This month Our Q&A is with local author Maria Simbra.

I first met Maria Simbra at an Ironed Words Productions L.L.C Writer’s Conference.

She is the director and principle of the organization.

She has written memoirs, articles for magazines and medical journals, and medical romances (under the pen name Em S. A’cor).

The conference was well-organized, informative, and personal. When she spoke, she made eye contact with her audience, and when she answered questions she was always inclusive.

I knew she looked familiar, but it took me a few minutes to realize I was listening to “Dr. Maria.” Simbra retired from KDKA News in May 2021, after 19 years as a medical journalist/correspondent. No wonder she was so polished!

We talked during the break, and I knew Dr. Maria Simbra would have to do a Q&A for This Awful Awesome Life. At least I hoped she’d be interested.

Maria Simbra MD, MPH (Master of Public Health) also has a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication.

She attended West Virginia University graduating with a double major in Chemistry and Biology. Next, she attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine where she earned her medical degree. She completed her medical internship at the Medical Center of Delaware and did her residency in neurology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Then, she completed a fellowship in Neurophysiology at the Medical College of Virginia.

Dr Simbra worked in private practice and academia with 15 years of patient care. She became a clinical assistant professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

During this time, Dr. Simbra went back to school for her master’s in journalism from Point Park University. She also has an MPH (Master of Public Health) from the
University of Minnesota.

In 2001, she became a news intern at KDKA in Pittsburgh - one week before the terrorist attacks on 9/11. She was hired as a medical correspondent by KDKA in May 2002. During her tenure at KDKA, she reported on outbreaks and patterns of disease, health and wellness, celebrity illness, screening recommendations, and medical innovations.

In 2008, Dr. Simbra won an Emmy for shadowing a trauma surgeon through a typical night in a local ER. It’s also the same year she retired from private practice.

Other awards and accolades include:

A Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasting Award

A Southwestern Pennsylvania Media and Mental Health Award

Two berths as a Golden Quill finalist from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania

Four Media Orthopedic Reporting Excellence Awards

She served on the board of directors for the National Association of Medical Communications and the Association of Health Care Journalists.

Dr. Simbra’s career in medical journalism spanned two devastating events in American history, the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.

After retiring from private practice and KDKA, she began devoting her time to writing and helping doctors improve their communication skills. Dr. Maria On Speaking L.L.C. – helps doctors learn to communicate more effectively in front of an audience (lectures, podcasts, TV interviews). Through Ironed Words Productions, L.L.C., she mentors aspiring writers and established authors teaching them how to improve their writing skills and social media presence.

As Maria Simbra, she has written three books - two memoirs and a doctor’s guide to media interviews available on the Kindle Vella platform.

Under her pen name (Em S. A’cor) she has written three medical romances.

How does one person have so many successful careers and still manage to have a family and a personal life? I have questions and I know our readers do, too. So, I asked Maria sixteen questions about her life and careers. I tried for fifteen, but there was one more I had to ask. Here are her answers in her own words. Enjoy!

1. During your childhood, was reading a priority in your home?

Yes! I was an avid reader. I went to language arts camps in the summer. I wrote. I wrote music. I wanted to go into musical theater. My childhood was all about writing and performing. 

2. Who were your favorite authors when you were a child? 

I loved reading Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. (Shaun Cassidy had a lot to do with that.) Judy Blume was de rigueur. Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women stands out to me, as well. 

3. What inspired you to become a doctor and specialize in neurology? 

My childhood was filled with creative endeavors, but when it came to picking a career, the creative arts were strongly discouraged as a primary profession in my family. In college, I double majored in chemistry and biology and graduated summa cum laude. Very much a super achiever. When college graduation was approaching, I had to figure out what I was going to do with the rest of my life. All I knew was I wanted to make a difference for the better in the world. Between family and peer pressure and a lack of life insight, I made the decision as a 20-year-old would, and I got swept down the path to medicine. Based on who I was at the time, I don’t see that chapter of my life going any other way. 

