight doctor. Her clinical views have aided police and prosecutors in cases of rape, child abuse, and murder. In writing suspense, Lyons knows more about life and death than most of us will ever face. So we'll begin with the question on everyone's mind.

In real life, do doctors and nurses have sex in the hospital?

Only with George Clooney and Patrick Dempsey, lol! Seriously, working 36 hour shifts in the same pair of sweaty scrubs and having no privacy anywhere aren't as conducive to fun and games as you'd think.

Compared to struggling writers, doctors have a enviably secure paycheck. How did you have the guts to trade your stethoscope for a keyboard? And don't tell us it worked for Tess Gerritson and Michael Critchton, so you knew everything would be fine.

Well, first of all, I've always been a dreamer. If I hadn't been, I would never have made it to college, much less been able to put myself through medical school. And second of all, I'm half Irish and half Italian, which makes me all stubborn.

But it did take courage. Talk about your leap of faith--even though I wasn't making a lot of money as a pediatrician (kids don't vote, so pediatricians are at the bottom of the pay scale) it was plenty for me. And to leave that to live a life of uncertainty, no secure paycheck, no plan B--well, let's just say that several of my partners suggested a psych eval would make more sense than my following my dream of writing.

All I can say is that I knew what I wanted, was confident in my abilities, and yes, I did prepare a financial emergency fund--just in case. Those first few months were scary--first time I'd been unemployed since I was 15! But luckily since then I've been making a living with my writing, paying the bills, and having a heck of a lot of fun doing it!

How does your national bestselling debut, LIFELINES, differ from your sequel, WARNING SIGNS?

LIFELINES was definitely more of a thriller. It was the classic stranger comes to town story (I love old westerns) and the pacing is rapid-fire, the stakes raised until the entire city is at risk.

WARNING SIGNS, however, is more of a mystery, focusing on the whodunnit and howdunnit of a mysterious illness. It's a coming of age story for a medical student who isn't sure if she's really sick or just has a bad case of medical studentitis--a form of hypochondriasis that every doctor suffers at some point in their career. It's still fast paced, but more about the medical student coming to her own as a healer.

The third book, URGENT CARE, is back to the world of thrillerdom--it's darker and edgier than either of the first books. More emotionally complex and the plot is also more complicated.

Your books feature four strong, diverse women facing life and death at Angles of Mercy Medical Center in Pittsburgh. Will each get to star in her own story?

Hopefully! I just turned in book 3, Nora's story--it was the most complex novel I've written, a bit darker and edgier than the first two. We'll have to see what my publisher says about future books. I have plenty of ideas for stories that go beyond the original four main characters.

You like to describe your books as Thrillers with Heart. Can you explain what you mean?

Thrillers are at heart about an adrenalin rush and increasing stakes. For Thrillers with Heart, these stakes revolve around the main character's relationships rather than more remote stakes (like saving the world from a spy satellite run amok). Think Tom Clancy's Patriot Games which is all about family or the movie The Terminator, which is basically a love story. One of the first thrillers ever, Homer's Odyssey, would be a Thriller with Heart--it's about one man's love driving him home to his wife despite all odds.

Any regrets about leaving the practice of medicine?

I do miss my patients and my partners, but the way our health care system is imploding, I do not miss dealing with the HMO's and paperwork at all.

Some think publishing is imploding as well. Are you nervous about the future of books?

No. People want to experience stories, to be transported from their routine lives, and they need writers to tell them. We're in a technological transition that may pave the way to alternative forms of storytelling, but it won't abolish the more traditional methods--just as movies and TV didn't.

Books as a vehicle for storytelling have survived a long time for good reason. They may evolve over the next decade, but they won't vanish. And no matter what direction technology takes our society, there will always be a need for storytellers.

At parties, were people more impressed when you told them you were a doctor? Or now when you tell them you're an author?

When people learn I'm published, they're more impressed with that than with my being a doctor. I think a lot of folks associate being published (with "real" books out there!) with being a minor celebrity.

But doctors save lives. Something's wrong here.

I guess that speaks to our nation's healthcare crisis--that doctors have now dropped to the bottom of the food chain, even below lawyers, lol!

Just kidding, some of my best friends are lawyers. But no one has ever asked me to tell them about the lives I've saved. I usually get asked about my "worst" case. Or people target me for a rant about how awful their own doctors are.

Do party guests try to get you to read their unpublished manuscripts just like they used to try to get you to diagnose their sore shoulders?

Yes! Only now they tell me their medical tales of woe, expect a free diagnosis, AND they want me to write up their "fascinating medical experience" in my next book!

Most suspense writers have dark, spooky websites. Yours is white and clean. What does this say about you?

Thank you for noticing--I worked very hard to make my site (http://www.cjlyons.net) that way. I wanted my site to evoke a response that it was fresh, dynamic, and different. That here is a writer who is different than others, willing to take chances, and whose books are also fresh and different. I also think the site conveys a sense of movement, a bit of an edge--perfect for a doctor writing medical thrillers.

WARNING SIGNS is available now. To get your aches and pains glamorized in CJ Lyons' next book, contact her on her website at http://www.cjlyons.net

Contributing editor Julie Kramer's debut, STALKING SUSAN, is a finalist for Best First Mystery in the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Awards. Her sequel, MISSING MARK, will be released July 14 by Doubleday.

WARNING SIGNS is here!

2009-01-26T22:36:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! My second book, WARNING SIGNS, is out in stores now!

Let me know if you spot it at your favorite bookstore--or better yet, what you think of it after you read it!

And, of course, tell your friends about both LIFELINES and WARNING SIGNS--remember, they'll be in the General Fiction and Literature section of the bookstore, right near Moby Dick, lol!

Thanks for helping to spread the word!
CJ

WARNING SIGNS book video

2009-01-13T19:51:00.001-05:00

Coming January 27th, look for WARNING SIGNS in the general fiction/literature section of your favorite bookstore:

WARNING SIGNS, first review!

2008-12-18T18:04:00.003-05:00

WARNING SIGNS
C.J. Lyons
Jove, Feb 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780515145830

This exhilarating medical thriller gets the blood pumping as readers will admire and root for courageous Amanda....This is a terrific thriller and fans of Michael Palmer will enjoy this fine tale of a brave but scared medical student in trouble.
—The Mystery Gazette, Dec. 15, 2008

WARNING SIGNS cover art is here!!!

2008-11-07T08:49:00.003-05:00

And it's gorgeous!

Thank you, everyone in the art department at Berkley/Jove, you guys rock!

Mark your calenders, WARNING SIGNS will be out January 27, 2009. Or you can pre-order here.

Talk about Sex!

2008-08-18T10:02:00.002-05:00

Thought that would get your attention, lol! Jordan Dane, Toni McGee Causey, Roxanne St. Clair, St. Martin's Publisher Matthew Shear and I did a panel at RWA National Conference called Sex and the Single Title.

It was in one of the larger rooms (I'm told there was seating for 75) but we had folks sitting on the floor, standing in the back, it was jam packed and one of the most talked about (and praised!) sessions of the conference....and now it's highlighted in an article in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Writing sex scenes

Meanwhile, behind the doors of a nearby conference workshop, a panel of best-selling authors gave tips on how to write sex scenes - explicit and otherwise. Among their observations:

-- "A sex scene is an action scene," said Toni McGee Causey. Her latest "white-trash romance" is "Bobbie Faye's Very (Very, Very, Very) Bad Day."

-- "Younger romance readers have a higher tolerance for sex," according to editor Matthew Scheer of St. Martin's Press.

-- "It doesn't need to be a how-to guide," said Roxanne St. Claire, author of the Bullet Catchers trilogy. "A sex scene must be emotionally true to character - and it has to make the conflict worse."

Audience questions ran to the technical. This one busted up the room: "Do you practice your love scenes before you write them?" an aspiring author asked.

"Well, I don't recommend the spin cycle," Causey quipped.

Fellow panelist CJ Lyons, who writes medical-suspense, had a quick rejoinder. "I told you!" she said. "It's the dryer, on low."

Yes, probably the first and last time I'll ever get the last word in a conversation with Toni!!!

Read the entire article here and enjoy!
CJ

New CJ Lyons video!

2008-08-08T20:04:00.001-05:00

My cup...er, to-be-read-pile, overfloweth

2008-07-24T17:13:00.004-05:00

So, before I left for TFest, I took a week off and gave myself the ultimate treat: a reading binge!! (If I sound like a book junkie, well, yes, Hi, I'm CJ and I love books...)

Here are the ones I indulged in that week:

BUT....here are the ones I came home with and that now sit tempting me everyday:

Oh my, just a taste, please--but once I start a book, I know the perils, it's so hard to stop!

Anyone else with this problem?

Hmmm....maybe I could give up cleaning the house to find more time to fit in reading? Whoops, I already do that to find more time to write!

TFest Fan-Girl moment: Me and Harlan Coben!

2008-07-15T12:11:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Barbara Vey from Publishers Weekly for posting this "drive-by" video of me and Harlan Coben.

I can't believe I was coherent, I've been a huge fan of Harlan's for years and years! And Harlan was so sweet to mention my books! Just goes to show you the caliber of writers ThrillerFest attracts.

ThrillerFest Festivities!

