The Reaper’s Rainbow

Dr Harley’s choice to focus his efforts into reducing hospital infections led to questions hospital management found too uncomfortable. Previously open doors began closing.

Which left him asking what to do with all the valuable answers mature nurses had been eagerly providing to his piercing questions? He was earning their trust through being a keen listener. Since he was having to move on, weaving their heart-felt contributions into a story became an alluring ambition.

The Reaper’s Rainbow became his first novel in 2009 proving he was able to write a ripping good thriller. Imagine his surprise when readers began referring to it as a romance. Seemingly his desire to lighten the slaughter from hospital infections with a burgeoning relationship was being seen as a romance blossoming in a time of horror.

His first lesson lies in realising he was never going to control a strong young lady on a mission. His second lesson rests in thinking she was the fourth character when it was actually her story. A steep learning curve for a new author.

The Reaper’s Rainbow was never actively publicised as its main purpose was to be a management tool. Thousands of needless deaths were arising from infections in UK hospitals every year, a sad statistic many supposedly advanced national hospital systems share. Since Dr Harley’s attempts to advance the debate all met entrenched medical dogma he saw a novel as the best way to gain the attention of influential people. Success arose in the novel earning him an invitation to write a chapter in an infection prevention textbook now forming part of professional education.

The Reaper’s Rainbow has found its way to many happy readers, more than for most novels. Even better, the target audience of mature females are passing their copies to friends.

The writing genie has risen from the bottle.