I chose neurology because I liked being analytical. It’s a cerebral specialty where doctors think about nerve pathways and physiology. I liked that it was predominantly an outpatient field. I practiced in Beaver County, then in Pittsburgh at UPMC. 

While it wasn’t my forever career, I’m grateful for my time in the profession. I got to take care of some really nice people. The experience has given me knowledge and insight that one can only get from being “on the inside.” 

4. How did you juggle marriage, family, private practice, and going back to school for your master’s degree in journalism and mass communication? 

It was a hectic time. I went part time in my practice, and I attended night school downtown at Point Park University. I became a mom several years later. You learn to take shortcuts and outsource where you can. The prepared foods section at the grocery store became my friend. 

5. What was/is “downtime” like for you? Have you changed how you perceive your work/life balance? 

What’s downtime? Haha! Balance is an interesting term. It implies that everything is equal. I view it as constantly shifting priorities. Sometimes work is more important. Sometimes my child’s activities are more important. Sometimes date night is important! Sometimes I want to do something by myself for just me. Even though some demands may be heavier, everything gets its turn. 

6. Were you always interested in journalism? 

Yes, though I didn’t recognize it as such. My youth was filled with writing and performing. Even the experiences that lit my world on fire through my early adulthood (newsletters, speeches, marketing) had elements of writing and performing. But I also enjoyed the analytical part of being a doctor. For my second career, I aimed for something that would satisfy all three of those. Television journalism was it for me. 

7. You won an Emmy in 2008 for a report you did about a trauma surgeon’s experiences during a typical night in a local emergency room. Can you tell us a little about the project? 

My news photographer and I followed a trauma surgeon through his overnight shift in the emergency department. A handful of traumas came in that night, including a sledding accident and a car crash. My photographer captured compelling shots of the organized commotion, the cutting of blood-soaked clothes, the wheeling of gurneys. I remember looking over the shoulder of a doctor reviewing a head CT. Much to his surprise, I pointed out my informed observations. There was some quiet time, too. The trauma surgeon took us up to the intensive care unit for rounds. He looked in on a patient from a few nights earlier who had a head injury and wasn’t doing well. We talked about the emotions of the job and delivering bad news. The report was a team effort. I’m proud of that Emmy and giving viewers a glimpse of what happens when you come to the hospital with a traumatic injury.

8. What are some typical communication pitfalls doctors face when they are on a podcast or being interviewed for television as opposed to giving a lecture to a gathering of peers? 

Because the news runs on such a tight schedule, the biggest mistake I see doctors make is not being available on the reporter’s schedule. When reporters call for an interview they need it in an hour or two, not next week when the doctor has an opening at 4:00 p.m. Also, they need to be prepared to talk about the subject in a thoughtful, but simple, way. When they’re glib and try to B.S. their way through it just because it’s a lay audience, it shows. Generally, these pitfalls aren’t an issue with a scheduled, academic lecture due to the different setting and audience. 

9. How did you transition from journalist to medical romance author? 

When I retired from TV news, I focused on helping doctors prepare for media interviews. However, there were long gaps between clients. To fill the time, I wrote medical romance books. To my pleasant surprise, they’ve done quite well. Twitter Crush hit as high as #8 in medical romance on Amazon, and Greg and the Weddings hit #10 in medical fiction. 

10. In Twitter Crush, your main character is a doctor celebrating her 55th birthday. Are characters over 50, especially women, under-represented in the romance genre? 

Woefully under-represented. If you look at the romance genre in general, the characters tend to be young – high school, college, early 20s. Granted, that’s a stretch of life when romantic romps run rampant. But just because you move on in years doesn’t mean that those feelings and desires go away. They simply change and evolve. I strive to represent the needs of this more mature demo. I want to show that romance can bloom in all of life’s seasons and reflect what that romance can look like.  

