Hello, everyone!
First off, if you're in the United States, I hope you remembered to move all of your clocks one hour forward, because Daylight Savings Time officially begins Sunday, March 8, 2026. That also happens to be the day when my latest book is widely released, and that's what I'd like to dive into right this moment.
(By the way, I am experimenting with a slightly modified format for this newsletter that I think will work better.)
What's New:
Poison Pill Is Officially Released Today!
The third novel of my Dr. Mark Lin Medical Thrillers series, titled Poison Pill, is officially released. No longer is it just available as an audiobook on Audible that was released earlier than expected (believe me, it was not in my control). Now everyone can read it in the format they prefer and from whatever retailer or library they prefer that has it available.
I'm not going to spend too much time saying what it's about because the book's blurb can be found on my website and on many retailer pages. What I will say is that it was fun to write this. It was an opportunity to explore two parallel topics, herbal supplements and pharmaceuticals, while throwing in a little personal and family drama that sheds light on Mark's innocent side, one that I hadn't really put down on the page until this book.
You can find much information on Poison Pill, including purchase links, reviews, and the first two chapters as excerpts via the book's landing page on my website: https://anthonyleebooks.com/books/poisonpill.htm
Coming Up:
Already Writing Book Four
Believe it or not, I am already writing the first draft of the next entry in the Dr. Mark Lin Medical Thrillers series. Yes, the fourth novel already. In fact, I'm pretty much one-third of the way through that first draft.
How is it that I could already be this far along with the next book when the third book is just coming out today? Well, when you have an intriguing story idea that you know is going to excite readers, why wait until after the release of a new book to start writing the next one? I'm glad I started on it already. At this rate, I will certainly have a final draft for my editor to review sometime in the middle of 2026. My plan is to release it in early 2027, sometime before the spring.
As for what it's about, I won't say because I don't like to disclose too much early on. But let's just say it's another book that combines multiple topics into one cohesive story. Also, two real-life events inspired it. You'll see what they are once you read the book.
The Medical Files of Dr. Mark Lin:
Kidney Failure in Young Adults
The first supporting character that I introduce in Poison Pill is a young twentysomething Hispanic man named Hector Lucero. He is distraught about being so young and yet already needing dialysis. Dr. Mark Lin is also moved by this, to the point of wondering what might be the cause of the patient's predicament. This is the catalyst that propels the story, before others push him along further.
I created the character of Hector to represent segments of the patient population who may be overlooked for whatever reason. Typically, when you think of kidney disease that is serious enough to require dialysis, you think of the older adult population. That doesn't mean younger adults are not prone to renal failure. It can happen. On a related note, I came across this interesting Harvard Medical School blog post about kidney failure in vulnerable populations, such as young minorities:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/younger-adults-with-kidney-disease-struggle-with-health-disparities-196912312756
Inside the Mind of Anthony Lee:
Why Mark Lin Puts Himself at Risk
Mark Lin is no ordinary physician. When a strange medical mystery or crisis comes his way, he wants to know the cause so that he can do something about it. Of course, if the cause is in the human body, a doctor like Mark will tackle it because that's his job. But if it's a manifestation of a societal ill spilling into healthcare, Mark will not hesitate to put himself out there to stop the problem at its source, unlike other doctors who stay within their professional boundaries.
Why does Mark do this, especially if his actions could be dangerous? A couple of possible reasons:
1. Given early life stressors, he hasn't considered his own life to be meaningful enough to protect, so if he might perish during some off-duty mission, it wouldn't scare him too much.
2. He knows that if he doesn't anything, the perpetrators will win, because the situation is too unusual for normal authorities to handle adequately or be willing to give enough priority to.
3. He feels that life had not been fair to him, so that stopping some major villain gives him a satisfaction that he could not experience before.
4. Mark feels that the reward of combating a societal ill is far greater than letting it go on to cause more damage.
The best way to sum it up is this. Mark does not let himself be bound by rules if they would prevent him from fighting a problem that he feels is deeply wrong. I hope that helps you understand this complex character a little better.
Fun Stuff:
Soccer Season
As we enter the month of March, soccer season is upon us. In Major League Soccer, the San Jose Earthquakes, the Northern California professional men's soccer team I follow, have started their MLS season with a bang by winning their first two regular season games. And in just a couple of days, the National Women's Soccer League will begin its 2026 season. That's when Bay FC, the Northern California professional women's soccer team I follow, will play its season opener: a home game versus the Denver Summit at PayPal Park (same venue as the Earthquakes). I will be going to that game, so I look forward to it.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading my newsletter that I am releasing on the same day that Poison Pill finally sees the light of day anywhere. If you plan to read the book, I hope you enjoy it. :-)
Anthony Lee
anthonyleebooks.com |