In this week’s Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes back Shelley Wood, best known for her work in the cardiology community as the editor-in-chief of TCTMD and Editorial Director of CRF. They discuss her work as a creative author and her second novel, The Leap Year Gene of Kit McKinley, set to be published by Harper Collins in Canada and Union Square Press in the US in August 2024.
Blending the intrigue of a medical thriller with a sweeping overview of the twentieth century, The Leap Year Gene of Kit McKinley tells the story of Kit McKinley, whose rare genetic condition causes her to age one year for every four. In this rich discussion, Ms Wood shares how her extensive experience as a medical writer and editor shaped her approach to crafting the novel. Dr Kalra and Ms Wood also explore one of the book’s central themes: eugenics, tracing its historical roots and examining its long shadow on medicine. Ms Wood, who balances a demanding full-time job with her creative writing, shares candid insights into her routine and the challenges of writing and publishing fiction.
Tune in for an inspiring conversation about creativity, the human condition and balancing responsibilities.
To pre-order Shelley Wood new novel search for The Leap Year Gene/ The Leap Year Gene of Kit McKinley in your favourite independent bookshop or here.
In this candid episode of Parallax, Nasrien and Ankur open up about their experiences of being an immigrant. Ankur asks Nasrien about her journey to medicine. Nasrien shares the lessons she took away from her years under the mentorship of Dr JoAnn Lindenfeld and later, Dr. James Januzzi. Finally, Nasrien shares her recent experience of writing Sparkplug and how she embraced life with its imperfections and found her purpose.
In this practical and insightful episode, Dr Kalra asks what does diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging mean to the editorial board of JCF and what were the steps taken to put these principles into practice.