2008-07-14T15:14:00.008-05:00

I'm too exhausted to recap the entire week all in one post, so will start with some of the highlights:

Lee Child accepting his gift from the ITW Debut Authors--yes, it's a artist's rendering of Lee being chased by a hoard of 40 zombie-mutant-crazed debut authors for cover quotes!

What were they thinking? The very nice (and very cute!) ATF guys let me hold a M-5 submachine gun, woohoo!

Me and ITW president, Steve Berry, looking James Bond cool at the Awards Banquet.

Fun, friends, books, guns, readers--who could ask for anything more?

Anyone get Sirius?

2008-07-06T19:31:00.002-05:00

I'll be appearing live on Doctor Radio (Sirius Channel 114) with Dr. Billy Goldberg, author of Why Do Men Have Nipples on Thursday, July 10th from 8am-9am.

Should be a fun time, so if you Sirius, tune in!

More LIFELINES sightings...

2008-06-25T15:49:00.003-05:00

Ruth sent this pix and said:

I loved your book! I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the next one!
I was reading it while on a cruise in a caribbean, here's a picture of me at the beach in Labadee, Haiti with your book.

And Margie sent this pix--she drove all the way from Canada to have her picture taken with me and LIFELINES!

(well, I think her husband's fishing trip and vacation had something to do with it as well, lol!)

Thanks guys! And remember, if you want to enter for a chance to win a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card and a LIFELINES t-shirt, just email me your photo of you and your copy of LIFELINES!

They'll be posted here and eventually on a special page on my website. Winner will be announced in my Summer newsletter!

Wordsmiths Gala!!!

2008-06-17T19:37:00.005-05:00

The wonderful folks at Wordsmith's Bookstore in Decatur, GA invited me to participate in their anniversary celebration last weekend and I had a blast!

The guest of honor was the unforgettable Toni McGee Causey (Bobbie Faye's Kinda, Sorta, Not Exactly Family Jewels) who taught us how to shuck crawfish.

Wordsmith's threw a cajun party, a fais do-do, for Toni and Tim from BabyGotBooks litblog did the honors of preparing the crawfish boil.

Um-um-good.....Wordsmiths promised more fun than is legally allowed in a bookstore and they delivered!

Whoops! Kinda forgot to blog...

2008-06-06T18:46:00.006-05:00

Hey there! I know, it's been a while! Sorry, I got a bit distracted running hither and yon launching LIFELINES.

But, one of my stops was in Pittsburgh where I had the chance to have some fun research for Book 2, WARNING SIGNS, spending an afternoon with a few of the Pittsburgh River Rescue guys!

Here are some pix, enjoy!
CJ

Girls gotta have fun!

2008-05-09T09:47:00.002-05:00

Check out the good time I had joking around with Jill Monroe and Gena Showalter on their Author Talk show!

LIFELINES tour wrap-up

2008-05-05T09:56:00.003-05:00

One book, eight weeks, thirteen cities….

Hey, I'm back! Home sweet home for three whole weeks, yeah! On the plane back home, I was reflecting on some of the stats from my LIFELINES book tour.

Number of:

Flights taken: 25
Pieces of luggage lost: 0
Miles driven: 1927

Trains: 8
Buses: 6
Boats: 1
Hospitals visited: 2
Speeches/panels/workshops given: 15
TV/video interviews: 5
Print interviews: 8
"Live" Signings: 16
"Drive-by" Signings: 12
Conference booksellers sold out of LIFELINES: 100%
Friends old and new met: too many to count!!!

Thanks to everyone who made my first ever tour and first ever book release such a huge success!!!
CJ

Virtual LIFELINES

2008-05-01T19:43:00.002-05:00

Had a wonderful chat with the ladies of The Women of Mystery Bookclub the other night and they were kind enough to send this great picture:

The Women of Mystery Book Club in West Monroe, Louisiana
Pictured are Back Row left to right: Cynthia Malone, Laveda Clark, Linda Hill
Front row left to right: Beth Cornelison, Sheila Stracner, Jennelle Brulte

Mega-thanks to Beth Cornelison for inviting me and sending the pix!!!
CJ

More LIFELINES sightings...

2008-04-27T21:13:00.005-05:00

Larissa Ione took LIFELINES camping with her and wrote:

I finished Lifelines, and loved it! Now I’m DYING for the next one...Excellent book, lady – totally AMAZING debut! Congrats!

As promised, I’m sending proof that I read Lifelines while camping! It
annoyed the hell out of my husband, who kept saying I needed to do things like hike. Pfft. I was just way to engrossed in the book!

And a sighting from Toni McGee Causey in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...

Finally, one more from the Brazilian rainforest, courtesy of Leighton Gage:

Feel free to send me your pictures of any sightings of LIFELINES!

Thanks for reading,
CJ

LIFELINES international!

2008-04-21T07:47:00.005-05:00

Leighton Gage, a fantastically talented crime writer from Brazil and author of Blood of the Wicked, sent me these pictures of LIFELINES in Sao Paulo.

Pretty cool, eh?

Feel free to send me pictures of you and your copy of LIFELINES--I'll enter you into a special contest and post them here!
CJ

LIFELINES scores a perfect 10!

2008-03-24T06:15:00.000-05:00

In addition to the accolades LIFELINES has received from Publisher's Weekly, The Baltimore Sun, and a Top Pick from Romantic Times, LIFELINES has scored a Perfect 10 from Romance Reviews Today!

The writing, storyline, descriptions, and characterizations are simply superb...a gritty, breathtaking, nail-chewing wild ride in and about Pittsburgh.

I found it difficult to put this book down. It is better than any medical story I have ever read and rivals the best in the movies and television. At the climax, readers will be hanging on by their fingertips. Emotions run high, and debut author C. J. Lyons blends everything and everyone seamlessly in this riveting drama. I award this must-read novel a Perfect 10.

~Vi Janaway, Romance Reviews Today

For the entire review, click here.

LIFELINES is available in stores everywhere now.

CJ on Live TV!

2008-03-12T15:44:00.002-05:00

Check it out--is that really me?

Click here, scroll down click on Author CJ Lyons.

Go ahead and laugh, I know I did!

What fun to go on live TV--no preparation, just have a seat, here's your mic, and go!!! Good thing I enjoy improvising, lol!

LIFELINES Launched!

2008-03-10T17:29:00.007-05:00

Just returned from Left Coast Crime in Denver where I had my official launch for LIFELINES and a rocking good time!!!

The first day I had two signings, the first with Steve Hockensmith and Rhys Bowen at Murder by the Book. Check out the beautiful cake owner Lauri Ver Schure had made for us!

The second signing was in Boulder at High Crimes. Here's owner Cynthia Nye with her LIFELINES t-shirt.

And then my very first solo signing was at Tattered Cover. Look at what was greeting me when I walked in the door!

Sold a lot of books during the trip but even better was hearing from tons of folks who read LIFELINES and already fell in love with the women of Angels of Mercy's ER!!!

Will get these and more pix onto the website asap. In the meantime, if you've read LIFELINES, be sure to let me know what you think and send me your photo with your copy to be entered to win a prize!

Check out my website for more details.

Thanks for reading!
CJ

The Big Picture

2008-03-02T10:18:00.003-05:00

AuthorLink has posted a video interview I did with them, discussing the trials and tribulations of getting published.

Click HERE if you want to see me up close and personal....

Plus more great reviews! This one from Sunday's Baltimore Sun, from Sarah Weinman:

Readers who prefer their medical thrillers to have characters with beating hearts and three dimensions are well advised to pick up this series debut by Lyons, a veteran of trauma centers and pediatric emergency medicine...Lyons captures the frenetic setting of the ER with a smooth style that demands the reader move forward to keep up with the piece, but she also creates winning portraits of the supporting players set to anchor the series.

LIFELINES, out and about...

2008-02-27T11:51:00.002-05:00

Recent sightings of early buzz about LIFELINES:

~Candy's Inside Books

~an nice feature from Ali Karim in January Magazine

~and, a mention in New Books!

Wow!!! This is actually starting to feel real! Six days and counting!

Don't forget, send me your picture with your copy of LIFELINES and I'll post them here and on my site--plus, you'll be entered to win a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card!

And save those receipts--enter my TREAT A FRIEND and WIN! contest for a chance to win an iPod Nano! Details on my site.

Oh my! I'm in Writer's Digest!!!

2008-02-21T12:20:00.002-05:00

Okay, true confession time. I've been telling stories all my life (a constant dismay to my parents who swore I'd never learn the difference between fact and fiction!) and writing them down for as long as I can remember....along with that came the dream of someday seeing them published.

So, even as a kid, whenever I had some cash in my pocket, I'd buy a Writer's Digest and read it from cover to cover, trying to glean any insight into how to make my dream come true. Never bought a Cosmo or Elle or Redbook, nope, the only magazine I bought was Writer's Digest.

And now, there I am, a full page all about me and my book on p. 22 of the April WD issue (on newsstands now!) in Jordan Rosenfeld's First Impressions feature.

Jordan was so wonderful to talk with during our interview, I almost forget it actually was an interview! I'm so thrilled that she gives debut authors a chance to stand out from crowd and am so appreciative of her support.

