Gary BirkenWhen he first set pen to paper as a novelist, Gary Birken, MD, was a busy full time pediatric surgeon. He completed eight years of surgical training at Ohio State University and Nationwide Children's Hospital and remains to this day an ardent Buckeye fan. Upon completing his training, Dr. Birken relocated to South Florida and joined the medical staff of Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, where he served as the surgeon-in-chief. Now, that his schedule is more relaxed, he's able to devote greater time to writing and getting more involved with his readers. Dr. Birken's approach to story-writing has always been to utilize fiction not only as a means to entertain, but also to offer some insight into an interesting or controversial topic in medicine. He is often asked by aspiring authors for suggestions as to the best way to get started. The best advice he can offer any individual who seriously want to write is to take the time to learn the craft of fiction writing, and then--read a lot and write a lot. Dr. Birken is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and has had the opportunity of teaching writing at various conferences and other forums. He has also had the pleasure of serving as a panel member at the SleuthFest Conference. In addition to spending time with his family, including ten grandchildren, he is a private pilot, and an avid tennis player. He also enjoys auditing university level courses and just hanging out with his English Setter, Eliza Doolittle. He holds a black belt in martial arts and frequently teaches courses in women's self-defense. Read More Read Less