Our latest middle grade must-read is equal parts mystery and inspiring. In her debut children’s novel, Priya Swaminathan takes her storytelling power from 20 years in movies and television, and introduces us to the world of medicine (which also happens to be Priya’s other new career) through an unlikely “medical detective.”
Seventh grader Deepa missed the sixth grade due to her leukemia diagnosis and treatment, and now that she’s back in action, she has to figure out what her new normal means. Unfortunately, for Deepa, normal doesn’t mean pretending she was never sick at all, and her decisions about jumping back into school, sports, and social life aren’t entirely up to her. As Deepa adjusts, she finds herself spending more and more time with her Uncle Jai, a house-call doctor with a somewhat harsh strategy for diagnosing his patients. Uncle Jai is the doctor, but Deepa is an expert on being sick, and her understanding of what it’s like to be a patient makes her a talented medical detective herself.
Deepa’s journey to her new normal is full of reminders that we can all find weaknesses and strengths in unexpected places (especially if, like Deepa, we’re looking to Spider-Man for inspiration!) and that empathy can help us find understanding even when we’re missing important information.
We caught up with Priya to learn more about what inspired Deepa’s story and how she’s becoming a medical detective herself as a nursing student at UCLA. Check out the full interview below!
Showstopper Magazine Online : Priya, it’s so nice to meet you! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your move from film and TV shows to children’s books?
Priya Swaminathan: After working in the movies for almost twenty years, I decided to shake things up. I quit my job to go back to school to become a nurse—and to write. I’d dabbled for years but never had the guts to really sweat for it. I explored lots of ideas, wrote a book that never sold, then zeroed in on Deepa, M.D.
SMO: You’ve started your new adventure with a great character. How did your tween medical detective, Deepa, come to life?
Priya: As a kid, I loved learning about how our bodies worked – and what happened when they didn’t. I devoured medical mysteries by Michael Crichton and Oliver Sacks. In the back of my mind, I always wanted to take a crack at writing one.
Cut to a few years ago when my daughter wound up in the hospital. It was powerful to watch her learn how to talk about pain, anxiety, and lots of other things happening in her body. The experience sparked something in me. That’s when Deepa started to pour onto the page.
SMO: Deepa isn’t the only one learning about medicine. You’re studying nursing at UCLA. How have your studies influenced Deepa’s journey?
Priya: Deepa and I were learning about the human body at the same time! Many wonderful nurses have taught me the art of communicating complex medical ideas in a way that anyone can understand. During my clinical rotations, I got to spend time with all kinds of patients in the hospital. I discovered that there are so many factors, from nutrition to cultural norms, influencing how we respond to illness. It led me to explore sides of Deepa’s life I hadn’t considered before.
SMO: Deepa has a unique perspective on her own diagnosis. From the start of the book, she refers to herself as a mutant. What inspired this balance of science and imagination?
Priya: What a cool observation! Maybe science and creativity are intertwined for her? I think they are for me.
SMO: Superheroes play a major role in Deepa’s understanding of medicine—Spider-Man, the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy. Deepa cares a lot about saving lives. What drew you to those superhero connections?
Priya: I grew up reading comic books and love superheroes. Their powers, their fatal flaws, the fate of the universe resting on their shoulders? I can’t get enough of it. Peter Parker was always my favorite. He’s still figuring out who he wants to be when a radioactive spider bite changes everything. In a way, it’s something he and Deepa have in common!
SMO: Deepa is constantly learning. Each lesson, whether it’s school drama or statistics in her honors math class, changes her understanding of her diagnosis and her place in the world. Can you tell us more about these tiny growth spurts she goes through across the book?
Priya: Tiny growth spurts!! That’s such a cool way of thinking about Deepa’s story. She’s in the process of becoming. I am, too. As I head in a new direction in life, I’m trying to figure out how to integrate new experiences with my values and beliefs about the world. I guess that seeped into the book!
SMO: You invented more than a middle school drama. Deepa, M.D. features a whole world of characters of different ages, backgrounds, and even levels of fame. Do you have a favorite character or detail about that community? Uncle Jai cracks me up. He marches to the beat of his own drummer. I admire that about him, even if he can be a big jerk sometimes.
Priya: How about you? Who’s your favorite character?
SMO: One of those characters is the pop superstar Willa, who also happens to be Deepa’s biggest role model. Can you tell us a bit more about how Willa became such a big part of the story?
Priya: It’s pure wish fulfillment! I like imagining what it would be like to meet the artists (Erykah Badhu! David Bowie! Robyn!) whose music makes up the soundtrack of my life. It was fun to run wild with it.
SMO: Who (famous or otherwise) pumps you up when you need it most?
Priya: My husband and daughter are my biggest cheerleaders. They believe in me even when I’m lost at sea.
SMO: What do you hope readers take from Deepa’s journey as a medical detective?
Priya: I hope the book makes people laugh. A lot. It really is the best medicine!
SMO: It would be a shame to end this interview without a medical fun fact. Deepa, M.D., teaches us so many! Do you have a favorite case of your own to share?
Priya: I love all the stories in Oliver Sacks’ book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. The titular case is one I re-read often. Sacks’ brilliant scientific writing stretches your imagination about what our bodies can do!