So, go get yourself a copy! And don't forget, LIFELINES goes on sale March 4th--buy early, buy often and you could win a special prize!!! Check out the contest page on my website for more details.

Thanks for reading!
CJ

CJ in The Motivated Writer

2008-02-17T16:24:00.001-05:00

If you want to know the story behind my "Call" when I first learned Berkley wanted to hire me, check out this month's issue of The Motivated Writer.

Oh, there are a few secrets about my past in there as well, lol!

Enjoy!
CJ

My Kind of Valentine Story....

2008-02-14T16:52:00.000-05:00

Save the Cat!!

2008-02-12T17:45:00.000-05:00

Want to rev up your writing? Learn how to plot, pitch, or develop a story from idea to finish?

Then I highly recommend Blake Snyder's Save the Cat workshops!

I just came home from an intense weekend seminar with Blake and some fellow writers--not only did we have a blast, we also left with our heads spinning with ideas.

More than ideas, thanks to Blake we had the tools to make them work.

Check him and his books out!

LIFELINES: Top Pick from RT!!!

2008-02-01T13:04:00.000-05:00

LIFELINES will be out in the stores next month (March 4th, to be exact) and in addition to a glowing review from Publishers Weekly, it received 4 1/2 stars and a Top Pick from Romantic Times Book Review (this is huge, believe me!).

This is what Romantic Times said about LIFELINES:

Top Pick, 4 1/2 Stars. Pittsburgh's Angel of Mercy Hospital comes brilliantly alive in Lyons ' debut novel. This enthralling medical mystery offers an intimate view of the personal and professional lives of its characters. It's a winner.

To celebrate, I'm hosting several contests--prizes include DVDs, t-shirts, free books, gift cards, and even an iPod.

For more info go to my website, http://www.cjlyons.net. You can also read an excerpt from LIFELINES, check out the photos, and other fun stuff.

And if you want to read a short story that is a prequel of LIFELINES, I'm the featured New and Notable author on Celebwire (alongside Heather Graham, woohoo!) this month and they're giving away free downloads. Just click here:
http://www.authorlink.com/celebwire/#new

Take care all and thanks for letting me share this exciting time with you!
CJ

CJ on The Rap Sheet!

2008-01-31T10:09:00.000-05:00

Check out my fun conversation with Ali Karim on The Rap Sheet!http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

We discuss how hard it is to write fictional bad-guys, especially after dealing with ones in real life.

Patry Francis Blogday: A Life with No Buts

2008-01-28T12:22:00.001-05:00

Today is dedicated to Patry Francis and the release of the paperback edition of her debut novel, The Liar's Diary. Go here to see what it's all about and here to read Patry's blog and here to buy the book.

One of the things remarkable about Patry and her battles (to be published, to fight cancer, to continue sharing her work and world view) is that she has learned to live a life without "buts."

No, not that butt, the one brought on by holiday over-indulging. I'm talking about the more insidious, poisonous one that infests our society and prevents so many from daring to dream, much less live their dreams.

You know what I'm talking about. The "but" that starts so many conversations…and brings them to a screeching pre-mature halt.

"But, you don't understand, I can't…"

How many times as a physician have I heard that from patients and parents who refuse to take responsibility for their own actions and decisions? Who deny themselves the chance at a better life with a simple three letter word, "but."

My own life has included encounters with death (my own, my family's, my patients'), head-long collisions with "facts of life" (which often turn out to be nothing except urban myths cloaked in authority), and scrambling, tooth and claw escapes from poverty.

We've all lived through hard times. We've all had plans go awry, dreams lost, hopes dashed. We all feel sometimes that it takes more than we have to simply struggle out of bed each day and trudge through the routine we've substituted for our life.

I dare you to go read Patry's blog chronicling her current fight, then return to your own life ready to challenge your own "buts."

Try it. Banish three letters from your vocabulary, eliminate that one tiny word from your thinking for one day, and see what dreams you can set into motion!

While you're at it, don't forget to pick up a copy of The Liar's Diary and visit Patry on her website or blog.

Thanks for reading!
CJ

Karma strikes writer!

2008-01-25T11:01:00.000-05:00

No, not me (although I've had my share of karmic fortune, good and bad) but a wonderfully talented fellow writer who just won the short fiction contest at Once Written.

Click here to read her story, "The Comic Who Couldn't Laugh"--you'll be glad you did.

And watch for more from this award-winning literary talent!

10 things everyone needs to know about the ER

2008-01-18T12:01:00.000-05:00

If you think you might ever, ever, ever make use of an ER, read this first!

Very sound advice from someone on the front lines...

Switching Gears

2008-01-15T13:35:00.000-05:00

Ever feel like your brain is just plain tuckered out? The writing goes stale, nothing you read is pulling you in….heck, even your fav authors aren’t engaging you, much less inspiring you to get back to work.

Try taking a break from processing words and switch gears to more visual pursuits. Grab some paints or crayons and create some art (no one has to see it except you). Or re-cycle those old magazines by cutting out photos and creating a collage. For those more computer savvy, make a video.

Think of your story as you work, use it as your inspiration. Relax. Have fun. After all, it’s not writing, it’s playtime.

You might be surprised by your results! I know I was.

I created this video that I posted on my MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/cjlyonswriter) as a way to think about my characters and I like it enough that I’m going to see if my editor can use it to give the sales staff a visual handle on my cross-genre book. I think it nicely captures the romance, suspense, medical elements and that this book focuses on the women characters.

Switch gears and return to your writing rejuvenated and refreshed!

Why we do what we do....

2008-01-13T19:08:00.000-05:00

Everyone's probably heard about CNN's Beck and his hemorrhoids surgery gone awry. For those who haven't, basically he went in for an outpatient procedure, woke with uncontrollable pain that the surgeons weren't able to control and ended up spending 5 days in the hospital.

Then he went home and produced a video tape about his experiences and how awful they were. His conclusion:

"The politicians are right that we have a health care crisis in this country," he said. "Where they're wrong is that it's not going to be solved by government, it's not going to be solved by getting the HMOs out, it's not going to be solved by a new marbled-lobby health center," he said. "It's by hiring people that understand about caring for people."

Right....we doctors spend four years in college, four years in med school (at the cost of $100,000 +), four to seven years in additional training working 80 hour weeks for peanuts, just so we can face the threat of malpractice suits, insurance company hassles, and patients like Beck who think they're the only patients in the world....Why?

And what about the nurses--don't even get me started on the long hours, low pay and crap they have to put up with.

Seriously who would want a job like this? Who would want to work every holiday that your family has off, nights/days/swing shifts, weekends, be on call to drop everything to answer a summons from a patient? Does that sound like the kind of job you would want?

Unless you cared.....which of course is why we do what we do.

And why, if Mr. Beck felt less than appreciated by the numerous medical personnel he was involved with, then he might want to either look in the mirror at his own actions and attitudes as well as what it is about our health care system (the system he says doesn't need any government or HMO intervention to make constructive change) that has sucked the life and compassion from people who have sacrificed so much in the name of caring?

No, medical providers aren't perfect. But we wouldn't be doing this if we didn't care....

Into the Woods

2008-01-11T20:36:00.000-05:00

This post originally appeared at Romance Worth Killing For where I blog monthly about fun medical facts for your fiction.

We all love to throw our Heroes curve balls, move them out of their comfort zones, give them physical challenges to overcome, and place them in life or death situations.

One of the most common of these is the wilderness--the stuff of Grimm fairy tales, boogey men and primal nightmares. But what to do once we get our characters out there in the deep, dark woods-- how do we realistically get them back to the ranch in one piece?

Let's use an example from one of my old manuscripts. The hero, Lucky, is a city boy, an ATF agent whose cover has been blown by some renegade militia types. Poor Lucky, he's been shot, the bad guys are hot on his tail, and the only place to go is into a wilderness area. Oh yeah, it's January and a nor'easter is heading right toward him.

What does our hero need right now to ensure his survival?

The most important survival tool is attitude. Not just a stubborn will to live, although that is vital, but also the ability to focus and prioritize, to accept that something bad has happened and move on, and to improvise, think outside the box.

Aron Ralston, the climber who amputated his own hand when pinned beneath a boulder, didn't waste time on self-recrimination. He spent five days improvising various methods to either move that boulder, attract help or free his arm. At the same time he also attended to his other physical needs: temperature stability, water, food.

Top of my wish list if I was stranded anywhere: duct tape.

Got a broken arm or leg? Duct tape holds your splint together. Deep cut or gunshot wound (as in Lucky's case)--duct tape holds the edges together or secures a dressing. By the way, your heroine can really help out if she's prepared for that time of the month-- maxipads make ideal dressings.

Need to build a shelter? Or make a pair of sunglasses so you don't go snow blind (punch a small hole in the duct tape for each eye to look through); wrap it around your ankles as gaiters to keep snow or water out; tape up a sprain; make a sling; blaze a trail; patch up some blisters (once applied, try not to remove it until you're back in civilization or major ouch); you can even fashion clothing from it!

A few trash bags can also come in handy. Lightweight, easy to carry, cheap and versatile. Got rain or snow--instant rain poncho. Need a shelter to bivouac the night in? Fill one with dry pine boughs or leaves, and you've got an itchy but warm sleeping bag. Or cut it open and use your duct tape to fashion a "pup" tent. You can also cut strips to blaze a trail or to use as lashing. Caught wearing sneakers in the snow? Make goulashes.

