The physician-author of “Blue Shadows” discusses hidden heroes, PTSD-stricken surgeons, and how a 105-year-old WWII pilot inspired his next novel
Defiance Press: Your novel “Blue Shadows” deals with some heavy themes. What do you hope readers take away from it?
S.R. Carson: That there is genuine evil in this world—often hiding in plain sight when we’re completely unaware. But there are heroes among us, a rare breed willing to sacrifice their lives to protect and defend us with no desire for recognition. They work while we sleep, ensuring that good defeats evil, no matter the cost.
DP: Tell us about your main character, Wyatt Barton.
Carson: Wyatt is a surgeon and ex-Army Ranger dealing with PTSD. He loves being in the OR, “cutting to cure,” especially because there are no explosions outside and he no longer needs to bring his M-4 into the operating suite. But his calm gets shattered by recurrent nightmares that can be triggered by anything—the smoke from surgical equipment, a code blue announcement, even a door slamming. What he dreads most is when these episodes attract attention, causing tremors and facial flushing that transport him back to that day ten years ago, seven thousand miles away.
DP: The cover art is intriguing. What’s the story behind it?
Carson: Because of Wyatt’s past service, he always has a “shadow man” assigned to stay near him for protection. The shadowy figure in the background of the operating table on the cover might depict this shadow man—or perhaps it means something else entirely that readers will discover. That’s their choice to interpret.
DP: Can you share a scene that’s not in the official excerpts?
Carson: Here’s a brief moment that captures the emotional core of the story: Wyatt is driving home after spending time with someone special, remembering her giggle and the way she responded to his kisses. The memory is so vivid he reaches for the passenger seat, thinking she might actually be there. He even thinks he can smell her perfume—Paloma Picasso. He pulls over to collect himself, reaches for a wine cork he keeps in his pocket for comfort, but reality crashes back with honking cars behind him. It’s that constant tension between beautiful memories and harsh reality.
DP: Will there be a sequel?
Carson: Yes, and it’s already in progress. Only a few of the original main characters will survive—I can’t say who. The sequel will be titled “Ollie.”
DP: Speaking of Ollie, that character has quite an interesting origin story.
Carson: The inspiration came from a 105-year-old WWII pilot I had the honor of treating as his physician—Colonel Ollie Cellini, who flew under General Claire Chennault in the China-Burma-India theater and with the famous Flying Tigers. Although the book won’t be biographical, Ollie sparked the idea. I started writing about a fictional 103-year-old Ollie in a series on my blog, and he’s accumulated quite a following.
DP: You’ve had quite a journey to becoming a novelist. Tell us about that path.
Carson: [Laughs] Well, it started early. Around age six, just after learning to write, I created “Bob the Whale” in a black and white notebook. My parents found it, shared it with friends, and made me read it aloud. Then life took over—Air Force Academy, medical school, advanced training, private medical practice. I finally published my first book in 2001, but writing was always there in the background.
DP: How do you handle literary criticism?
Carson: I ignore it. I figure these critics are just overcompensating for the fact that the neighbor girl could run faster and was a better baseball player than they were as kids, and they never recovered from it.
DP: Your blog at SRCarson.com sounds fascinating. What can readers find there?
Carson: It’s really an introduction to me as both an author and a person. I’ve posted about 200 short scenes that pop into my head on completely unpredictable topics—humor, significant life events, inspiration, adventure, romance, pure silliness. Readers are drawn to it partly for Ollie’s adventures and my “She Loves to…” series. It’s my way of sharing my writing style and the random thoughts that fuel my creativity.
DP: You have a favorite quote that you’ve published yourself.
Carson: From my book Inspired in the Bedroom: Nightly Reads from S.R. Carson: “Knowledge will not supersede truth, and truth will not supersede love. With all three, you will never fear death.” Some people have really connected with that.
DP: What’s driving your current writing projects?
Carson: The same inspiration that led to Ollie—real people who’ve lived extraordinary lives. That 105-year-old pilot showed me there are incredible stories all around us, people who’ve experienced things we can barely imagine. My job is to take that reality and weave it into fiction that honors their experiences while entertaining readers.
DP: Any advice for aspiring writers who might be balancing demanding careers like medicine with their creative ambitions?
Carson: Start early, even if it’s just scribbling “Bob the Whale” in a notebook. Life will pull you in different directions—military service, medical training, practice—but the writing will always be there waiting. When you’re ready, those life experiences will only make your fiction richer and more authentic.
“Blue Shadows” is available now through Defiance Press. Follow S.R. Carson’s blog at www.SRCarson.com for Ollie’s latest adventures.
