The Truth Behind DO NO HARM

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Whoa. Big big day on Jungle Red—the USA Today bestselling Christina McDonald is here!  You know her, right? Her first book, The Night Olivia Fell, has been optioned for television by a major Hollywood studio. Her next blockbuster, Behind Every Lie, was another huge hit.

 

And ta- dah! Her brand shiny new Do No Harm came out this week, and wow, go right now (well, not right now right now, but after you read this) and snap it up!

 

It is one of the most thought-provoking books I have ever read. I got an early copy months ago, and I am still contemplating the decisions the main character makes. What would I have done, I wonder? Would I have…well, you’ll have to read and decide for yourself.

 

And there’s no way not to wonder, when you are devouring the pages, how much of the book comes from real life.  And that’s exactly what I asked her.

 

 

How Much of Real Life Do Authors Put Into Their Work?

By Christina McDonald

 

As an author, a big part of my writing process is distilling things from my life into the fictional worlds I create. All of my books include these little peaks into my life; my characters are built from what I see and hear, things people do, unique characteristics I notice, like a flick of the hair or a love of Bocelli or a loathing for the grate of a nail file.

 

Do No Harm, however, is my most personal book yet. While the plot and the characters are entirely from my imagination, much of the story is emotionally authentic to me as its author.

 

The most strikingly personal aspect of Do No Harm is the central theme around the opioid epidemic. Dr. Emma Sweeney, my protagonist, has a brother who’s struggled with addiction most of her life, and this is true for me as well. I’ve spent most of my life watching my brother’s addiction to opioids, and this is why I’ve known for a while that I wanted to set a book against the backdrop of the opioid epidemic.

 

But there are other moments in Do No Harm that emotionally connect me to the story as well. Some are funny, some horrifying, some sad. Whatever the emotion, I’ve mined it to bring Do No Harm to life.

 

Fun and personal facts about Do No Harm

1. Bit-O-Honey – One day while I was writing, I randomly started craving Bit-O-Honey, the old-fashioned honey-flavored taffy. My mom used to buy it for my sisters and me as a treat when we went on road trips. So I had one of my characters eating it thinking about his childhood, as I was thinking about mine.

 

2. Skamania - The town of Skamania, where Do No Harm is set, is based on the Cascades Chinook Native American word sk'mániak, which means ‘swift waters’. Since a lot of the book is centered around a warehouse that’s perched on the edge of a waterfall, I thought it fit nicely.

 

3. Snoqualmie Falls - Skamania is loosely based around the real-life town of Snoqualmie, which is located about 45 minutes from Seattle, which is where I’m from. Like Skamania, the town is named after its real-life waterfall, Snoqualmie Falls.

 

4. Pimple squish – one of the cute things Josh, who’s just five, says in the early chapters of the book, is he calls cuddles ‘pimple squishes’. It’s when Emma, his mommy, cuddles up tight on one side and Nate, his daddy, cuddles up tight on the other, and they scootch in with the Josh in between. My oldest son, who’s now 12, coined the term. He loved pimple squishes and used to beg for them every night.

 

5. Josh’s dreams – After Josh finds out he has leukemia, has starts crying because he’s afraid of being buried. In the way children think, he believes he’ll be buried alive, and he won’t be able to breathe. I wrote this scene the very morning after my youngest son, who was about Josh’s age when I was writing this book, had this exact dream. He dreamt he’d died and been buried beneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris and he couldn’t breathe because mud covered him. All he could do was lie there and look up and see ev

eryone walking over him like he didn’t exist. It broke my heart, so I wrote that scene for Josh because I imagined how scary it would be for a child getting a diagnosis like his.

 

6. Sucking pointer and pinky fingers – Most kids suck their thumb, but my youngest, who’s now seven, sucked his pointer and pinkie fingers until he was five, the same age as Josh is in Do No Harm. I thought it was adorable and unique, so I decided to give this endearing habit to Josh.