For first aid it gives you waterproof dressing material, also use the bag part (Ziploc bags work great for this as well) to flush out and irrigate wounds or burns. Just cut the corner off the bottom of the bag, fill with water, hold the top tight (or duct tape it) and poke a hole in the corner, and you have a high pressure irrigation system. And if you need to carry water but didn't bring your Camelbak, you can haul as much as you can carry.

What if you are caught out in the woods with "nothing"? Do a quick inventory, you'd be surprised what you really do have. Nasty gash on the scalp-- tie the edges together with your hair; it worked for the frontier pioneers. Got a broken arm or collarbone? Use the cuff button to attach your shirt sleeve to your collar and viola, instant sling.

Bitten by a snake and no Acewrap handy to use as a compression dressing to stop the venom flow--use your sock. (Note: compression means you can slip one finger beneath it--NOT a tourniquet, and please, no cutting and sucking snake bites! Depending on the kind of snake, almost half are "dry" or venom free, and all you're doing is making it worse by adding a laceration and your dirty mouth germs to an area that's already damaged.)

Fall in the water and need a flotation device? If you're wearing anything water repellant, take it off, tie it like a balloon and blow it up. This technique is one of the reasons people in Alaska swear by Carhartt clothing--there have been several people there literally saved by their pants!

Need lashing for a shelter or to make a splint? Shoelaces or your belt. Need a signal mirror--wearing any jewelry? Want a compass--use your watch, or make a "sundial" compass with a stick. Got matches but no dry tinder? How about the lining from inside your coat or fuzz from your socks?

You get the idea. Remember, attitude is the most important survival tool there is, followed by imagination. Writers, with our positive, no quit attitudes and familiarity with the realm of possibilities, should make for the perfect survivalists!

Anyone with their own wilderness survival techniques or stories? I'd love to hear them!

Thanks for reading!
CJ

Patience....

2008-01-08T18:51:00.000-05:00

I know I haven't posted in a while, but it's because I've been working hard to get my new website up and running.

Check it out at http://www.cjlyons.net and let me know what you think!

I'll also be moving as many of my older wordpress blog posts over here so everything will be in one place. So if you're trying to find something and it's gone, please be patient.

Thanks!
CJ

Homicidal Holidays

2007-12-27T11:05:00.001-05:00

I love talking with mystery/suspense authors because we can talk about the fun things in life, including the best ways to kill someone and get away with it.

So, given the winter holiday season, I thought I'd throw out a few ideas on Homicidal Holiday Hazards.

1. O Tantebaum—not only do they make for excellent firestarters (arson, anyone?) but think of the possibilities of actually obtaining one. Imagine: deserted tree farm, you and your victim far out of sight of anyone else, it's getting dark, and there you are with hatchet and saw in hand….or better yet, cutting down and hauling a live tree is a great time to induce a heart attack and given the holiday rush, it probably would go undetected as the medical examiner would be too busy to do more than a cursory examination.

2. Auld Lang Sang—do you have any idea how easy it is to slip poison into New Year's champagne or eggnog? The possibilities are endless: antifreeze in a sweet drink, an overdose of barbiturates or sedatives in an alcoholic one….

3. Dradle, Dradle—holidays with all that candy and cheating on diets make for a perfect time to induce a diabetic coma in those old folks with fat life insurance policies. Just swap out their "sugar" pills or insulin for a few days, ply them with some gelt or candy canes and pouf! There goes granny, here comes the inheritance!

4. Up on the Rooftop--Hmmm….climbing up rickety ladders, hammer and nails and aluminum gutters and electrical lights, snow and ice all around—anyone else seeing a great set up for "accidental" electrocutions or slip and falls???

5. Over the Hills—all that ice and snow (for those of you in northern climes) not to mention crazy, hectic drivers all rushing hither and yon make for a perfect recipe for disaster. Mix a slashed brake-line with faulty power steering, add a little too much holiday cheer and voila!

And then there's always the cold and hypothermia and all the possibilities the wilderness can offer us. But I'll save that for another blog!

In the meantime, what's your favorite Homicidal Holiday Hazard? C'mon, if you can't talk about it with your fellow suspense authors, who can you talk to?

I'd love to hear them!
CJ
PS: I feel honor-bound (the pediatric ER doc in me) to point out that the holidays actually do pose a very real risk, especially to children and pets. Clean up ALL remnants of alcohol after parties before you go to bed (kids tend to get up early and love sipping at all the left over drinks and it only takes a few swallows of alcohol to poison a little one) and please dress everyone warm, even for short trips. Always, always buckle up and have a designated driver! Happy--and safe--holidays to all!!

Wow! My first review!

2007-12-23T14:01:00.001-05:00

...and it's a doozy!!! From Publishers Weekly:

Lifelines
CJ Lyons. Berkley, $7.99 (416p) ISBN 978-0-425-22082-5

In Lyons’s spot-on debut, Dr. Lydia Fiore’s first case as attending emergency physician at Pittsburgh’s Angels of Mercy Hospital goes much better than her second: Jonah, the son of the chief of surgery, dies despite her best efforts. Put on immediate suspension pending a review and with no clear answers as to why the young man died, Lydia initiates her own investigation. To Lydia, the autopsy points to murder, and the team that worked on Jonah with her—med student Amanda, resident Gina and nurse Nora—agrees. As bodies begin to pile up in the morgue, fans of reading about medical procedures up close won’t be disappointed. And the gore (and romance with a paramedic) doesn’t slow down the action: Lyons delivers a breathtakingly fast-paced medical thriller. (Mar.)

School's Never Out!

2007-12-23T13:59:00.000-05:00

My nephew wants to write a book, so no big surprise that he loves peppering me with questions: how do I do this, how do I do that?

I love teaching, so I never mind his questions. Just as I never mind the time and effort that go into preparing and presenting my workshops. And as I work on a new project, I’m often drawn back to my own favorite writing teachers–my personal cure for writer’s block and gaining the motivation to tackle revisions.

Since I never had formal training, my personal instructors come in the form of writing books. But hey, how can you go wrong learning from the likes of Stephen King, David Morrell, Terry Brooks, Ray Bradbury, etc. I’m not sure why they’re all written by men, but they work to motivate me. As do books from Donald Maass, Syd Field, Dwight Swain, and Robert McKee.

Again, more men….and despite the treasure trove of sage wisdom and advice these authors offer, I can’t help but wishing other authors would write how-to books. Authors like Mark Helprin and Alice Hoffman–how do they create their worlds of magical realism so effectively and seemingly effortlessly? Or Joseph Campbell–what wonderful insights to be gained if he’d translated his own work for writers instead of Vogler?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Alexandre Dumas shared his world-building techniques? Or Charlotte Bronte her character building and GMC tricks? How about Charles Dickens, what fantastic tips on productivity, deadlines, plotting, and audience expectations could be learned! Or Shakespeare?

Obviously the list could go on. And obviously, most of these writers aren’t able to write a how-to book at this time (unless you believe in seances <g>). So how can we learn from these masters of the craft?

Here’s what I keep telling my nephew. Writers write. And writers read.

Because as long as there are books on the shelf, school is never out.

So, who are your favorite teachers?

CJ

PS: my nephew is only ten, but already studying current masters (JK Rowling) as well as past (JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis)

PPS: my own favorite how-to: Ray Bradbury’s Zen and the Art of Writing followed by a quick read of either his Dandelion Wine or Something Wicked This Way Comes…

Diggin' the Gold!

2007-09-18T11:53:00.000-05:00

I just returned from a trip filled with firsts. My first trip to Denver; my first time doing the “face” thing with booksellers, asking them to remember my book and perhaps schedule me for an event next March when LIFELINES debuts; my first Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ Colorado Gold conference; and my first ever keynote speech.

Can I just say, Wow!!!

I was nervous about all of the above except visiting Denver. Turns out that was the only thing I should have been worried about—the first night I stayed with a friend at high elevation and got acute mountain sickness. Otherwise known as barf-o-rama in the guest bathroom.

But the next day I was fine. We traveled to bookstores in Denver and Boulder and holy smokes, this place felt like a writers Nirvana!

Not only were there bookstores everywhere (the nearest one to me here at home is 30 minutes away and is a chain store) but they were filled with people—gulp—reading!!! Not to mention the wonderful booksellers, like Lauri Ver Schure at Murder by the Book and Cynthia Nye at High Crimes Mystery Bookstore.

Both of these wonderful ladies ignored their ringing phones and inventory stocking to stop and chat books with us—aw bliss! Not only were they warm and welcoming to this soon-to-be-released author, they seemed genuinely interested in LIFELINES and its cross-genre appeal to their customers.

Being in their stores, talking with people who love books as much as I do felt like coming home!

And that same welcome-home feeling continued once I made it to the conference. The folks at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers not only put on a stellar conference that was well-organized and filled with great workshops and panels, they also exhibit a level of writing talent that is truly amazing.