11. In addition to the sensual side of romance, you delve into some of the not so romantic aspects of physical relationships like the effects of menopause and the side effects of anxiety medications on men and women. What made you decide to include these things? (FYI – I learned a lot, so thanks!) 

Romance does not exist in a vacuum. It’s shaped by the life events and pressures around it. And the issues in youth are different from the issues in midlife. I try to capture that in a realistic and respectful way. I believe in writers writing what they know. As a middle-aged woman with a medical background, this is what I know. 

12. When you write as Em S. A’cor, how does it differ from writing as Maria Simbra? 

I write memoir as Maria Simbra. I write romance as Em S. A’cor to keep the genres separate for branding and marketing. While I try to keep the content realistic, I have more leeway with the plot and details when I write fiction since the stories are the product of my imagination. The storylines may be sparked by real events and real places, but the tales exist in a parallel imaginary universe. 

13. How do you like making chapters of your work available on Kindle Vella as opposed to publishing a completed work? 

I’m not the typical Vella author. I write my entire novel first, have it professionally edited, divide it into chapters (“episodes” in Vella terminology), then put it up on Vella. Most Vella authors write one episode at a time. A cool thing about Vella, though, is once your story is complete, you can turn it into a proper book 30 days later. I have done that with all of my longer fiction. For me, Vella also gives a home base to my free shorter stories. I have several flash romance prequels that give readers a peek at Greg and Marisol before they’re “Greg and Marisol.” The challenge, I think, is getting readers to give Vella a chance. 

14. You seem to enjoy the storytelling aspects of writing. Which is more difficult to write, memoir, non-fiction (scholarly work), or fiction? Why? 

They’re all difficult in their own ways. I’d say fiction is the hardest, though, because the blank page is your oyster. You have the freedom to take the story wherever you want. Sometimes the boundless possibilities can be paralyzing. Also, fiction can take on a life of its own. I have a kazillion side projects in mind inspired by my current works, but I have to stay on task and finish the book I’m writing right now. 

15. You offer an impressive variety of writing workshops and mentoring services through Ironed Words Productions, L.L.C. (Ironed Words Productions, LLC)  Which workshop would you advise an aspiring writer to start with and why? 

If you’re just starting out, Jump Start Your Writing is for you. You will find the encouragement, guidance, and inspiration from the guest panelists to get you on track. Plus, you have the opportunity to get feedback from the panel of published authors on your 1,000-word submission. It’s perfect for writers who want to start or advance a writing project or try something new. 

16. What else should we know about Maria Simbra and Em S. A’cor? Are you making any personal appearances in the near future in addition to your workshops?

I have a book talk at the Bethel Park Library on May 23rd. To kick off wedding season, the featured book will be Greg and the Weddings. There will be games and prizes… and maybe even a cookie table. Keep up on where Em S. A’cor will be next by visiting my book signing page.

As for Ironed Words, there’s a workshop or conference every month. Check the top of the website home page for the events coming up next. 

If you’re enjoyed any of my books, your kind review on Amazon would be extremely helpful and huge good karma points.

Thanks so much for the interview! It has been a pleasure discussing my books, my process, and my perspectives! 

Books by Maria Simbra  

Just a Moment of My Times: Memoirs of a Reluctant Doctor, TV News Convert, and Unusual Mother – for Kindle Vella

The Facts of Life: Friends with Tales -for Kindle Vella

Scoop M.D.: The Doctor’s Guide to Media Interviews and Opportunities – for Kindle Vella

Books by Em S. A’cor

Twitter Crush: a holiday, Gen X, medical romance

Greg and the Weddings: a medical romance, novelette prequel

Greg and the Jill of All Trades: A Gen X, May December, doctor romance, short story prequel to Twitter Crush

You can follow Maria on social media:

Facebook: By Maria Simbra

Twitter (X): @byMariaSimbra

Instagram: by_maria_simbra

Learn about her writing workshops and mentoring services at https://www.ironedwordsproductions.com/