Friday's Guest - Darrell Bain - Who He Was Before #MFRWauthor

1. What were you in your life before you became a writer? Did this influence your writing?

I spent 4 years in the Air Force and  7 years in the army, including two years in Vietnam. All my military time and 17 years following, I was in the medical field. Apparently I was fairly good at what I did. Began as a Surgery tech and Delivery room and Delivery ward. Assisted Surgeon (we only had one general surgeon at the time so got a lot of experience in suturing wounds, clamping bleeders and holding retractors during difficult cases until it felt as if my arm and hands would fall off. Assisted in delivery room wherever needed, including delivering twins one night when the doctor couldn't be found and the nurses panicked. I just started giving orders and got the twins out, cut the cords, calmed the mother, kept the nurses busy so they had something to do other than scream, "Where's the blanket blank doctor?"

After this I went to the Emergency room where I learned about drugs and treatment, did lots more suturing and caring for wounds. Then to a ward that needed help.

In the army, was first a pharmacist, took six months starting from zero, studying on my own and passed the test for Pharmacy specialist, filling all RXs except narcotics. Pharmacy was boring after I learned it so reenlisted for Basic Lab school. Graduated first in class.

Then the army sent me to college, all expenses paid, but as a 9th grade drop out I lacked the math background, had family problems and only went a year. Then I was a company clerk while waiting reassignment. Went to Evac hospital and spent time when not in lab as medic on duty for training by men. I went with them  to Ranger School and other schools. Also went to a school myself on CBR Warfare and graduated first in class. Then applied for advanced lab school and graduated first in my class. Then to Vietnam for first year there. Had a small, ill-equipped lab that got red dust over everything whenever a chopper landed. Soon was running the whole Dispensary team in addition to lab. Another sergeant and I "appropriated" a ton of outdated medicine (which had a built in safety factor of several years) and began our own private MEDCAP missions, going out to villages and treating the sick, lame and lazy, probably including a fair number of Viet Cong. We were ordered to stop after the VC blew up one of the Village Chiefs where we had been treating his people.Came back to the States long enough to get another promotion and back to Vietnam again. Was Hancho of Lab for large Field hospital, then transferred to the northern part of the country when my brother, an F-4 pilot, arrived. WE managed to spend a few days together several times, enough for us to get into trouble by partying too much and me impersonating an officer. Finally went home.and got out, only 7 years short of retirement. All these experiences are described in one of my first books, Medics Wild.

After leaving the army, I went to college and by dint of heavy memorization managed to obtain a degree in Medical Technology. Almost immediately after graduation, I began a series of managing labs in Louisiana and East Texas. At one of these labs, I met my future wife, kissed her under some mistletoe ( a contrived meeting) and we were married a year later. Continued moving around to manage labs, but always got bored once it was running smoothly. Betty and I went to Saudi Arabia where she worked as a nurse and I was a Chief Tech of the lab. Then promoted to Assistant Hospital Administrator.(another boring job) but paid well. We took several vacations that Betty described beautifully in her one published book,

Great Diet Busting Dessert Recipes: Along with Wonderful Articles on Humor, Medicine and Travel

  Betty couldn't stand the way women (including her) were treated and after a year of that we broke our contract, paid our own way home and paid for shipping our household goods. Luckily we had saved a good bit of money but when we sorted things out we didn't have much left.

I  continued work in the medical field for a few more years, THEN CAME aids AND I decided to go into farming Christmas trees. Betty and I did this for a number of years, described in  three of my books, DOGGIE BISCUIT, LIFE ON SANTA CLAUS LANE, and  LAUGHING ALL THE WAY. These are all humorous books. As I farmed, I also became a house husband and learned to cook after a fashion. Betty described my cooking as "Innovative". I've always been scared to ask what she meant.

FArming gave me time to write. I had always enjoyed it but now needed to make some money and got serious about it. Soon I gave up farming and began writing full time.

2 Are you genre specific or general? Why? I don't mean genres like romance, mystery, fantasy etc. There are many subgenres of the above.

If I am genre specific at all it would be Science Fiction, but my adventure novels, such as the series of The Adventures of The Williard Brothers, a lot of the adventures are actually true. Medics Wild served as sort of a preque3l but the series begins with: POSTWAR DINOSAUR BLUES, BIGFOOT CRAZY, THE BILLION DOLLAR CARIBBEAN CAPER AND SPACE FOR SALE. The last two are in the re-edit phase but the first two are available at all the on-line book stores.

3. Did your reading choices have anything to do with your choice of a genre or genres?

Heinlein definitely influenced my science fiction. I don't know where the humor books came from other than maybe remembering some humor books I've read. I wote one romance at my Mother's urging, HOTLINE TO HEAVEN. Parts of it were humorous and the beginning involved The Salvation Army. I was surprised when I heard from an official asking if I would donate a copy of HOTLINE TO HEAVEN to the Salvation Army Museum. Of course I complied. Most of my books involve adventures of various sort in the framework of SF or Thrillers.

I have written a few non-fiction, including my Autobiography (out of print now, but used copies available). I may re-write it and get it back in circulation.

4. What's your latest release?

My latest release just came out, THE NEW TYPES, A science Fiction adventure that includes some medical issues and a number if small firefights. The Title reads: THE NEW TYPES. THEY'RE HERE. THEY'RE .DIFFERENT and boy, are they!!!

5. What are you working on now?

I'm busy re-editing a lot of books from when I split the blanket with one of my main publishers. I was also near-incapacitated for 8 or 9 months last year, due to back problems that eventually resulted in surgery and then a freak accident that caused a bad burn on my back about  months ago and still isn't completely healed, although it doesn't hamper my work.

6. Where can we find you?

 At www.darrellbain.com and also at Facebook, Twitter and I can be reached  from my web site.  Just X out the OUtlook window that gets in the way. I'll have that fixed soon.

Darrell Bain, Author www.darrellbain.com Darrell Bain | Facebook www.facebook.com With 50 books in print, prolific author Darrell Bain never tires writing various genres including humor, science fiction ...