Disrupter: How Dr. Connie’s Team Eradicated Smallpox in India was the winner in the INSPIRATIONAL/SPIRITUAL category of the 2024 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Cornelia Davis.
I am so thrilled that my book – Disrupter– won in the IRDA Inspirational/Spiritual category. Eradicating a disease was something that had never been done before! And smallpox was such a dreadful disease that killed up to 30% who were affected and left those who survived with deep pock marks and often blind and deaf. Find out what it took to track down the last cases, and the challenges faced by a woman working in the remote rural areas in the Indian states of West Bengal and Rajasthan.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Disrupter: How Dr. Connie’s Team Eradicated Smallpox in India. Published: January 7, 2024
What’s the book’s first line?
I once had a jeep at the foot of Mount Kanchenjunga in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
“Disrupter” is an inspiring memoir by Dr. Cornelia E. Davis, a trailblazing epidemiologist who defied the odds to combat one of the world’s deadliest diseases. From eradicating smallpox in India as the only African American female doctor on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) team to confronting sexism and discrimination, Dr. Davis’s journey is a testament to persistence and courage. Her story is not just about overcoming personal and professional challenges but also about making a lasting impact on global health. Through vivid storytelling, “Disrupter” chronicles the relentless drive and resilience that took Dr. Davis from a junior doctor facing caste barriers and sexism, to a leader in international public health. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking inspiration to break barriers, embrace challenges, and make a difference in the world.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
Over the years I would recount my many tales from smallpox days in India. And my friends woul say, “Connie you have got to write a book!” While working one doesn’t have the time to write. But when I retired to the Lake Chapala area of Mexico which is a well-known Artist and Writers Colony, I joined a small group of writers that met monthly. I would read them chapters that I had written and got their openion and suggestions on the writing. They encouraged me on to complete the book!
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
This is a memoir. The main character is the author. She’s a gutsy, risk taker like Marion Ravenwood in the Indiana Jones film.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
If you want to know what it was really like in the 1970s to work in the rural areas of India as a woman, this book will enlighten you!
Is this the first you’ve written?
I’ve written scientific articles for peer reviewed publications. And I’ve written two other books: Three Years in Ethiopia, How a Civil War and Epidemics Led Me to my Daughter, and Risking Is Better Than Regretting, Live Without Regrets.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
I doubt that I will have fame or fortune. But I would like to leave a legacy for my daughter that I tried to make a difference in the world.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part about being an indie is that you decide what you want to write and when you want to write it. And if you are lucky to find a small writers group that will listen to what you have written in the last month and give you an honest feedback. I was writing about a culture and system that was foreign to Americans. I wanted to be sure that I was explaining it correctly so they could understand the challenges. So my writers’ group was crutial in letting me know they understood and liked it! The hardest part of being an indie is promoting your book. I’m an introvert and not use to patting oneself on the back. Also it’s expensive to publish! By the time you have paid for a good editor, and a designer to do your book cover, going on social media to promote your book and paying for Amazon ads, it all adds up. It’s rewarding when it comes full circle and your book gets an award.