An Interview with Anthony Lee: Author of Poison Pill

Anthony Lee has a unique background in medicine. After graduating from medical school, he switched from clinical medicine to health technology assessment, analyzing new medical tests and treatments in a career spanning over 15 years.

As a writer, he found inspiration in a variety of literary works, both contemporary and classic. He has especially discovered the excitement of thriller novels, including medical thrillers by authors like Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen, crime fiction by Michael Connelly, and Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels. After years of brainstorming his own story ideas, he finally wrote and self-published his first medical thriller novel, Doctor Lucifer, in 2024.

When he is not writing, he enjoys things like music, movies, video games, sports, and travel. He lives in Northern California.

Tell us about your book.

Poison Pill is the third novel in the Dr. Mark Lin Medical Thrillers series. In this book, Mark investigates not one but two different pills for weight loss–an herbal supplement and a pharmaceutical drug–to determine if they have dangerous side effects that are being hidden from the public, given that two of his patients taking these pills have unexpectedly suffered major health problems. The topic of the pharmaceutical industry is explored heavily in medical thrillers, while the herbal industry (or herbaceutical industry, if you want to use mirror terminology) is seldom a premise in a medical thriller. My book takes the unique approach of presenting these two rival industries side by side to illustrate that both types of medicine have their pros and cons.

Why did you want to write a book?

This novel was inspired by a specific lecture from my medical school days. My pharmacology course in the second year of med school included one lecture that, as a deviation from the usual lectures on specific pharmaceutical drugs, provided an introductory overview of common herbal supplements. It opened my eyes to the existence of two parallel industries of healing, and it’s something that I’ve paid attention to since.

Herbal supplements are assumed to be safe because they’re natural, but that’s not necessarily true, especially as regulations for them are rather lax. And even if pharmaceutical products undergo a stringent approval process by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, harmful adverse effects can still occur. I want readers to see that it doesn’t matter what kind of pill they’re taking. There are risks either way.

Would you self-publish again?

I will continue to self-publish my books because I appreciate the freedom and creative control that I have over my work. I can write in my own voice a story that I want to write, without the pressure of a book publisher telling me what I should write or what I’m not allowed to write.

What do you think are the main pitfalls for indie writers?

After writing three books, one pitfall for indie writers I see a lot is the lack of commitment. Being a successful writer is not dependent on writing one book. It’s writing several over time to establish a serious reputation as an author who consistently produces new material. Readers are more likely to check out the work of an author with multiple books than an author with just one or two.

As a writer, what is your schedule? How do you get the job done?

I devote weeknights to writing my novels. Sometimes I throw in an extra weekend day if I am very inspired by a chapter or scene I am imagining. No matter what, I always balance it out with rest and relaxation.

Tell us about the genre you wrote in, and why you chose to write this sort of book.

I write medical thrillers because I enjoy this book subgenre. Also, I wish to add my unique spin on it, especially with my unique background in medicine and with other authors tending to stick with the familiar tropes of traditional medical thrillers, like the idealistic doctor and a villain from within the medical or scientific community.

What are your plans now your book is published?

My plans are the same with any book of mine that comes out: update my website as more reviews and exciting news come out in relation to my latest book, all while writing the next book. Going back and forth between promoting the current book and drafting the next one keeps me busy and inspired as an author.

What did you learn on your journey as an author?

I learned that if I keep enjoying the novel writing process, it will translate to the reader appreciating the book once they finally read it. It’s just like anything in life. Enjoying the work makes one want to do the best job possible, and that guarantee positive results.

What’s next for you as an author?

I am already in the middle of the first draft of my fourth novel in the Dr. Mark Lin Medical Thrillers series. I don’t want to share what it’s about, but I will say that it combines multiple topics in a unique way. Like with my previous books, I guarantee that this next story is one that no other medical thriller author will come up with.

How long will the Dr. Mark Lin Medical Thrillers series last? How many books?

At this point, I think I’ve decided that the series will go on for a total of 24 books. It’s a way for me to divide the series into certain major phases that capture different periods of growth and development of the character of Dr. Mark Lin. I sure hope I can live long enough to achieve that goal.