There I was sitting with people like Jeanne Stein, a newly minted NYT bestseller; Mario Acevedo whose vampire detective stories are as sly and witty as the man himself is in real life; YA author Bonnie Ramthun whose mastery of all things Mac kept me from committing hari-kari via laptop; and the always uplifting and energizing NYT bestseller Joan Johnston who offered her wisdom and expert advice on this wild and whacky publishing business.

Then they call me up to give the Kickoff Keynote Address. Yikes! Here I am, unknown, unpublished (until next March!), about the most unlikely Guest of Honor you could ever meet…..and my job is to inspire and motivate all these wonderfully talented people???

Yet, somehow, I wasn’t nervous or scared. That’s how comfortable and accepted they made me feel. And with folks like Vicki Law, Marne Kirstatter, and my hostess, Margie Lawson, leading the way, how could I feel anything but?

So I spoke from the heart. Asking hard questions, sharing a little of my own life and the answers I’ve discovered, challenging the audience to search for their own answers. My speech was titled after the conference itself: Dreams to Reality and in it I explored why I write and what makes a “real” writer.

I was certain it was all just maudlin-Disneyesque crap, wondered right up to the moment I stepped on stage if I shouldn’t just grab a football and punt it as my “kickoff” instead. But they laughed at all the right spots, cheered at all the right spots, even cried (well, not Mario of course—he has that tough guy vampire detective street cred to keep intact).

Afterwards, the most amazing thing happened. For the next two days of the conference, writers—published and unpublished—kept coming up to me and thanking me!!! Saying that my speech had touched them, inspired them, helped them as writers.

Now it was my turn to blink back tears—I felt so privileged that they would invite me into their lives and share that with me.

I realized that this also reflects my highest aspirations for my writing—to reach out, connect with a reader and through them change the world, one reader at a time. How fitting is it that I plan to return to Denver and launch LIFELINES at Left Coast Crime next March?

Although, it seems desperately far away, because now I’m hooked!! I want to have this feeling again—and again and again!!

Thanks for reading!
CJ

Lyons' Tales, Summer 2007

2007-07-29T18:47:00.000-05:00

Lyons' Tales, Summer 2007

In this issue:
--CJ's News
--Where in the world is CJ?
--Exclusive for subscribers
--Contest Winner
--New Contest: Win an Evening with George Clooney, Patrick Dempsey, and Godiva Chocolate!!

CJ's News:
We now have a title and release date for my first Berkley medical suspense. LIFELINES is due out April 1, 2008!

LIFELINES follows the women of Pittsburgh 's Angels of Mercy Medical Center as they fight to save lives and stop a killer.

I'm currently hard at work on the second in the series, CHANCE TO CUT, and hope to have more news on it, cover art for LIFELINES, and some early reviews in the next issue of Lyons ' Tales.

Where in the world is CJ?
ThrillerFest was a blast—for anyone who hasn't been, definitely mark your calendars for next July!

Next up I've been invited to be the Kickoff Keynote Speaker for the Colorado Gold Conference, September 14-16, 2007.

I've also been invited to give my Chasing the Muse half day workshop for the Heart of Denver's RWA on October 20, 2007.

Upcoming online courses include:
--Kills, Chills, and Thrills: Writing the Thriller Novel, August, Carolina Romance Writers

--Chasing the Muse, September, Outreach International

--Trauma 101, October, LowCountry RWA

Be sure to check out my website http://www.cjlyons.net/ for new appearances and workshops!

Exclusive for Lyons ' Tales Subscribers!
As a thank you to all my loyal supporters, I'm continuing to offer content that is exclusively for you and students of my workshops.

This issue I'm giving you access to my Secrets of Pitching article. Next issue, I'll be giving you my interview with Lisa Gardner about her Adventures in Research. If you want to receive either of these articles, sign up for my mailing list by clicking here.

Contest Winner!
The winner of this issue's contest prize, a $25 dollar Barnes and Noble gift card is….L. Messer!

Send me your snail mail address and I'll get your prize out to you, asap!

New Contest!
All Lyons ' Tales subscribers will be entered in my new contest:

Win an Evening with George Clooney, Patrick Dempsey, and Godiva Chocolate!!

You'll have a chance to win DVD's of Season One of ER and Grey's Anatomy as well as a box of Godiva Chocolate!

Look for the winner in the next issue of Lyons ' Tales!

Note: this contest will be open to continental addresses only

That's it for now! Anyone in Denver or taking my online workshops between now and the Fall issue of Lyons ' Tales, be sure to give a shout out and tell your friends.

And as always, thanks for reading!
CJ
No One is Immune to Danger...
http://www.cjlyons.net/
LIFELINES, Berkley April, 2008

Truth, Fiction and the News...

2007-07-07T08:02:00.000-05:00

The headline reads: New Drug Deletes Bad Memories

Wow! Sounds like this must be cutting edge science, right?

Only two problems: the drug isn't new and it doesn't "delete" memories.

In fact, this drug has been around for a long time and for years has been used in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy to treat Post-Traumatic Stress, panic attacks and other anxiety-spectrum disorders.

And no, it doesn't delete or erase bad memories. Rather, it blocks the physiologic effects (racing heart, palpitations, sense of panic, etc) produced by the stress hormones when people re-live those memories.

Why does the media feel like it has to lie to us in order to get our attention long enough to tell us the truth?

Although, I must admit, these folks (Dinner guest finds host's wife and son in freezer) might have wished it was the truth!

Girls gone wild....

2007-07-06T07:30:00.000-05:00

What is going on here?

Police in Oklahoma arrested a 12 year old and her 10 year old sister.

Why? What normal childhood hi-jinks did these two girls get involved in?

They kidnapped a neighbor's infant baby. Yes, these two budding criminal masterminds snuck into the neighbor's house at night, took the baby and left a note demanding a ransom of $200,000.00

They were caught when their mother found them hiding the baby boy. If it wasn't for the fact that babies are hard to hide when you're too young to drive them anywhere, these girls would have followed through with their plans.

And then there's the 11 year old who led police on a high speed chase topping 100mpg. Where was she headed in such a hurry? To pick her sister up at a concert.

Oh yeah, she was also intoxicated when the police stopped her.

Finally, how about the 4 year old who called 911 almost 300 times last month? What was her emergency?

She wanted the police to bring her food from McDonald's--guess her mom was trying to get her to eat healthy.

So.....the big questions: Where were the parents? And where did things go wrong with these kids?

Heroes Next Door

2007-07-04T07:02:00.000-05:00

Happy Fourth of July!

Today we celebrate the birth of our nation. Yes, there will be fireworks and hotdogs and picnics. But without our heroes, it would all be meaningless.

Heroes come in many sizes. There are the larger than life ones: presidents and astronauts and religious figures.

Then there are the men and women who live next door. The often unsung heroes.

The wife preparing her family before she leaves for war. The father who carries a beeper and leaves the fireworks to go care for a sick child in the ICU. The ones working today wearing the uniforms of police, fire, rescue, EMS, nurses, etc…

We Americans pride ourselves on our humble roots that gave birth to a great nation. A nation built by heroes.

Who are your heroes?

While you’re standing at the grill today, take a look around–they might be standing right beside you.

Don’t be shy, shake their hand, and let them know that today’s celebration is for them!

Thanks for reading,

CJ

Psychic Disconnect?

2007-06-29T11:25:00.000-05:00

I don't have alot of time for TV. So it peeves me when I've been following a show only to have it yanked around on the schedule or suddenly vanishing.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, NBC's highly acclaimed but little viewed offering from Aaron Sorkin was one of the few shows I watched religiously--or tried to. It was gone, supposedly cancelled, then back, then gone again only to show up on another night for its final episodes before it really was cancelled.

I loved this show--not just the witty dialogue that drives any of Sorkin's work, but the characters. It was funny, it was charming, it was serious, it was clever, it was controversial, it was tongue-in-cheek...so why didn't people "get" it?

I think because there was a disconnect in the marketing of the show. First it was billed as a comedy about the "behind the scenes of Saturday Night Live". But there was another comedy debuting at the same time, 30 Rock (notice the similar titles), that truly WAS a comedy about behind the scenes of SNL.

And Studio 60 was so much more than a comedy. Then it was billed as a "romantic drama"--what was that? NBC's answer to Grey's Anatomy? And Studio 60 isn't a romance.

The final nail in the coffin was when the show was condemned for taking current events and using them. Not in the comedy sketches, not to poke fun of (like the real SNL) but as part of a story line affecting the characters.

Hello? A TV show that can't use real life events and see how its characters would respond? Guess that would make it either a comedy or a soap opera, right?

Studio 60 was a well written, highly entertained show that was poorly defined and marketed. It was cross genre, refused to its dying breath to be pigeonholed.

And now it's dead.....why do I care? Because my books are, you got it, cross-genre. Poorly defined and unpigeonholeable.

They'll be shelved in general fiction--that large mass of books that encompass everything from Homer's Odyssey to speculative meta-fiction. They're a blend of women's fiction/medical suspense/and thrillers with romantic elements.

They're different from anything else out there. Which makes me wonder if I should be worried.

People are always asking for different, but when you give it to them, like with Studio 60, they turn away and don't want it, instead choosing the same old, same old.

Hmmm....think maybe Aaron Sorkin would take my call if I asked him for advice? What do people really want from their entertainment?

Blind as a...

