After hearing about Dr. Miller and reading reviews on Amazon about her first book, Only Rock is Real, I couldn’t wait to interview her! My hope is that this interview provides insight into how medicine impacts many aspects of our lives—particularly, fictional writing. I also hope this interview inspires you to pick up a copy of Dr. Miller’s book. I’m looking forward to reading mine!
Madalyn
: Can you tell me about your career in medicine? What was your favorite part about practicing medicine?
Dr. Miller: I was in private practice family medicine for ten years, then became faculty at Good Sam family medicine residency for the rest of my career. I love teaching, both on-the-spot precepting and the more formal elements like talks and small-group learning. There’s a great camaraderie that develops when you and your learner solve a problem together. I’m also a big proponent of interactive lecturing, engaging your audience and figuring out ways for them to participate.
Madalyn: Do you have any advice, or something you wish you had known, to share with medical students and residents?
Dr. Miller: Medicine is unbelievably complicated and often stressful. Find a way to relish excellence: the endless pursuit of knowledge and new developments. Pounce on it. Find a few things to be extra passionate about, that you are most expert in, where others will turn to you. In family medicine, you have to know something about everything, but you can also be the best at what you choose. People came to me about coccidioidomycosis, influenza, fibromyalgia (that one happened by accident), menopause, and smoking cessation.
And you should develop your inner non-medical self, whatever satisfies you in another meaningful way. If you don’t have that, find it. And never ever lose your sense of humor. Or your sense of wonder.
Madalyn: What are you working on these days?
Dr. Miller: When I retired recently, I decided to write a light silly novel, a sort of goofy medical romance to poke fun at myself and my friends. I wrote one chapter and hated it. But I liked my main character, so I started over with her. Because I helped train many docs who later worked at the Grand Canyon Clinic, I put my insecure young woman doctor to work there, trying to re-make herself. It’s incredible how very little fiction has been written about women physicians (except CSI and forensics, not very realistic). And since most medical stories take themselves rather seriously, my novel is full of romance and outdoor adventure—and tons of medicine, of course.
I tried to publish it traditionally for over a year. There were several very close calls, and one agent sent me a whole page saying why she liked my novel, but in the end her agency declined it. It takes a few miracles for an unknown author to get fiction published. I’m getting old and I decided I didn’t want to keep trying and waiting, so I self-published. But while I was waiting all year, I accidentally wrote the sequel.
Madalyn: I’m sure that your medical career has greatly impacted your writing. Can you tell me more about this?
Dr. Miller: As physicians, we have an amazing amount of knowledge and stories to share. We rejoice at our triumphs, but more often we struggle with our private identities, our fears about causing harm or not knowing enough and finding time for relationships. I’ve tried to depict the real lives and emotions of my physician characters, their caring and their flaws. And I’ve tried to be accurate with all the science that’s incorporated in my stories, hopefully with that sense of wonder.
Madalyn: I have my copy of Only Rock is Real, and I can’t wait to start reading! The sequel is coming out soon too, correct? When will the release date be? What can you tell me about Crooked Trails?
Dr. Miller: The sequel Crooked Trails is in final editing and will hopefully be out by the end of November. I’m the wrong generation for all this computer stuff, and creating an eBook and a paperback through the Amazon templates has me tearing my hair out. But Crooked Trails is great fun, with the same characters, but placed at Yellowstone. The seismic activity is rising, and there’s an ex-army nurse, a shy geologist, a creepy misogynist who’s hitting on our doctor heroine, and someone who is killing bison. Did I mention that one of my hobbies is volcanology?
Madalyn: Anything else you’d like to add?
Dr. Miller: I’m not sure how this happened, but I’ve just started the third book, which is back at the Grand Canyon. I can’t seem to stop.
If there’s anyone out there who wants to work on their writing in a supportive environment, there’s a nice group of us who get together now and then to share our pieces and give each other feedback. Let me know if you’d like to join us!
Click here if you’d like to purchase Dr. Miller’s Book, Only Rock is Real.
For more about Dr. Sandra Miller, click here
Madalyn Nelson is part of the 2020 class at The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. She is an Arizona native and graduated from Xavier University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in biology. Madalyn has a passion for traveling and global health. To contact Madalyn, please email her at madalyndnelson[at]email.arizona.edu.