been absent from the blog for a while as I work on the 3rd book of "The Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles." The book, "In the Line of Ire" is book #1 in the series and is the prequel to "Past Aghast", which has been #2 on the Goodreads "Medical Thrillers" list for several weeks.

I took the advice of a number of my readers and have done more character development in Book #1. Hopefully, that will add to the reading experience of the subsequent 2 books in the series.

I'm nearing completion on the 1st draft and hope to have "In the Line of Ire" into the hands of some of my usual beta readers very soon.

Cheers!

"Past Aghast" is still NUMBER 2 on GOODREADS "Medical Thrillers" list. Following is another example of the many 5 star reviews (Thank you, Teri!):

Past Aghast - Buy it!, August 23, 2013
By Teri D. Past Aghast (Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles)
I bought "Past Aghast" to read on an 8 hour round trip flight. Normally, I buy a book for this reason, and struggle to stay engaged, it usually ends up back in my bag. Not this time! I could not put the book down... in fact, I read half the book by the time I reached my destination. I wanted to know... what's going to happen next? I finished the book on the last leg of my journey. I enjoyed the story line, the characters and the ending. I can't wait to read the next in the series, it's already on my bookshelf. I have a lot of partially read books, I know Edwin's will not join the collection! 

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0099DNSYE/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1DQKP23RN9XZ6T9HG9AN&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846 

FB and other social media posting analysis to help predict suicide risk. I hope FB does better at this than they do at running their business day-to-day. But, if the project can demonstrate some results, how cool would it be to find those who are giving hints of their intentions by what they're posting on social media. Then will come the challenge of what to do once someone at risk for suicide is id'd. I imagine there will be challenges about confidentiality, etc. but, if this can help avoid suicides - hurray! I'll be watching this one w/ interest.

http://mashable.com/2013/08/20/durkheim-project-social-media-suicide/?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedburner

It's official! #Obesity is bad for your health. Pardon my sarcasm - I hope nobody is really surprised by the content of this article. It reminds me of the Administration not wanting to use the word "coup" for what happened recently in Egypt. C'mon, is there really anybody who doesn't know that obesity causes all kinds of health issues or that it ultimately leads to an early death? Obesity is NOT inevitable, neither for adults of any age and definitely not for children. As I say, "you can make the effort or you can make the excuses." It's up to you whether you choose to be in poor health and die prematurely or make an effort and live a fuller life.

http://holykaw.alltop.com/obesity-related-deaths-hit-1-in-5-americans

Does everyone who suffered thru childhood abuse end up with PTSD as an adult?
No.
Does childhood abuse increase risk for developing PTSD as an adult?
Absolutely.
Can we do something to reduce childhood abuse and trauma?
For the sake of children, the future adults of this country, I certainly hope so.

The best treatment is avoidance of the occurrence of child abuse but that is a daunting societal task - one we can't look away from as a society, though. At least not if we want to look in a mirror without feeling a huge pang of guilt, that is.

http://www.asca.org.au/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=45

Interesting. It feels more every day like we're nearing a "tipping point" for technology solutions for a number of health issues - and that's a good thing. Unfortunately, that technology may often have such a lofty price tag that it's unlikely to be available "for the masses" for some time. Sure, it will become cheaper as new technology replaces current technology, but wouldn't it be nice if new technology were available for the masses sooner, rather than later. Likely, with all the rhetoric already going around about Obamacare, seeking some way to fund cutting edge healthcare technology solutions for most of the US population is unlikely to be well received on a number of fronts.
http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/15/glasses-that-solve-colorblindness-for-a-big-price-tag/?_r=0

While I never really intended to use this blog as a clinical discussion forum, as I've observed the numbers of page views by topic, it appears there is considerable interest in some of the behavioral and physical health items I've posted.

While I've taken some poetic license in using the behavioral health afflictions as part of my fictional creations, these afflictions are real. Too many children are abused (there is NEVER a rational excuse) and these children are then at risk for poor health the rest of their lives. PTSD, especially in veterans, is REAL and can cause a variety of health issues for the rest of the veterans' lives. I could hear the pain in the voice of a friend of mine when he called me recently to tell me that a third buddy of his, who he'd served beside in Iraq, had now held a gun against his head and ended the pain in the only way he must have felt was an option for him.