2007-06-21T14:35:00.000-05:00

So, I finally made it to my eye doctor for my checkup today. New doctor since I moved last year. And he did that eye drop thing--you know, the dilation where bright lights hurt and everything goes fuzzy for a while?

As I'm leaving, he says I'm fine to drive but not to read until the afternoon.

"Sure," I say, thinking about the bifocals--excuse me, "progressive" lenses--that I've been forced to get. Yep, I'm getting old.

So I'm driving home, squinting despite the clouds and sunglasses, and it hits me--what's he mean NO reading??? Is he nuts? I spend maybe 12-14 hours a day reading, either for fun or research or while writing, answering emails, checking out blogs, news online, more writing, etc, etc......

NO reading???

I got home and thought, to heck with this, and immediately sprang to my computer intending to catch up on emails and then plow into the new scene I dreamed up.

Big mistake. Not only couldn't read a darn thing, I got a splitting headache from trying.

Maybe it was the glare from the monitor....tried a book. Whoa, no way!!

It was only 11am what the heck was I gonna do for the rest of the day until I could read again? Clean the house--yeah, right, in your dreams.

So I did the next best thing and had my own private film fest. Popcorn and all. Watched What Women Want with Mel Gibson and some actress, then saw Braveheart with Mel Gibson and some actress....anyone seeing a trend here?

Lethal Weapon was up next when I realized I could read the writing on the case, so thought I'd best get back to work.

So, what would you do if you couldn't read for a day?

Mirror, Mirror

2007-06-14T10:54:00.000-05:00

I spent last week in Toronto, filming. Yes, I said filming. No, it's not that exciting, it was a DVD on healthy eating for children.

Still, when I saw myself on film, it was weird. I mean—that's not really how I look, is it? Do I really bob my head like that? And my voice, it's not really all breathy like a school girl's?

Is it?

Made me think. There's the way I see me. The way others see me. And then there's reality.

And who's to say which is the real me?

This was an ah-hah moment for the new book I'm writing. What if you're a health care professional who has devoted your career to helping others survive trauma and illness?

What if everyone sees you as a nice, good-hearted person, but you know different? You know the reason behind your career choice, your dedication, is because of a secret buried in your past, a secret that you seek redemption for, making the life you live everyday a lie….

And what if this secret was exposed?

Hmmm….gave me a whole new take on both my main character and the badguy. I realized they're basically the same: living a lie, hiding a secret.

The fact that they share the same secret should really liven things up as well!

What do you think? Do we all live secret lives, hide our real selves?

Or is what you see in the mirror what you get?

Thanks for reading!
CJ

The Power of a Word

2007-06-04T17:06:00.000-05:00

Ever notice how many novels, TV shows and movies have one word titles? I love that, the way they find a single word that conveys the power and emotional essence of their work.

Some random examples:

HIDE, GONE, and ALONE by Lisa Gardner, VERTIGO and CHARADE from Alfred Hitchcock, BACKDRAFT, ALIAS, LOST, LADYHAWKE, GLADIATOR, BRAVEHEART, EXODUS, BONES, WITNESS…..

Well, you get the point. One word can have more power and impact than a dozen.

Now I'm pleased to announce that my first title from Berkley will also join this illustrious group. After months of discussion and considering over 70 titles, my new medical suspense will be titled….drum roll, please….

LIFELINES

I love it! An intern in my editor's office came up with it and I will be forever in debt to him.

It says it all, doesn't it? That this will be a book where no one is immune to danger, everything is at risk, and the only things that can save the characters are the bonds they forge with each other…their LIFELINES.

So, what do you think? About my new title or about other titles that just say it all to you as a reader?

Thanks for reading!
CJ

Farenheit 451???

2007-05-28T10:43:00.000-05:00

Love curling up with a good book? Tired of re-runs and brainless internet surfing?

Want to help your favorite authors? Want to find new ones to entertain you?

Then please support your local bookseller. Otherwise...

By DAVID TWIDDY, Associated Press Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Tom Wayne has amassed thousands of books in a warehouse during the 10 years he has run his used book store, Prospero's Books. But when he wanted to thin out the collection, he found he couldn't even give away books to libraries or thrift shops; they said they were full.

So on Sunday, Wayne began burning his books in protest of what he sees as society's diminishing support for the printed word.

"This is the funeral pyre for thought in America today," Wayne told spectators outside his bookstore as he lit the first batch of books.

Wayne said he has seen fewer customers in recent years as people more often get their information from television or the Internet. He pointed to a 2002 study by the National Endowment for the Arts, that found that less than half of adult respondents reported reading for pleasure, down from almost 57 percent in 1982.

Mike Bechtel paid $10 for a stack of books, including an antique collection of children's literature, which he said he'd save for his 4-year-old son.

"I think, given the fact it is a protest of people not reading books, it's the best way to do it," Bechtel said. "(Wayne has) made the point that not reading a book is as good as burning it."

Like Fathers, Like Sons

2007-05-25T08:14:00.000-05:00

NBC San Diego has a story about a video that the FBI uses to demonstrate how gang violence is perpetuated.

In it, a toddler in diapers and his dad spend a day together. First, dad shows junior how to execute a drive-by shooting: the baby pretending the drive the car while dad "shoots" from the back seat.

Then they spend some quality time bagging drugs together. Dad uses this opportunity to continue to bond with his son by teaching him swear words and giving him alcohol to drink.

Finally, dad and junior practice quick draw skills as dad pulls a toy gun from the baby's diaper and shows him how to hold it and threaten someone with it.

Ahhh...the joys of fatherhood.

What were they thinking?

2007-05-18T06:13:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'll bet you're expecting this to be about the Grey's Anatomy finale.

Nope, this is real life. From Reuters:

BERLIN (Reuters) - A 36-year-old German mother-of-five drove her son to a jewelry store he wanted to rob because she was afraid he may come to some harm, Bild newspaper reported Wednesday.

While her 17-year-old son and his two accomplices stabbed and robbed a jeweler in the eastern city of Dresden, the mother waited outside in the car.

"I knew he wanted to rob the shop and I was very worried about him," top-selling Bild quoted the mother as saying.

A court sentenced the woman to three years and ten months in prison, a spokeswoman for the court said.

The scariest thing? The women has four other children! Gee, wonder what those kids have learned from their adult role models?

Time Warp!

2007-05-11T12:32:00.000-05:00

According to the New York Times, NBC has announced part of its fall lineup. Returning series include Friday Night Lights--yeah!!!

True confession, I'm a football junkie. Grew up going to church with Joe Paterno and my Nittany Lions on Saturday and the Steelers on Sunday. When we trained our puppy to stay out of the dining room, the command we taught her was "Off Sides!" My nephew's first words were "Touch Down!"

So combine the inside life of a high school football team, no bars held when it comes to the realities most kids face these days (sex, drugs, booze, steroids), the small town that lives and breathes football and hunky coach Kyle Chandler and I'm sold!

Kudos to NBC!

Except, the Times went on to dish out this redux nugget:

The drama that is certain to get the most instant recognition is “Bionic Woman,” a 21st-century remake of the 1970s series. This one stars Michelle Ryan as an accident victim remade with bionic parts who is embroiled in a secret government project, which also includes a previous bionic prototype, played by Katee Sackhoff. The series was once thought to be in trouble, but the pilot is now getting some of the strongest favorable reviews inside NBC.

Are they for real? The Bionic Woman is the best they got???? And it's getting "the strongest, favorable reviews"????

Jeezit, NBC, just drop me a line next time you're shopping for a new series with kick ass heroines! I've got several manuscripts I'd love to show you--and all of my characters are real women, not silicon!

What do you think? Did NBC just set back the women's movement by twenty years or what?

What would you do?

2007-05-09T11:23:00.000-05:00

According to the Associated Press, 2.5 million Americans are NOT watching TV this spring:

NEW YORK (AP) - Maybe they're outside in the garden. They could be playing softball. Or perhaps they're just plain bored. In TV's worst spring in recent memory, a startling number of Americans drifted away from television the past two months: More than 2.5 million fewer people were watching ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox than at the same time last year, statistics show.

As a writer, I'm hoping they're all reading!

As a pediatrician, I'm hoping they're all out there playing with their kids and being a family of do-ers instead of a family of couch-potatoes!

What would you do instead of watching TV?

Me, I have a stack of to-be-read books calling my name like a siren's song and a new idea for a novel (very dark and twisted!) that wants to come out and play!

News or Entertainment?

2007-05-07T16:38:00.000-05:00

I write fiction. Yes, a lot of it is loosely based on real life medical cases, as well as real life heroes, tragedies, crimes and their effects on real people.

But when I write, I stay very aware that my main purpose is to entertain my reader. I hope that I also enlighten and educate, but the main reason for anyone to spend money for my books will be for enjoyment.

Matt over on CrimeRant has a great blog today about how the news media has crossed the line between news and entertainment. Here's a snippet:

Just two weeks ago, Cho Seung-Hui’s mass killing rampage was 24/7 coverage. And now it’s Paris Hilton’s turn. The word fleeting comes to mind. And that is the sad part of this: all these people affected by crime and their stories the media uses to fill airspace one day, just disappear the next. I guess it’s the nature of a rapidly turning world of crime. The networks decide what is a major crime story and we either watch or shut the TV off.

