'To get lost in the story'

“Ijust want people to get lost in the story and at the end kind of sag and say,'That was fun.' It's hardly my desire for them to sit and think, 'What a greatliterary image.'” – Michael Palmer

Palmer, born on this date in 1942,was an American physician and author whose novels are often referred to asmedical thrillers.  He once claimed henever wanted to be a writer and didn’t think he had much "flair" forit, even though several made the New York Times Bestseller List and hisworks have now been translated into 35 languages. 

 

 A graduate of Wesleyan University,he said he was enticed into trying his hand at writing after fellow Wesleyanalum and doctor Robin Cook wrote the hugely successful Coma.    He said he thoughtif Cook could write a novel, he could too. Ultimately, he wrote 24 of them – the last 3 written with his son Danieland published after his death from a heart attack in 2013. 

 

 Despite his writing success he continued practicing medicine the entire time,noting:   “It seemed to me that I was puton earth to take care of people. That is what I should be doing, and I nevergot tired of it.”