Letters to a Future Nurse was the winner in the ANTHOLOGY category of the 2023 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Leah Parker.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The name of the book is Letters to a Future Nurse and it was published December 9th, 2022.
What’s the book’s first line?
The Book’s first line from the first chapter is “It was not a warm and fuzzy story or moment that made me choose the career of nursing. Instead, it was the very opposite. It was the lack of compassion, the way I felt invisible to a system that did not seem to see me as worthy.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
”Letters to a Future Nurse” is a compilation of letters from 22 nurses representing 6 countries and 17 US states. These letters are filled with authentic, raw and real stories by nurses in various stages of their careers who love what they do but at times have also questioned if nursing was the right profession for them. This book is for those who are feeling overwhelmed or burnt out. It offers encouragement, hope, and a reminder that we are all in this together.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
The landscape of nursing has not been in the best place, especially since the worldwide pandemic. Nurses have left our profession at astonishing numbers, leaving nursing students to question their decision to enter this profession. After seeing so many discouraged nursing students, I really wanted to create something special to encourage them , and to let them know they have chosen a career unlike any other.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
I think the most special feature about our book is the stories within are written from a real and heartfelt place, by nurses from 6 countries. So many different perspectives. These nurses are in various stages of their careers. Some are newer nurses and some are near retirement offering hope and encouragement.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
The main reason someone should read this book is to get an inside glimpse of life as a nurse. To hear real life tips and tricks to help them along their way.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
This is the first book I have published. I have been apart of a couple other book collaborations, but yes this is the very first book I have published.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
When I am not writing I am working as a Nurse Practitioner, caring for Patients throughout SC as a NP traveler.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
My biggest motivation for this book was to really create something wonderful to put into the world to combat the negativity our profession is facing.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
If I was a fiction writer, I wish I could have written the book “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Albom.