I think he has a good point. When I want news, I want the facts, not glorified "reality" TV. I could care less about the celebrity talking heads, the trumped up pitch-fever hype, or gossip. I certainly don't want cameras shoved into the faces of grieving victims and relatives for the sake of "the public's right to know."

I want facts revealing in a cool and level-headed way all aspects of a story, including those that I might not have thought of myself. Because of this, I supported NBC's decision to edit Cho Seung-Hui's video down to two minutes but to show it so that the rest of us could have some insight into his psyche.

What do you think? Do you want Hollywood Hype to take the place of reporting? Has the news media crossed the line into entertainment?

Happy Bobbie Faye Day!

2007-05-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

May Day = Bobbie Fay Day!!

I'd like to give a shout out to fellow debut novelist, Toni McGee Causey, whose novel, BOBBIE FAYE'S VERY (very, very, very) BAD DAY was released today!!

I was privileged to be able to read an early version of BOBBIE FAYE but now that I have the real thing in my hands, I cannot wait to read it again.

This time I'll be better prepared—no drinking (since it tends to snort out my nose when I collapse in hysterical bouts of laughter), no eating (ditto), go to the rest room first (it's either that or take the book in there with me because I will not be able to put it down), turn off the phone and computer, and put a Do Not Disturb sign on the door.

Seriously folks, it's that good of a read—even better, it's that funny of a read! And I don't know about you but these days I can use all the humor I can get.

If you enjoy a funny, smart, kick-ass heroine with two to-die for hunky guys, a race against the clock, explosions, wild-life, wild rides, murder and mayhem with a touch of Cajun spice thrown in, then run don't walk to your nearest store and buy this book.

For more about Bobbie Faye and the equally hysterical life of her creator, Toni Causey, check out her at www.bobbiefaye.com

Enjoy!
CJ
PS: don't just trust my judgment! Both Publisher's Weekly and the Library Journal gave BOBBIE FAYE a Starred review!

Penis Fish

2007-04-27T07:27:00.000-05:00

Okay the official title of last night's GA episode was Desire. I think Penis Fish would have been more catchy, but since all the GA eps are named after songs, that might be why the producers didn't call it that.

And, yes, they did get that right—there is an Amazonian Penis Fish. Really. We learned about it in med school, don't ask me why, I think the male textbook writers are just morbidly fascinated with the idea of a fish that swims up their urine stream, crawls inside and starts to eat them from the inside out.

You know how guys are about peeing in the woods, something they always hold over us womenfolk's heads as proof of their natural superiority. Guess maybe they'll think twice about doing that anywhere near the Amazon now.

For me, other than the penis fish laughs, this episode was a bit rocky. Mainly because the good parts were all muffled by that damn wedding cake. I kept turning the volume up, but no, Burke's sweet dialogue about his love for Cristina—buried by cake. George and Izzy, trying hard to be "just friends" and failing—buried by cake.

Also, I was disappointed to see Alex and Addi finally do it. I loved the sexual tension between them and she was the last attending (other than the Chief) to actually not sacrifice every ounce of integrity she had and sleep with an intern she is supervising.

I know, I know, GA exists in a world with no sexual harassment laws, no Resident Review Committee, no Medical Board with ethical standards of practice, etc, etc. And of course all the attendings look so damn young that a regular viewer forgets the fact that they are all old enough to be the fathers and mothers of the interns they are sleeping with—a big yuck factor for me to over come.

Yes, all the interns at Seattle Grace have mommy and daddy complexes. And yes, all the attendings act like children. Whiny and pouty, even when they get what they want. Like Derrick confessing to Mer that she's just wearing him out, his needing to breathe for her…and then he lets her walk away!! This is his idea of communicating?

I've had better conversations with toddlers in the midst of throwing a tantrum.

Anyway, I totally understand why the writers need a show like last nights, they have to move all the characters from Point A to Point B before the season ends. Okay, okay.

But could we please have some real character development and a little less cake?

The Truth is a slippery thing...

2007-04-24T08:30:00.000-05:00

When I first heard this morning that Kenneth Hinson was acquitted of kidnapping, rape and attempted murder charges, I was shocked.

This was the so-called South Carolina "dungeon" rapist—he allegedly kidnapped two teenaged girls who were sleeping together in one bed, took them one at a time to a secret "bunker", really a big hole in the ground covered by a concrete slab, tied them up and raped them over the course of several days.

He left them to die (according to prosecutors) but the girls escaped, trekked through the woods and managed to contact 911.

Seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it? Two traumatized victims, wrists still swollen from being tied up, Hinson with a record of raping a 12 year old girl in the past, drugs, guns, a secret dungeon….the stuff of movies and a slam dunk conviction, one would think.

Apparently, according to the foreman of the jury who acquitted Hinson, it wasn't quite that simple.

Here are a few of the discrepancies the jury found in the evidence presented as reported by The State:

~ Sleeping through a kidnapping. The girls testified they both were asleep in a small bed when Hinson entered their trailer and grabbed one of them, threatening to kill her if she made a noise. The other girl said she did not wake up until Hinson returned for her.

~ Not noticing the bunker. The girls testified they had not seen the chamber before Hinson raised the table hiding the entrance hole. Hinson said the girls knew of it, but his girlfriend and his girlfriend’s teenage son did not; the jurors thought everyone would have known about the bunker.

~ Drugs. One of the girls testified she bought “drugs” last summer from someone a defense witness said sold crack. “We all know people who smoke crack will do just about anything to smoke crack again,” Williams said.

~ Socks. A pair worn by one of the girls was dirty but had no wear marks, pine-needle fragments or tears some jurors expected to see from running about a mile through the woods after escaping the bunker.

~ Feet. The other girl said she ran barefoot. “But the pictures showed no scratches, no abrasions,” Lewis said.

~ Duct tape. The girls said one bit through the other’s tape binding her wrists. “We went over all of the duct tape and couldn’t find any chew marks,” Lewis said. And Hinson's fingerprints were not on the tape.

~ An odd comment. A logbook kept by the 911 dispatcher shows one of the girls noted in her 911 call that Hinson was on a sexual offender registry, which Williams said was an “odd” comment for someone who had just been raped.

But the bottom line was that the jury felt they couldn't believe any of the stories presented in court: neither the victims' or the defendant's.

“Every one of these little things adds up to reasonable doubt,” the jury foreman said. “We couldn’t believe him. We couldn’t believe them.
“We wanted to convict, but the evidence was just not there.”
Sigh…one of the lessons learned from my years in the ER is that everyone lies.

It's worrisome to think that these two girls could be lying, even more frightening to imagine the consequences if they were telling the truth and Hinson was mistakenly set free.

He is now in federal custody facing weapons charges and may still face life in prison if convicted. But I can't help but wonder what about those two girls?

What do you think? Would you have ruled differently if you had been on the jury?

I'm not Elaine Viets, but...

2007-04-22T16:18:00.000-05:00

I'm not Elaine Viets, but…

I'd like you all to consider buying her book. No this isn't some viral campaign or pyramid scheme.

It's about giving back to a generous author. For those of you who haven't heard, the tremendously talented and vivacious Elaine suffered a stroke earlier this month. She's recovering, but won't be able to tour for her upcoming release, MURDER WITH RESERVATIONS.

I've met Elaine several times. She's an elegant, witty, and generous person—in fact the last time I saw her, at Sleuthfest, she appointed herself my chauffeur and drove me to several places, all the while offering invaluable advice for this newcomer to the publishing world.

That's one of the best things about the writing community. Generosity abounds here, whether it's helping someone with advice, an endorsement, or in Elaine's case, helping her sell her books when she can't do it herself.

Even if you don't buy Elaine's book, consider mentioning it to friends. You can learn more about it at her website: http://www.elaineviets.com

And please keep Elaine and her family in your thoughts. There aren't enough good people in this world that we can afford to lose Elaine.

Thanks for reading!
CJ

CJ's Thursday Thought: On Grief

2007-04-19T09:26:00.000-05:00

In light of the events here and elsewhere this week, this seemed appropriate:

Grief is the price we pay for love.
~Queen Elizabeth II

Six Degrees

2007-04-18T08:03:00.000-05:00

I just learned that I actually knew one of the VT victims. Not just him, but his family.

It's been awhile, and I knew them professionally, but of course my first reaction was pure emotion. My heart goes out to them all—putting faces and voices to the tragedy makes it all the more painful.

My first response was, I should send them something. Then I turned on the TV and saw the morning shows all featuring tributes to the fallen. Interviews with their friends, family, loved ones, acquaintances, neighbors…

And I shuddered. See, I've been caught up in a high profile case once, years ago. I know what it's like to be forced to mourn in public, to share your grief with total strangers.

With our culture's obsession of right here, right now, instant communication I think we've forgotten that some things aren't just meant to be private, they need to be private.

Yes, one could argue that grief is lightened by sharing. But that is only if the person in mourning chooses to share. Isn't forced to standing blinking in the spotlight, recounting memories of their loved ones.

Worse, having their way of mourning judged alongside others. As if grief knew rules, had an expiration date, or carefully choreographed steps that we all follow leading us to a defined end where we grieve no more.

