I couldn’t have written Particles in the Air without my medical expertise.  Every step of the way, I wanted to be sure that my story had a realistic medical setting with scientifically plausible scenarios.  My training gave me the ability to remain true-to-life, from the illness descriptions to lab abnormalities, to the disastrous effects of what a manufactured, contagious virus can do to the human immune system. Written words have always been a central part of my world.  I grew up nurturing my creative side with art, creating writing, and reading.  To this day, I read and listen to audiobooks constantly.  At times, I ask myself, how did I become an MD?  When I was young, I didn’t have a significant interest in science.  However, after someone close to me became ill, I began to explore medicine as a career.  A biochemistry class during college opened my eyes to the complexities of the human body. I’m a big proponent of planning and research in both writing and everyday life.  “Write what you know” is something I relied upon heavily throughout my process.  Years of education have honed my organizational skills, which helped my writing progress smoothly.  Before I began, I spent weeks…