 

7. Chili - At the beginning Emma returns home after a particularly challenging day at work to find her husband has prepared dinner for her. I wanted to set the scene for their life together; one where she feels loved, accepted. Something that evokes family and belonging, so I had her husband cooking chili. My mom used to make it a lot when I was a kid, so it’s always felt like one of those classic family comfort foods.

 

8. CAR T-cell immunotherapy - The cost of Josh’s CAR T-cell therapy, the immunotherapy treatment he needs to save his life, really does cost between $400,000-$500,000, and most insurances don’t cover it. So you can see why any parent would be so desperate in this situation. How do you put a cost on a child’s life?

 

Including little pieces of myself in my stories is important to me because it helps strengthen the connection between myself as the author and the written words on the page. This connection breathes life and emotion into my books, and I hope readers feel this emotion as they read Do No Harm.

 

HANK:  More I cannot say about this book—but if you have a bookclub, this is the one for you! You will not stop thinking about it. 

To find out more about Christina, got to the wonderful “about the author” section of her website. She interviews every author you’d ever want to meet! (And pssst…look who interviewed her!).

 

And now, Reds and readers, let me ask you. Which one of Christina's examples can you match? A candy bar, a childhood habit, a memorable location? A dream, or a secret to amazing chili?

(And I’m giving a copy of DO NO HARM to one lucky commenter!)

And oooh! To hear the first chapter of DO NO HARM read out loud to you on First Chapter Fun: just click here!

https://www.facebook.com/HankPhillippiRyanAuthor/videos/431651754820817

You may need to join the private Facebook group--but hey, you've already done that, right?

Christina McDonald is the USA Today bestselling author of Behind Every Lie and The Night Olivia Fell (Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books), which has been optioned for television by a major Hollywood studio. Her third book, Do No Harm, is available February 2021.

Her writing has been featured in The Sunday Times, Dublin, USAToday.com, and Expedia. Originally from Seattle, WA, she has an MA in Journalism from the National University of Ireland Galway, and now lives in London, England with her husband, two sons, and their dog, Tango. She's currently working on her next novel.

 

DO NO HARM

From the USA Today bestselling author of Behind Every Lie and The Night Olivia Fell comes an unforgettable novel about the lengths one woman will go to save her son.

Reading Royalty!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Trumpets, ruffles and flourishes: we have true royalty visiting Jungle Red today! No, not who you might be thinking. We are so honored to host the incredibly talented Heather Gudenkauf, who exploded onto the scene with the groundbreaking THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE,  then continued to enthrall readers with a string of bestsellers, and now is out with her brand new book, her  eighth, THIS IS HOW I LIED.

It is fabulous. It is seductive, and sinister, and simmering, and surprising.  It is—Fargo meets Kinsey Milhone. But actually? It’s pure Heather Gudenkauf. And more about that in a minute. But first:

Like all of us, even one of her main characters, Heather started out as a reader.  Sometimes— reading books she wasn’t quite supposed to read. We’ll all talk—but as I said. Heather first.

THIS IS HOW I READ

  by Heather Gudenkauf

In my new novel, This is How I Lied, fifteen-year-old Eve Knox is a reader and she loves books with happy endings. Unfortunately, we learn very quickly that things don’t end well for Eve. We only get to know her through the span of one day, but there are a few things we do learn about Eve. She’s a caring, patient sister and she’s a reader. Eve devours books. 

The last book she is reading before she dies (this is not a spoiler – we learn Eve’s fate right away) is The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough. I did not choose to place this book in Eve’s hands by accident.

When I write my books, I like to leave little clues about

myself within the pages, often leaving references to things have some significance in my life and for This is How I Lied one of those Easter eggs was The Thorn Birds.

I have a long, storied history with The Thorn Birds. The novel was scandalous. It’s a saga about of the ill-fated (and unethical) romance between Meggie Cleary and Roman Catholic priest, Father de Bricassart. It was also a whopping 700 pages and by far the longest book I’d read to date.

