Jason Drake has finally succumbed to the urge to write. Picture / Supplied
Northland DHB nurse Jason Drake has spent much of his life resisting the urge to put pen to paper, but now he's finally published his first book, which he is offering as a free download to those looking for a good thriller/murder mystery to distract them from Covid-19.
Jason said he has always wanted to write a story, but life always seemed too busy to justify the self-indulgence of squirrelling away somewhere quiet to get on with it.
Growing up in Cornwall he was surrounded by myths and legends that inspired his love for dark thrillers. His literary talents were spotted early by his English teacher, who encouraged him to submit work to the local paper – but he never did. Then, at age 50, he decided if he didn't start writing then, he never would. Spurred on by wife Vonney, he started his book in April 2016, and finished it three years later.
'Atlas Bloom: A Nurse's Requiem' is a story of murder and the supernatural in small-town New Zealand, a mix of Jason's own experiences working in hospitals, which he says are always full of drama, and an idea that came to him in a dream.
The main character, Atlas Bloom (also a nurse), is confronted with being the suspect of murder. The rich, descriptive novel pings back and forth between centuries in its telling, exploring and testing the facade of respectability and dipping its toe into the dark side of medicine.
Like most writers, Jason was worried that what made sense to him may not to a reader, but Vonney, an avid reader who proofed his manuscript, thoroughly enjoyed it.
He then submitted it to various publishing houses and agents, and had three offers to produce it, but at a substantial cost. So he decided to publish it himself on Amazon's Kindle, which he said was a great experience, and cost nothing.
Jason said his work on Ward 16 at Whangārei Hospital put him in the Red Zone of the Covid-19 pandemic, which initially raised staff anxiety to a level he had never seen before.
"Sure, we've nursed patients with Tb, and we went through the whole Norovirus outbreak a few years ago, then more recently the measles outbreak, but this was different," he said.
"I think that's one important thing to remember - that although we are nurses, and caring for patients with infectious diseases is what we do, we are also members of the public, sharing the same concerns they do."
Misinformation in the media and on social media had added to that anxiety. Hence, meetings with infection control staff and the lead consultant were put in place so the facts could be explained, which was very important. And, because this was a new disease, they were learning along the way and had to adapt their protocols - the goalposts kept moving.
"During times of greater challenges like now, with Covid-19, it's interesting to see how people cope. Because we do cope - all of us in our own way - and it brings out the best in us,"
Jason recalled one patient (and her daughter), who tested negative for Covid-19 and were being discharged, who told him about the kind attention and 'chats' they had with one of their Spotless Services cleaners.
"They praised the way she made them still feel like a human being. And I'm a little ashamed to say some of us nurses did not do that. It reminded me that it's just not nurses who are caring for our patients," he said.
Jason urged the public to be careful about what they read. And for those in lockdown to enjoy time with the family and whānau they were with.
"In six months you may be reminiscing about how nice it was, and that you wish you had a little more time like that with them again," he said.
"For those who are not with family and whānau, remember you are helping to keep them safe."
And perhaps the crisis would provide material to slip into another story: "Maybe not a story about a pandemic, but the more interesting stuff about how we rise to a challenge and the ways we overcome it."
Jason's book is available now through Amazon as a paperback, or on Kindle, free until Tuesday (April 21).