Welcome. My name is Scott Solomon. I just finished writing a novel about mental illness in the medical profession. My short fiction has appeared in Chicago Quarterly Review, North American Review, New Letters, and other literary magazines.
Before all that, I grew up in Richmond, Virginia, where I received most of my formal education. Mrs. Dunnington (elementary school), Mrs. Bracey (middle school), Mr. Rudd (high school), Professor Bate (college), and Professor Vlahcevic (medical school) were among my favorite teachers.
Outside the classroom, I learned from work as a burger flipper, an auto parts clerk, a drugstore delivery boy, a grocery store cashier, and a construction debris heaver. I also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.
As an intern at New York’s Mt. Sinai Hospital in 1983, I spent 36-hour shifts treating the tragic nonstop complications of AIDS patients, among others. Since then, whether a beeper blares or remains silent, I have relived many a sleepless night.
While practicing medicine at a VA hospital in Illinois, I sought an outlet. Thanks to the tutelage of another cherished mentor, Elaine Fowler Palencia (Red Herring Fiction Workshop), I established writing as the second chapter of my life.
To give back, I have tutored high school equivalency candidates in a variety of adult education venues. In so doing, I wrote howtopasstheged.com. Approaching one thousand printed pages in length, this free online book provides 24/7 access to preparatory materials for seekers and teachers alike.
Along the way, I finished four marathons. I also returned to my hometown of Richmond.