A recent article in the entertainment section of Time Magazine put forth the premise that many of television's strongest female leads share one flaw - they make terrible decisions because of men. The article presented examples from a number of popular TV shows including 'Scandal', 'Homeland’, ‘Revenge', 'Game of Thrones', 'The Newsroom', 'Friday Night Lights' and 'Lost'. While the concept of the flawed female seems to work in the television arena, Dr. Darden North believes the concept can make for even more engaging fiction in mystery fiction novels. The concept plays a major role in his latest medical thriller, 'Wiggle Room'.
"The only thing I find more interesting than flawed characters on television," North stated, "is dreaming them up for my own murder mysteries and thriller novels. I then watch them stir up their own trouble. While readers look for reckless ambition to destroy the male protagonist, there is a growing audience for stories about strong, talented women who do the same. These intriguing, usually attractive women almost craft the story for me. More fascinating than the great-looking guy who scores despite wrinkled clothes and skipping a shower, is the clever single mom who lets a man get in her way and then trumps the testosterone."
“Despite the growing role of women in our society (or perhaps because of it), readers relish in the private foils of the seemingly all-together female, an in-control persona who is a total mess in the love department. In my newest thriller ‘Wiggle Room’, the surprised reader watches Dr. Diana Bratton become seduced by her male physician counterpart then regain her standing when she stops his killer. Both male and female fiction readers can understand Diana’s desire to regain her femininity and a life outside of the hospital. In contrast, the darker, more deeply flawed character, Stacy Lane, remains infatuated with a young military officer even after his tragic death. Her obsession pulls at her from his grave, forcing her to abandon a nursing career and all respect for life. Vengeance consumes her."
Author Darden North practices medicine full-time as an obstetrician/gynecologist at Jackson Healthcare for Women, PA, and writes mysteries and medical thrillers. ‘Wiggle Room’ is his recently released fourth novel. North’s first two novels, ‘House Call’ and ‘Points of Origin’, have received national book awards, most notably an IPPY in Southern Fiction for ‘Points of Origin.’ His third medical thriller, ‘Fresh Frozen’, is in film development and received five national writing awards: the 2009 National Indie Excellence Awards -- Winner, Best Cover Design and Finalist, Regional Fiction; the 2009 San Francisco Book Festival – Honorable Mention in General Fiction; 2009 New Generation Indie Book Awards -- Finalist, Best Cover Design Fiction, and Finalist, Regional Fiction. His first three books have been nominated in Fiction by the Mississippi Institute for Arts and Letters.
'Wiggle Room' has received high praise. Robert Dugoni, New York Times best-selling author of 'The Conviction', said: "A rollercoaster ride of murder, intrigue, and plot twists, 'Wiggle Room' keeps (readers) turning the pages to the final, climactic finish." Carolyn Haines, author of 'Bonfire of The Vanities' called the book "An action-packed, edge-of-the-seat thriller."
Darden North is available for media interviews, personal appearances and book signings. He can be contacted using the information below or by email at darden@dardennorth.com. All of his books are available at most online book retailers including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. More information is available at his website at http://www.DardenNorth.com.
About Dr. Darden North:
Darden North, MD, is a board-certified obstetrician/ gynecologist who grew up in the Mississippi Delta and now lives in Jackson where he practices medicine. A graduate of Ole Miss and the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and Medical Center, he is a certified DaVinci robotic surgeon and still delivers babies. North’s first novel, 'House Call' was awarded Finalist in Mystery/Suspense by the 2008 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. His second novel 'Points of Origin' was recognized in Southern Fiction by the 2007 Independent Publishers Book (IPPY) Awards. His third novel, 'Fresh Frozen' is in film development by Frank Vitolo and Scott Alvaraz. The screenplay adaptation of ‘Fresh Frozen’ is by Amy Taylor. The novel received Best Cover Design in the 2009 National Indie Excellence Awards and Finalist in Regional Fiction.
North presented at the 2013 Killer Nashville writing conference discussing the construction of medical thrillers and mysteries and served on the faculty of the 2010 Southern Expressions Authors Conference. He has been a panelist at “Murder in the Magic City” (Birmingham, AL), “Author! Author! Celebration of the Written Word” (Shreveport LA), “Murder on the Menu” (Wetumpka, AL), and “Thriller Author Panel – 2008 SIBA Trade Show” (Mobile, AL).
Contact:
Dr. Darden North
darden@dardennorth.com
http://www.DardenNorth.com
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