I guess I just want to remind all that it's all tied together, physical health, mental health and social health. And WE'RE all tied together...like it or not. Think how much better you'd feel if you could count on support, from family, friends, even strangers who appreciate that someone went in harm's way for them. Then, pay it forward - love your kids and treat them well, show appreciation of, and kindness to, others. It's start...and it may help more than you'd ever think!

More evidence of the link between childhood trauma/abuse, adult PTSD and increased risk for chronic diseases and even early death.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/04/25/childhood-trauma-may-accelerate-diseases-of-aging/25606.html

I wanted to take time today to introduce some folks to a talented new indie author that I've had the pleasure to come to know.

Remember the name, Elle, Bright, because I think you'll be hearing it a lot as her writing career blossoms. Her 1st novel, "Fall of Darkness" was responsible for making me a convert to a genre which I previously would not have considered looking at. As I mentioned in my Amazon review, her style, while distinctly unique, reminded me of Dan Brown. Elle is going to be doing a blog tour in October; check it out at:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1pRcvJgCCwMpPHGLUEaP8jFVMGTCWwgZkypBJdWAKcqA/viewform

In the meantime, you can find, "Fall of Darkness" on Amazon. You, like many others who have bought her book, will likely enjoy it as much as I did.

One last comment I have to make is that, another reason Elle has stood out in a crowded genre is because she, like most nurses I've known, is always ready to lend a helping hand - in this case to her fellow newbie indie authors. Thanks Elle!


Elle Bright grew up in Layton, Utah. Elle currently resides in San Diego, California, with her husband, their three children, and their border collie. Elle graduated from Grand Canyon University with her Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. As a practicing Registered Nurse, Elle specializes in Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care, and Emergency Medicine. Fall of Darkness is Elle's first published novel. Elle is a proud member of the Romance Writers of America.

Did you know that childhood trauma (as in chronic abuse and related stress) has been shown to have lifelong negative impacts on a person's health? And I'm not just talking about psychiatric health, but also physical health. Those w/ long-term childhood trauma are predisposed to suffering poorer health throughout their lives. Though the relationship between childhood trauma and poor health as an adult is becoming more clearly demonstrated, the pathway leading from one to the other has been less clear. Researchers have now discovered, though, that this repeated childhood trauma pattern actually causes permanent physical changes in a person's chromosomes which may be how the psychiatric trauma leads to poor physical health.

The big question for our society is, how do we recognize and prevent childhood abuse before it sentences a child to a lifelong risk of poor health? Scientists are just starting to dabble in possible interventions for children that may be able to reverse the effects of abuse-related trauma but the studies are few and far between.

Any thoughts from parents or those who have suffered thru childhood trauma themselves?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2853238/

My 1st novel, "Past Aghast" remains in the top 5 of 2 Goodreads #Medical #Thriller genre lists! For those of you who enjoy medical suspense/thrillers and like realistic stories with characters that you can quickly grow to like, you should give it a try. If you like it, the sequel, "Death Management" continues the story of Jack Bass, MD, a person who works very hard at trying to be a good person, but, just like every other human being, has human flaws he constantly struggles with. His battleground-induced PTSD is merely one more undesired personal trauma thrust upon him that he struggles to control - and sometimes... he loses that struggle.

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A little teaser excerpt from my WIP Jack Bass novel, "In the Line of Ire."

“Here?” Jack asked in a surprised tone.

She put her index finger to his lips, then whispered, “The ORs have the thickest walls in the camp…and a bed.”

“Bed...you mean an operating table?”

She nodded briskly in response. He smiled at her in the dark.

“Oohhh, I like the way you think, girl. You have a naughty side.”

She again shushed him with a finger to his lips and led him slowly to the entrance doors. She slowly opened a door and quickly peeked in, then pulled Jack in behind her. As soon as the door closed behind them, she quickly turned and started pulling his shirt open as she ran her lips across the base of his neck. He used both hands to raise her face to his and their tongues again eagerly explored each other’s mouths. Jack tugged at her shirt buttons but fumbled in his drunken state so Lori quickly assisted him by pulling the shirt off over her head. Jack could see her erect nipples through the olive green tank top t-shirt and felt himself growing hard. She pulled him toward the OR suite as she reached down to untie her boots and kick them off as they stumbled toward the OR.