Sorry, Dr. Kubler-Ross, but it just ain't so. Yes, we all share similar emotions, but how we act on those feelings is an individual process that can't be forced into a checklist: Denial—done, Anger—got it, Bargaining….

We all like to feel part of the story—connected to events that are the center of a media storm. We all like to feel lucky, whew, missed that one. We all like to dissect and play Monday morning quarterback.

Let's just make sure that our desire to see more of this story, to hear all the little details, isn't overshadowing the needs of the people who will be living it for the rest of their lives.

A little prayer, kindness and understanding wouldn't hurt either.

VT: From the First Responders

2007-04-17T14:54:00.000-05:00

From EMS Responder:

BLACKSBURG, Va.-- As an advanced EMT with Virginia Tech Rescue Squad, Matthew Lewis knows to expect the unexpected.

And, that's just what he encountered Monday morning when he walked into the Ambler Johnston dorm room on the VT campus.

"We were called for someone who had fallen out of their loft," Lewis said. "Instead, we found two patients with gunshot wounds. We started treatment and called for a second unit."

Both patients, a male and a female, were transported to Montgomery Regional Hospital. Lewis would not say whether or not they were in cardiac arrest.

VT Chief of Police Wendell Flinchum said witnesses told officers they believed the dorm shooting was domestic related. A "person of interest" was located off-campus, and was being interviewed when the second shooting occurred.

At 9:45 a.m., callers to 9-1-1 reported shots being fired in Norris Hall. Officers arrived to find the doors chained from the inside. They forced the doors, and as they reached the second-floor the shooting stopped.

They found the gunman dead inside a classroom where other slain and wounded people were located, Flinchum said.

"It's the worst I've seen in my life," the chief said, describing the bloody crime scene.

When Virginia Tech Rescue received the call for Norris Hall, it was for "multiple patients with traumatic injuries."

Realizing they would need assistance, they immediately requested mutual aid from nearby companies. "We had practiced for MCI (mass casualty incidents). We were ready," said Matt Green, an EMT. "The training paid off today."

Lt. Matt Johnson established command, and requested Montgomery County respond with its trailer of extra medical supplies such as backboards, straps and collars.

Since the scene was not secure, the ambulances staged away from the scene. Personnel were assigned triage, treatment and transportation duties.

They also had to warn other students about the incident. "People would say they had a class in Norris," said Lt. Sarah Walker, of Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad. "They hadn't heard what was going on. There was no panic. Some just didn't get it when we told them to go home."

Police officers carried some injured patients to the ambulances, while others walked to the treatment areas.

Some of the victims had been shot multiple times. Medevac helicopters were grounded by high winds. The most serious patients were taken to the trauma center in Roanoke.

Walker praised the cooperation of the EMS companies involved. Communications worked well also.

Exactly a year ago, the crews participated in a MCI drill. "Little did we know," Walker said.

A Blacksburg EMT was injured when the ambulance door slammed shut on his fingers. "It was awful. I couldn't get that door open. He finally managed to get them free. Despite his pain, he drove the ambulance to the hospital."

D.J. Robinson eventually sought treatment, and suffered no fractures.

Green also said things went smoothly because his squad trains with others. "Everyone knows what's expected. We believe you can't train too much."

Lewis said the crews approached the incident as they would any other, working feverishly to save their patients.

Tragedy in Blacksburg

2007-04-17T08:27:00.000-05:00

My heart and prayers go out to all involved in the tragic events at Virginia Tech yesterday.

Many will be discussing the shooter, campus security, and the official response to this incident for days to come. But one thing that I've not heard covered in the news is the fantastic response of the EMS and medical community.

I have driven through that area of Virginia many times as a college and then a medical student returning home to Pennsylvania. It's beautiful country, but, much like my home town, its rural location can often make it vulnerable to the weather. And, if you're a surgeon or ER doc working in a hospital in an area like Roanoke, you pay particular attention to the weather.

Weather can turn what usually would be a short helicopter ride to transport a critically injured patient to a trauma center into a prolonged ambulance ride, or in the case of an unstable patient, trap them in your community hospital where you try your best with limited resources to give them the best care possible.

This is what the hospitals surrounding Blacksburg were facing yesterday. Gusting winds, snow flurries, and a late season storm had downed the helicopters. All they had were ground transportation.

I can only imagine the frustration the EMS guys must have felt. Trapped, waiting in their ambulances until the scene was secured.

You need to understand that the first question EMT students must ask in any training scenario—and the only question guaranteed to fail someone if they forget to ask it—is: Is the scene safe?

Medics want to go in, they're trained to run into danger while everyone else is escaping to safety. But, they also realize that adding themselves to the list of victims does no one any good—least of all the people they're there to save.

And so, in a situation like yesterday, they're forced to wait until the scene is secured by the tactical operators: police, ATF, SWAT—all those men with guns and bullet proof vests.

Yet, despite all these limitations, the men and women of the EMS squads, the physicians and nurses in the hospitals suddenly deluged with casualties, they all performed admirably and with little accolade as the media and public's attention is concentrated elsewhere.

I'd like to acknowledge them for a job well done in the face of what is an over-whelming tragedy for this community. Thank you and God Bless you all!

What's in a Name?

2007-04-15T13:19:00.000-05:00

What's in a Name?

Okay, so I needed to change a character's name--thank goodness for search and replace! It was Ben but I already had a Jerry, and since the book isn't about ice cream....

Anyway, so I decided on Mark. The character is a doctor, head of Pittsburgh's Angels of Mercy's ER.

Then I got to thinking, there are a lot of Mark's out there in fictional medical land, aren't there?
There's McSteamy from Grey's Anatomy, aka: Dr. Mark Sloan...

I'm guessing the GA writers were paying homage to the original Dr. Mark Sloan from Diagnosis Murder:

And there's Dr. Mark Greene from ER:

And, of course, the grand-daddy of all TV docs, Marcus Welby, MD

Okay, given that pedigree, guess I'm gonna keep my guy a Mark as well!! How could I go wrong?

Letter to Shonda Rhimes

2007-04-15T13:16:00.000-05:00

Letter to Shonda Rhimes

Dear Shonda,

I love, love, love Grey's Anatomy—did I mention I love it? But…let's get real here, you guys need an ER doc.

I mean, there's Meredith, dead—DEAD!—from cold water immersion and the only person who comes up with the right treatment is your OB-Gyn/pediatric surgeon/neonatologist/perinatal maternal-child-health specialist??? And then everyone ignores her?

I love that you focus on how people save people, not medicine. Believe me, I agree, in fact, that's the theme behind all of my own medical suspense novels.

But as a pediatric ER doc, I have to protest. Yes, the cast needs trimmed. No, Addison really can not be all those things (and I think one show mentioned she also has a PhD in nutrition or the like?)—she'd be 100 years old before she finished her training!

If you want a generalist, get an ER doc on board. We're just as smart as the surgeons, have lots of cutting wit (from hanging out with cops and firefighters and paramedics all day), excellent multi-tasking skills—able to go from comforting a pregnant lady to suturing a screaming toddler to saving a stroke patient to being command doc in a major trauma without blinking an eye!

I know you want to stay in the OR with your beloved surgeons (and I love them all, as well!) but please, you're starting to strain credibility here. You need a jack of all trades, and the best bang for your buck will be an ER doc—or at least an Emergency Medicine resident doing their surgical rotations.

And, of course, if you ever want to chat about it, need a writer, heck, need a gopher! feel free to call me—anytime!!

Best wishes,
CJ Lyons, pediatric ER doc, medical suspense writer, and Grey's Anatomy fan

Who is CJ?

2007-04-15T13:11:00.000-05:00

Who is CJ?

CJ Lyons has lived most of her life on the edge. Trained in Pediatric Emergency Medicine, she has assisted police and prosecutors with cases involving child abuse, rape, homicide and Munchausen by Proxy. She has worked in numerous trauma centers, on the Navajo reservation, as a crisis counselor, victim advocate, as well as a flight physician for Life Flight and Stat Medevac.

These skills have proved useful during CJ's adventures both in the US and abroad. She participated in an archeological expedition in the Outback of Australia sponsored by the Kuku Djugan tribe and was one of few people allowed access to explore the Hell's Gate Wilderness Preserve in Kenya on foot during an environmental impact survey of the Lake Navisha region. She has also traveled extensively in the US, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Caribbean. She holds an orange belt in Kempo and enjoys hiking, white water rafting, and outdoor photography when she is not writing or practicing medicine.

CJ has been a story-teller all her life, always creating stories about people discovering the courage to make a difference. This drove her into writing thrillers with strong relationships and led her to coin the term: Thrillers with Heart.

A member of Romance Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime and Kiss of Death, CJ's work has appeared in CrimeSpree Magazine, Romantic Times Book Review, WebMystery Magazine and SpineTingler.

She has presented workshops to the MWA, RWA, Romantic Times and ITW among others and was the conference chairperson for the highly successful inaugural ThrillerFest. A finalist for RWA' prestigious Golden Heart and winner of the Golden Gateway award, CJ has received numerous accolades for her writing. #1 New York Times Bestseller Sandra Brown called CJ's work "a perfect blend of romance and suspense".

Watch for her debut medical suspense novel coming from Berkley in 2008! Contact her at: cj@cjlyons.net