On the Write Track
RNs turned best-selling authors encourage aspiring nurse writers to pursue their literary passions

By Linda Childers
October 15, 2003

After completing a grueling shift as a trauma nurse, Eileen Dreyer, RN, often would stay awake until the wee hours of the morning, typing out short stories on her home computer.

She discovered that writing was a great outlet for her stress. After a day spent working in critical care, where patient outcomes were often tragic, writing romantic stories proved therapeutic.

"There were many days when I needed to experience a happy ending, and the only way I could achieve that was through my writing," Dreyer said.

Dreyer and Jeanne Ray, author of the acclaimed novel Julie and Romeo, are two nurses who have turned their writing hobby into careers as best-selling authors.

In 1981, Dreyer found a kindred spirit in a nurse colleague who also enjoyed writing. They made a pact, challenging each other to get their stories in print.

Twenty-eight novels later, Dreyer has exceeded her initial goal of becoming a published author. After working for 16 years as a trauma nurse in two of St. Louis' busiest hospitals, she now spends her days working as a full-time writer.

During her career, Dreyer has expanded her literary horizons, from writing contemporary romances to medical thrillers. While continuing to write romances under the pseudonym Kathleen Korbel, she presents readers with intense medical thrillers published under her own name.

Her newest book, With a Vengeance (2003; St. Martin's Press), features heroine Maggie O'Brien, an emergency room nurse who also works as a medic on a SWAT team. When patients begin to mysteriously die at her hospital, O'Brien investigates whether their deaths are accidental or the work of a colleague seeking retribution on criminals, drug dealers and others who have preyed on innocent victims.

As part of her research for the book, Dreyer attended the Tactical EMS School in Camp Ripley, Minn. "I consider myself a very experiential writer," she said. "Some writers are fine doing research via the Internet, but in order for me to make Maggie O'Brien a realistic character, I felt that I needed to undergo the same SWAT training that she did."

Although a weeklong intensive SWAT course might seem daunting to most people, it was all part of Dreyer's commitment to making her stories as believable as possible.

In order to accurately portray characters in past books, she has trained in forensic nursing and death investigation and, for her upcoming novel, Head Games (2004; St. Martin's Press), she goes inside the mind of a serial killer.

For her research on Head Games, she has met with profilers at the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit. To ensure that all aspects of her books are accurate, she runs a draft of her novels past experts in the field before publication.

"I find it crucial that my books represent individuals and their professions correctly," Dreyer said. "I've read so many books where nurses are poorly portrayed that I don't want to inadvertently misrepresent another profession."

While she has become a literary success, her original writing buddy continues to work as a nurse and has an unpublished manuscript sitting on her kitchen table.

"The only difference between the two of us is that I persevered and wouldn't take no as an answer," Dreyer said. "Rejection from publishers can be overwhelming, but I knew this was something I was passionate about, and I was committed to getting my stories in print."

She recommends that aspiring nurse authors join a writing group such as the Romance Writers of America, which sponsors chapters across the country. "It's so crucial for new writers to connect with others who can offer them both support and constructive criticism."

Like daughter, like mother

Jeanne Ray, RN, always loved to write and, like Dreyer, used her writing to combat the stresses of her nursing career.

"There were many nights over the years where I woke up, couldn't get back to sleep and turned on my computer to write stories," Ray said.

A nurse for more than 40 years, Ray always thought of her writing as a much-loved hobby, never dreaming her passion one day would transform her into a best-selling author.

Shortly after her 60th birthday, Ray was browsing in a bookstore in her hometown of Nashville, Tenn., when she noticed that few magazines and books were targeted at people in their 60s.

"The media was failing to recognize that people in their 60s still fall in love and have intimate relations," Ray said. "Most young people don't want to think about their parents having sex."

After her bookstore visit, Ray started writing a novel about two 60ish adults who meet and fall in love. After she had written more than 150 pages, she showed the story to her daughter, novelist Ann Patchett. "People always ask me if my daughter became a writer because of me," Ray said. "But the truth is that Ann is the one who pushed me to become a published author."

Patchett read the first 150 pages of her mother's book, thought it was good and submitted the outline to her agent. The result was Ray's first novel, Julie and Romeo (2000; Harmony Books), a lighthearted reworking of Shakespeare's classic featuring two rival florists in their 60s who fall in love.

Today, Julie and Romeo has sold more than 500,000 copies, and Barbra Streisand's production company has purchased the film rights to the novel.

After her initial success, Ray briefly considered leaving her nursing job at a medical clinic in Nashville and devoting herself to a full-time writing career. "I actually quit my job and within two weeks was utterly depressed," Ray said. "I really love my job, my colleagues and our patients. I've been working with the same people for 15 years and they're like family to me."

Ray decided to return to work one day a week and devote her time to writing. Her second book, Step-Ball-Change (2002; Shaye Areheart Books), also received good reviews, and actress Sissy Spacek purchased the rights to the film.

Despite her newfound fame, Ray remains modest and unassuming.

"I think my books are successful because I write about the day-in and day-out problems that we all face," Ray said. "My characters are composites of various people I've met during my lifetime."

Her latest novel, Eat Cake (2003; Shaye Areheart Books), is a heartwarming account of one woman, Ruth, who loves to bake cakes and uses her culinary skills as a way of coping with her eccentric family.

Ray's editor, Shaye Areheart, describes Ray's novels as "witty, warm and very human." This also describes the manner in which Ray approaches her nursing career.

"I've always tried to bring humor into the workplace," Ray said. "It's not uncommon for a patient or co-worker to ask if I've heard any new jokes lately."

Ray continues to juggle nursing and writing and encourages other nurses who love the craft of writing to pursue their dreams.

"Write for the love of writing, not because you expect to sell your work," she said. "In nursing, you learn so much about the human spirit that it can be rewarding to record these experiences on paper."

Contact Linda Childers at eastbaypr@aol.com