Once inside the OR, Lori quickly undid her trousers, unceremoniously kicking them away. Jack snickered as he noticed her olive drab boxer shorts.

She looked down at them and said unapologetically, “Hey, Army issue, so don’t laugh, buddy.” She then said naughtily, “Although, if you’re going to laugh at them, I’ll just have to get rid of them.”

She quickly wriggled out of them and threw them aside. Jack had removed his shirt and boots and was sliding his trousers down when he stopped to marvel at her taut, trim body.

“Wow! You are cut, girl.”

“Yeah? I guess I’ve learned some good workouts in the army. Now, stop talking, get those pants off and get over here,” she called out as she leaned against the end of the operating table.

As a physician I've grown used to seeing confusing, even conflicting, clinical study results and the related conclusions for separate studies of the same topic. Attached are a couple of such examples that might leave many readers scratching their heads. I don't understand why there seems to be an apparent ongoing attempt to deny the risks that PTSD represents for veterans. While we continue to watch higher death rates occurring from suicides among veterans than are occurring on the battlefield, there are still "studies" that claim there is no relationship between the stresses of battle & deployment and risk for suicide. Poppycock! How can we ignore the needs of those who have stood in harm's way for our benefit, especially in their time of greatest need. Let's stop trying to bury our heads in the sand and deal w/ Veteran PTSD and suicides in a standup fashion!

http://ptsd.about.com/od/prevalence/a/MilitaryPTSD.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/07/us/deployment-factors-found-not-related-to-military-suicide-spike.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=0

Death Management synopsis and link

http://www.amazon.com/Death-Management-Black-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00CXADK20/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375925947&sr=1-1&keywords=death+management

After Doctor Jack Bass and his new love, Janice, had narrowly escaped being murdered by a ring of embezzlers and murderers that they'd unwittingly uncovered at Southern Medical Center, they briefly retreated to a Caribbean island to relax and discover each other even more. They'd impulsively gotten married while on their island sanctuary and, after returning to the States, relocated to a new city to start a life together. Jack steers his career in a new direction away from a hospital setting by taking a position with a small healthcare company which provides support & assistance to people with serious health conditions. Unfortunately, Jack's black cloud continues to follow him and he discovers that all is not as he was told at his new company; the altruism that he'd hoped to see there was actually something quite the opposite, with deadly implications. As he has had to deal with in several situations since his horrible battleground experience in Iraq, the traumatic scenarios he repeatedly finds himself in cause his mental demon of PTSD, which he thought he had permanently curbed, to again erupt into his consciousness in unpredictable ways. Even worse, his black cloud now spills over onto his new wife with totally unexpected consequences. Jack must once again uncover a ring of ruthless people who are a threat to his, Janice's and other's lives and then find a way to neutralize that threat.

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Past Aghast synopsis and link

http://www.amazon.com/Aghast-Black-Cloud-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0099DNSYE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375925358&sr=1-1&keywords=past+aghast

You read about it in the headlines - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been blamed for a number of behavioral health issues for war veterans but can it cause a person to do heinous deeds which they might otherwise never do in a hundred lifetimes?

Because of his horrendous battleground experiences in Iraq, Colonel Jack Bass, MD, US Army, (ret.), has been left emotionally scarred with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Jack constantly struggles to manage his severe PTSD and is sometimes unaware of his actions while under the influence of this unwelcome mental demon. As the new Chairman of Anesthesia at Southern Medical Center, Jack Bass thought he'd retired into the tame, civilian job he'd dreamt of, but a series of bizarre murders and deaths have occurred at Southern Medical Center and Jack has unwittingly been swept into the investigation - he soon discovers that his history of PTSD has somehow made him a prime suspect and realizes that a "trial of peers" may have already given him a death sentence!

Jack must determine for the sake of his own sanity, as well as clearing his name, if his PTSD has gone beyond just a cause of recurrent nightmares and has transformed him into a cold-blooded killer.