Darden North, MD, is a
board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist practicing in partnership
at Jackson Healthcare for Women, PA, in Jackson, Mississippi. In
addition to practicing medicine full-time, Darden North has written
and published three novels, Fresh Frozen (hardcover October 2008),
Points of Origin (hardcover 2006), and House Call (hardcover 2005,
paperback 2007). Points of Origin was recognized in Southern Fiction
in the 2007 Independent Publishers Book Awards and House Call was a
Mystery/Suspense Finalist in the 2008 New Generation Indie Book
Awards. Both works were nominated in Fiction by the Southern
Independent Book Association and the Mississippi Institute for Arts
and Letters.
North remains a member of the American Medical Association, the
Central Mississippi Medical Society and the Jackson Gynecic Society,
as well as a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and
Gynecology. Born in Jackson and reared in Cleveland, Mississippi, he
is the son of Evelyn and the late Linton Darden North.
After graduating magna cum laude from the University of Mississippi
in 1978 with a BA in zoology and minors in both English and
chemistry and induction into The Hall of Fame, he finished medical
school and obstetrics/gynecology specialty training at the
University of Mississippi Medical Center where he was a member of
Alpha Omega Alpha honorary society. He is also a member of Kappa
Alpha Order, initiated into the University of Mississippi Alpha
Upsilon chapter in 1975. More recently, Darden North was inducted
into the Irwin Province Council of Honor of Kappa Alpha Order
followed by induction into the Sons of the American Revolution,
District of Columbia chapter, in July 2008.
North and his wife, the former Sarah "Sally" Buckner Fortenberry of
Columbia, MS, are active members of their community. Darden and
Sally have two young adult children as well as two dogs and a grand
dog. North has tried his hand at both golf and tennis but now is
occasionally spotted with a croquet mallet and garden shovel when he
is not delivering babies treating patients or punching keys on his
laptop.
Visit Darden online at
http://www.dardennorth.com &
http://www.authorsden.com/dardennorthmd
Books-and-Authors.net: Where did you grow up and was reading and writing
a part of your life? Who were your earliest influences and why?
Darden North: I was born in the mid-1950s in Jackson, MS, as the only
child of Bar and Evelyn North, then grew up in the Mississippi Delta.
Perhaps my taste for the arts was seeded there in the Mississippi Delta,
just as were the cotton and soybeans. (Catfish farming hit the area much
later.) While attending seventh grade and against my initial argument, I
starred in the speaking and singing role of Louis in The King and I,
produced by the Cleveland (MS) Little Theater. (Many thanks to my
"agent" mother!)
Without question, my interest in writing and publishing sparked while
serving as editor-in-chief of the award-winning 1978 OLE MISS, the
University of Mississippi student yearbook, and when serving as editor
of the 1982 MEDIC, the University of Mississippi Medical Center student
yearbook -- both published in hardcover. I began dating my future wife
Sally Fortenberry, who was on the OLE MISS yearbook staff herself and
served as editor the following year. The fact that both his wife and
mother have been English teachers could not have hurt my later writing
and publishing concerns as well.
Books-and-Authors.net: Why do you write?
Darden North: My first novel HOUSE
CALL was born out of desire to bring life to a group of fictional,
medical-career-type characters who may seem outlandish to the reader but
are truly representative of present day. The plot was secondary. In a
way, HOUSE CALL was a precursor to popular contemporary television
dramas flooding the screen. Regarding POINTS OF ORIGIN, however, the
desire to tell a story came first and the characters second. Writing
fiction offers an avenue to resolve unresolved issues. A growing and
thirsty fan base has become a source of encouragement and strength for
me to continue writing fiction while maintaining a full-time obstetrics
and gynecology medical practice in Jackson, MS.
Books-and-Authors.net: Briefly describe your book "Points of Origin".
What makes "Points of Origin" different from other medical thrillers?
Brief Synopsis: In POINTS OF ORIGIN, ((Published October 2006 in
hardcover. Length: almost 100, 000 words), the death of 19-year-old
patient Flowers Ridley costs Dr. Dan Foxworth his reputation, his
fortune, his plastic surgery dynasty, and ultimately his own life. Still
reeling from the tragedy and struggling to overcome his rejection from
medical school, Dr. Foxworth's son, Sher, breaks with family tradition
and becomes a fireman. His new occupation pits him against a former
schoolmate, now an arsonist hired to torch the mansion of Cordell Pixler,
the same medical malpractice attorney who ruined Sher's father. The
shrinking Foxworth family's resentment of Pixler is matched only by that
of the attorney's spurned mistress, humiliated personal architect, and
the remaining Ridleys, who have squandered their medical malpractice
jury award. When the attorney's house explodes in flames, the origin of
the fire does not rest with the arsonist alone. A fierce retribution is
unleashed from many sources as Sher Foxworth finally avenges his family.
POINTS OF ORIGIN is unique among other medical thrillers in its depth of
character development and its social commentary. For instance, Sher
Foxworth's troubled relationship with his grandfather (his only
remaining relative) is explored as the wealthy patriarch struggles over
his disappointment in the only grandson's career choice firefighting
over medical school -- and in the underlying observations concerning
legal tort issues that are laced within the twisted plot. Also, in the
antics of the small Mississippi communities depicted there are bits of
humor in the unexpected actions of the unique characters. Even though
the work is fiction, there is a still a sense of realism in that the
novel was written by a father and practicing physician an
obstetrician/gynecologist who still deliveries babies while writing
thrillers and murder mysteries. The publisher's ad slogan for author
Darden North is "Finally, a doctor whose writing you can read!"
