Not-so-secret Sources

In my books, I write a lot about doctors and babies and pregnancies. Take, for example, my current Harlequin American, Baby in Waiting. The title just about says it, doesn’t it?

You may wonder where I do my research. Well, it’s not a secret … but it’s complicated.

First, as you may have read on my Web site (http://www.jacquelinediamond.com/), my father was a doctor who delivered me at home. His status as a small-town doctor – before he decided to return for a residency in psychiatry – inspired my Downhome Doctors series for Harlequin (recently issued in Australia) and informs my current Harmony Circle series.

Second, I draw on personal experience. While I can’t claim to have undergone every pregnancy and infertility complication known to womankind, I sometimes feel as if I did. I certainly spent a huge amount of time in doctors’ offices, clinics and hospitals. Rather than go into all the extensive details, I’ll just say I was very fortunate to emerge with two healthy sons.

Out of interest, I read a great deal on medical subjects. And for every book, I go to the Internet to seek out the latest information on relevant topics. Among other sites, my friend Doug Lyle, M.D., author of Forensics: A Guide for Writers, answers medical questions of interest to writers at http://www.dplylemd.com/.

Then there’s my volunteer consultant, Marcia Holman, an experienced nurse. A friend and former neighbor, she’s overcome plenty of health issues of her own and given birth to five wonderful kids, the youngest of whom is in high school. When in doubt, I call on her, and she’s always generous with her time.

The tricky part about researching novels, you see, is that not everything fits neatly on an informational Web site. For example, how is a doctor’s office organized? How often do obstetricians serve on-call duty? What’s the role of a nurse in relation to the doctor she works with? Personal observation has given me a sense of these things, but I rely on Marcia to help me with the details.

Where would we writers be without our friends? And, of course, our readers!