What is the title of your latest release?
TILL TAUGHT BY PAIN
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
A pioneering surgeon struggles to advance the field and make a name for himself after experiments with cocaine leave him addicted and dependent on his wife to help hide the weakness that could destroy him.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
It’s a historical novel, based on real people and events. The protagonist was the first surgeon-in-chief at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, so I knew it would be set largely in Baltimore at the turn of the 20th century.
Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
I would love to! She’s smart, kind, and witty. But she’s introverted. She might not want to hang out with me!
What are three words that describe your hero?
Brilliant, sarcastic, tortured
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I learned a lot about the history of medicine and surgery in America. I came to really admire the early Johns Hopkins physicians. They were discovering things we take for granted now.
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I edit as I draft. I can’t help myself. But it still needs a rewrite when done.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
A coffee shop mocha.
Describe your writing space/office!
Currently, I write at a tiny desk, a refurbished antique sewing table, in the corner of my living room.
Who is an author you admire?
There are so many! But I’ll say Abraham Verghese.
Is there a book that changed your life?
Pathologic Basis of Disease: Robbins, Cotran and Kumar, 3rd edition. It’s really the only book I can call life changing. I went into medical school thinking of going into family practice or internal medicine, but when we started studying pathology, I was hooked.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published). Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
It was about two years ago. I’d submitted to Regal House Publishing because I’d read several of their authors and thought Till Taught by Pain would be a good fit. First, I had an email inviting me to a zoom meeting with the editors. I understood it to mean I was in the running, but nothing was definite yet, since they didn’t have a lot of room on their list. The meeting didn’t last long. They said they’d let me know in a week. I worked to keep my expectations low that week, but I was on tenterhooks. And then I got the email saying they wanted to publish my book! Of course, I was thrilled. I still am!
What’s your favorite genre to read?
Historical fiction
What’s your favorite movie?
Casablanca. We watch it every New Year’s Eve, so I love it for the tradition as well as the fact that it’s a great movie.
What is your favorite season?
Autumn
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Nowadays, by going out to dinner with my husband. But my best celebration was when my two young adult children flew home to surprise me and took me out to a drive-in theater.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English by Noor Naga
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
French
What do you do when you have free time?
I read!
What can readers expect from you next?
I’ve written another biographical historical novel based on early 20th century physicians. This one follows two women who were among the first graduates from the Johns Hopkins Medical School. Told memoir-style, it shows the limits of memory when telling your own story.
TILL TAUGHT BY PAIN by Dr. Susan Coventry
Inspired by the groundbreaking discoveries of ether and chloroform anesthesia, William Stewart Halsted pursues a surgical career with relentless ambition, daring to perform operations deemed impossible by his peers. His reputation skyrockets with each bold success— until his quest for an effective local anesthetic leads him to inject himself with cocaine. Caroline, the niece of Confederate General Wade Hampton, seeks to escape the constraints of post-war South Carolina by training as a nurse. When she takes a position at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital, she finds herself captivated by the brilliant yet troubled chief of surgery, Dr. Halsted. Till Taught by Pain is a poignant exploration of love and sacrifice, as Caroline grapples with the difficult choice between enabling her husband’s addiction and supporting his pioneering career. As their lives intertwine, both must confront the consequences of ambition, the nature of love, and the toll of personal demons on their shared dreams.
Non-Fiction Biography | Historical [ Regal House Publishing, On Sale: November 4, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781646036325 / eISBN: 9781646036332 ]
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About Susan Coventry
Susan Coventry is a retired pediatric pathologist, now a full-time author of historical fiction. Her first novel, The Queen’s Daughter, set in the twelfth century, is the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine’s youngest daughter. Susan has moved from the Middle Ages to the turn-of-the-twentieth century, from Europe to the United States, and from writing for a YA audience to writing for adults. Her forthcoming novel, Till Taught by Pain, recounts the life and love of Dr. William S. Halsted, the troubled first surgeon-in-chief at the brand-new Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Susan also writes Regency Romance under the pen name, Carol Coventry. For pure escapist fun, discover Counting on Love, the first in a four-part series, The Taverstons of Iversley.
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