“What are you reading?” my mother asked in shock when she caught me reading her well-worn paperback copy. I was twelve and she was used to me reading the innocent Sweet Dreams series that had titles like P.S. I Love You and The Perfect Match.

“The Thorn Birds,” I responded distractedly, my eyes still pinned on the pages. “It’s really good.”

“You probably shouldn’t be reading that,” my mother said plucking it from my hand.

“But this is the second time I’ve read it,” I protested. “I read it last year too.” My mother sighed and handed it back to me.

Like most libraries, our public library had two distinct sections: the children’s room and the adult section. They also had two types of library cards – one for children and one for everyone else. When I was little I remember sneaking over to the adult side. It was like stepping into a mysterious realm. The lighting was dim, the air heavier and hushed compared to the busy, bright and noisy children’s room. I roamed the tall stacks looking at the thick volumes that I wasn’t allowed to check out. 

I was always drawn to books that I probably shouldn’t have been reading: Carrie by Stephen King

 Looking for Mr. Goodbar by Judith Rossner

 The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson, to name a few.

Finally, the day came and I graduated from the children’s section. Clutching my newly minted library card I went in search of the perfect book. I can’t remember the exact title I checked out that day, but it most likely something that would have given my mother heart palpitations. 

To her credit, my mom never censored my reading choices. When she was a child, the library was a respite for her an escape from her complicated family life. Though my parents gave me an idyllic childhood, she knew how drawn to books I was, could appreciate the need to while the hours away lost in in another world no matter if the content was a bit too advanced for me.

What about you Red and Readers? What forbidden books did you sneak off the shelves?

HANK: I am laughing so hard. Of course! I sneaked Marjorie Morningstar, I remember it perfectly. 

And Ten North Frederick. 

And then, I terrified myself with On The Beach. Who know it was about nuclear winter? Yeesh! 

And then all the James Bond books. 
Under the covers, with a flashlight. 
But I have to confess. I've never read The Thorn Birds. And I did not watch the TV show. Should I?

 And I wonder, too. How about you all? What were your sneak reads?

And hurray! A copy of THIS IS HOW I LIED to one lucky commenter.

Heather  Gudenkauf 

Heather is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Weight of Silence. Her eighth novel, This Is How I Lied was released on May 12th. She lives in Iowa with her family.

 This is How I Lied

Twenty-five years ago, the body of sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa—discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. There were a handful of suspects, including her boyfriend, Nick, but without sufficient evidence the case ultimately went cold.

For decades Maggie was haunted by Eve’s death and that horrible night. Now a detective in Grotto, and seven months pregnant, she is thrust back into the past when a new piece of evidence surfaces and the case is reopened. As Maggie investigates and reexamines the clues, secrets about what really happened begin to emerge. But someone in town knows more than they’re letting on, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth buried deep.

Pandemic Advantages?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Here's the time where I would usually say: do you know Lisa Regan? She's a USA Today bestselling author, and then a whole bunch of other wonderful stuff. All of which would be totally true, and then I would transition gracefully into her essay.

But I love you, and I love Lisa, and seriously? There's no reason not to get right to her story. Oh, except for--get a tissue.

Pandemic Days

by Lisa Regan


My daughter is twelve years old now. She’s a “tween”. You know, the stage between being a child and becoming a teenager? It’s an unusual stop on the parenting journey that no one and nothing adequately prepares you for which also leaves you wondering how the heck your own parents survived it. My daughter and I used to do everything together. She loved hanging out with me.

We loved doing our nails together

We even had this ritual that I called our “Day of Fun” which was a day where we went out together, just the two of us, and did whatever she wanted to do. Some days we saw a movie. Some days we went to the park. Some days we got our nails done. It was quality bonding time. Whenever I put a Day of Fun on the schedule, my daughter would be brimming with excitement for days.

The giant slides were our favorite

Making snow angels

Then she turned ten and suddenly, the Day of Fun was no longer her idea of fun. I was crushed. I understand that this is a normal part of growing up. Now she’s more interested in her friends and her favorite activities: art, coding, video games, tennis. None of these involve mom. I’m here for rides and food.

