TT Profile #8: Maura Glynn-Thami

Maura Glynn-Thami is a doctor AND she writes. That's got to come in handy for her writing. She took some time out to answer a few questions.

Tamago: When did you decide you wanted to become a writer?

Maura: A long time ago, but I didn't have the guts to do it right away. I was going through some old papers this week-end, and found something I wrote when I was 17, trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. At the time I concluded that writing would be best, but that I needed to go live a little first. I wasn't anticipating that it would take 35 years, but I am finally getting serious. Still not grown up, though!

Tamago: What kinds of works do you usually enjoy writing? Do you have any themes you come back to?

Maura: There seem to be a variety of voices in my head. (I know, there are meds for that kind of thing.) I'm pretty new at this, so I'm still exploring. I like fantasy, sci-fi and mainstream fiction, and would be comfortable writing any of these. Realistic fantasy seems to be where I am the most at home. I've learned that I like writing in first person, and that the quality of the prose is important to me. Underlying themes seem to be nature and technology, breaking out of isolation, and of course, the ever popular struggle with mortality.

Tamago: How does your work as a medical professional help you with your writing?

Maura: Doctors learn to be pretty observant, and to create patterns from seemingly unrelated symptoms to make a diagnosis. That helps in writing. I can also write very realistic depictions of trauma, illness, childbirth and various bodily functions! But most helpful is the incredible privilege of working with people in very intimate and intense situations. Doctors get to witness and learn about scenarios they could never have made up.

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Mirrored from Writer Tamago.