Books-and-Authors.net: Discuss your experiences and research that helped
and motivated you to write "Points of Origin"?
Darden North: My 22-plus years of
active medical practice as an obstetrician/gynecologist has as one
reviewer stated has equipped me to write "the truth of medical fiction."
To provide accuracy to situations and scenes, I researched firefighting
and fire investigation with Mississippi fire investigators and fire
academy instructors as well as interviewed an electronic expert in
constructing the home explosion, a pilot to detail the scenario of the
downing of a private plane, a plastic surgeon to authenticate my
imagination of a surgical disaster in that field, and professional
chiefs to dream up a culinary spread before the big explosion at
Attorney Cordell Pixler's mansion.
Books-and-Authors.net: Describe the title "Points of Origin" and how it
relates to the plot/story? How did you choose the title?
Darden North: Points of origin or
point of origin is a fire investigative term involving determination of
the "origin" or location where a fire ignited and a "cause" of a fire
that is, the co-existence of adequate fuel, oxygen and heat to cause the
ignition itself. Fire and arson investigators examine and interpret
post-fire evidence to determine the origin and cause of fires.
(Reference: Fire investigation: origin, cause and responsibility;
Lilley, D.G. -- Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, 1997.
IECEC-97., Proceedings of the 32nd Intersociety; Volume 1, Issue, 27
Jul-1 Aug 1997 Page(s):631 - 635 vol.1 )
I chose the title POINTS OF ORIGIN in that it is certainly applicable to
fictional Sher Foxworth's career as a fire fighter and by the fact that
multiple, revengeful characters have reason to resort to hiring an
arsonist to torch the mansion of Cordell Pixler. The metaphor in the
title and term points of origin lies in (or points to) the common origin
of the events which lead to the destruction of several families -- that
origin being the tragic death of young Flowers Ridley.
Books-and-Authors.net: "Points of Origin" would make a great film - If
Hollywood called who you select to play the leads and why?
Darden North: I would like to think
that the movie script version of POINTS OF ORIGIN would transform a
bunch of unknowns into instant international stars! Realistically, a
couple of established big names would need to be thrown into the mix to
assure success of the screen version. If I had my pick of superstars or
celebrities to fill certain roles, I would suggest:
Sher Foxworth Matthew McConaughey
his southern
origins/background lend a natural flair to roles set in the
South. He is a little older than the character, but I think it
would work. Some of the nurses who work in my medical office
worship McConaughey.
Minor Leblanc No brainer
. Eddy Murphy or maybe Kenan Thomson
from Saturday Night Live. He would do a good job and for a whole
lot less money, I suspect, than Murphy.
Dr. and Mrs. Dan Foxworth
Bill and Hillary Clinton
the former First Couple would need a
little make-up to look the correct age. Bill's definitely got
the Mississippi accent nailed (Arkansas is close enough) and
don't think I really placed Mrs. Foxworth as having grown up in
the Deep South, so Hillary could pass for the wife if she could
stand not serving as a featured character. But really, why them?
Read the book, paying attention to the Foxworth couple's last
scene.
Darla Bender Ellen
DeGeneres Why? The first actor that came to mind. She also would
play a southern well, having lived in New Orleans.
Sher Foxworth's girlfriend,
the Fire Marshal's daughter- Jessica Alba
my wife Sally
suggested her over aging Kirsten Dunce. And Miley Cyrus is too
young, but then again --- there's the make- up artist
Mrs. Cordell Pixler IV Not a big enough role for Angelina
Jolie, but I think she would enjoy playing her and would have
the body for it.
Wayne Simmons, the arsonist some truly unknown male actor in
his early to mid-20s. We'll let this blockbuster make him a
star.
Books-and-Authors.net: What did you learn from writing "Points of
Origin"?
Darden North: I finally learned
that writing a novel from a formal outline is the way to go, rather than
waiting for divine intervention. Actually, I accepted that dictum about
halfway through my third novel Fresh Frozen (October 2008 release in
hardcover). I have promised myself that novel number four will be
written from a detailed outline ... and how could I break a promise like
that?
Books-and-Authors.net: What do you hope to achieve with "Points of
Origin"?
Darden North: Recognition as a
novelist with the ability to create intense characters and relationships
while at the same time crafting a tightly woven, uniquely good tale.
Books-and-Authors.net: What's next?
Darden North: In the October 2008
release of my third novel Fresh Frozen in hardcover, a gristly southern
murder, a movie star, a desire, and a frozen heist question the fabric
of human ethics. In this, my third medical thriller, a young policeman
and his tormented wife discover that human reproductive tissue can
become a fatal commodity.
Books-and-Authors.net: What was the last book you read?
I haven't "read" a book in quite
some time. I listen to most of them on CD while hitting the road driving
to book signings. I now have an even greater respect for sales people.
Books-and-Authors.net: Do you have any hobbies? What are they? How do
they enhance your writing?
Darden North: My wife and I
recently joined a croquet club where one is required to dress in white.
We then play on a professionally-designed and pristinely-maintained
croquet court. Also, I like yard work in our large yard (as long as I
can continue to afford to have someone else actually mow it), and I will
probably resume hunting game with my son in the near future.
All of my life experiences and the
people with whom I come in contact inspire my writing and imagination.
Regarding POINTS OF
ORIGIN, however, the desire to tell a story came first and the
characters second. Writing fiction offers an avenue to resolve
unresolved issues. A growing and thirsty fan base has become a source of
encouragement and strength for me to continue writing fiction while
maintaining a full-time obstetrics and gynecology medical practice in
Jackson, MS. 