 Don’t get me wrong: I want her to develop relationships with other people. I want her to learn valuable social skills and life lessons that are only possible if she’s out of our parental sphere. I want her to grow and spread her wings.

 I also know that at some point, when she’s a little older, mom will be cool again. So I wait. But it’s hard. Not just because her interest in me has waned but because talking to a tween is like trying to have a meaningful conversation while you’re on the downward freefall of a log flume.

If there was fun to be had, we'd find it!

Then came the pandemic. No more school. No more hanging with friends. No more art class or tennis. She was still more interested in keeping in touch with her peers virtually than me, which was fine. However, she needed exercise.

A few years ago, she underwent reconstructive skull surgery due to a rare condition called craniosynostosis. During her recovery, she developed osteoporosis which led to her breaking her femur. Then came even more recovery. Months in a body cast; months using a wheelchair and walker; months of physical therapy. All of it meant her osteoporosis would only grow worse. 

We did what we could to bring her bone density back up with diet and supplements, but the doctors were firm on one thing: at her age, the best thing we could do for her was make her exercise. A lot. So we did. Her bone density went back to normal, but the mom in me is always worried that any prolonged period of sedentary activity might cause her bone density to dip again. This pandemic has suddenly made sedentary activity the norm.

I told her I wanted her to walk the dog with me.

It was clear that she would have preferred to sketch or text her friends or stream a favorite show. However, it took only a mention of her experience with osteoporosis for her to jump off the couch and get walking. 

Since it was just us and no technology and lots of ground to cover, we talked. She asked me for funny stories from when I was in middle and high school and when I got my first job. 

After a few days, she started coming to me and asking, “Are you going to walk the dog today? I want to come.”

 After a couple of weeks of such uncharacteristic tween enthusiasm, I asked her, “Do you really want to go on these walks with me?” and she said, “Yeah! I love hearing your stories. It’s just the way you tell them. It’s so funny and entertaining. You make something that should be boring sound so awesome.”

Don’t worry. I acted cool. No grateful mom tears—not in front of her anyway. Finally, my penchant for storytelling came in handy with my tween! These walks are an unexpected gift as a result of the pandemic. I hope one day my daughter will look back fondly on her memories of our pandemic walks and all the “funny” and “awesome” stories she heard.


Have there been any unexpected advantages to this pandemic for you?

HANK: Aw...I am sure so. But right now I have to go get those tissues I suggested. Um, okay. Having breakfast with my dear husband every day. Reading the whole paper. I made pasta--because why not? We watch (and listen to) the birds and ducks. The stars are bright. We have a lettuce garden, and a lovely herb garden.   We have electricity, and I am very grateful for my freezer. I honestly pat it every day in gratitude. My hair is.... resting. 

And oh, Lisa, thank you.  And your wonderful daughter.

How about you, Reds and readers? Any pandemic..plusses?




“Strong and intuitive” Detective Josie Quinn races against time to find a missing newborn baby in this fast-paced thriller from a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author (Publishers Weekly).


When Detective Josie Quinn is called to a large house on the outskirts of the small town of Denton, she’s horrified by the viciousness of the attack: smashed glass, splintered furniture and blood are spattered across the floor. The owner, a single mother, is fighting for her life, and her newborn baby is missing.

A beautiful young woman caught fleeing the scene is Josie’s only lead, but when questioned it seems this mysterious girl doesn’t know who she is, where she’s from or why she’s so terrified . . . . Is she a witness, a suspect, or the next victim?

As Josie digs deeper, a letter found hidden in the house convinces her the attack, the missing child, and the nameless woman are linked to a spate of killings across the county, and she is faced with a heartbreaking decision: Should she risk the life of one child to save many others? Or can Josie find another way to stop this killer before any more innocent lives are taken?

Lisa Regan is the USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series as well as several other crime fiction titles. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master of Education degree from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Crime Writers Association, and Mystery Writers of America. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, daughter and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip.