By Q&A: Priscille Sibley on her novel
Neonatal Intensive care nurse Priscille Sibley recently published The Promise of Stardust (William Morrow Paperbacks). A riveting read, the book tells the story of a woman who suffers a devastating brain injury. Just as she is about to be taken off life support, her medical team realizes she’s pregnant. Her husband, a doctor, faces the dilemma of whether or not to keep her alive.
Was there a true incident that sparked the idea for The Promise of Stardust?
I never took care of a pregnant woman who had been declared brain dead; however, years ago I did take care of a child who was in a persistent vegetative state. Later, when the family of Terri Schiavo was in court battling over the removal of her life support, I found myself thinking about that child and I had the idea for the book. Through research, I found there had been a number of cases where pregnant women in comas or in persistent vegetative states had given birth. Some states actually have laws on the books that prohibit the removal of life support from a pregnant woman.
Nurses work so hard. How did you find the time to write?
I don’t write on the days I work a 12-hour shift. I dive into my writing on my days off. I’m fortunate that my husband is very supportive and my sons are in their late teens and somewhat self-sufficient. But it would be nice if I didn’t need to sleep.
Does being a nurse help you as a novelist?
In most ways, writing and nursing involve two different skill sets, but I doubt I’d have written this book if I weren’t a nurse. I wouldn’t have felt as much passion for the story about a family in the middle of a medical crisis.
Read an excerpt of The Promise of Stardust here.
