Veteran medical pathologist Sophia Apple is fascinated by viruses. Apple, a new Christian writer, is also fascinated by how people face fear and find hope amid viruses.
So the Pasadena resident, now working part-time for a southern California hospital, has blended those two worlds and roles to produce her just-released first book, "COVID-19: A Gripping Novel Inspired by Real Events."
The story follows Samantha, a young pathology resident who reluctantly enters into the ugly reality of mass graves on Hart Island in New York City, according to the book’s promotional material. Unknown and unwelcome realities soon spin her life into chaos. During this unforgiving time of the pandemic, she meets Dr. David Falkner, a medical examiner who opens an unexpected door in her life.
The author is donating proceeds from the work to a Pasadena food bank and to Wheels For the World, a non-profit Christian agency providing wheelchairs for disabled people especially in struggling countries.
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Apple is married to Columbus native and 1977 Columbus East High School graduate Hal Apple, a former creative director for Disney.
Sophia Apple created the story for a simple reason.
"I would like people to better recognize just how physicians face this challenge," Apple said, speaking by phone as she and husband Hal traveled home from a brief Indiana getaway. "And I want people to think about how you explain all this sadness, all this personal loss, through the virus — and introduce God to them in the midst of this."
If that sounds like a challenge for any writer, know that Apple understands overcoming challenges as well as anyone. The South Korean native contracted the polio virus that paralyzed her right leg at age 2, was not allowed to attend school in Japan in the late 1960s because of her disability, knew no English when she came to the United States as a 13-year-old, and was in a car accident at age 17.
Apple said she embraced the teachings of Jesus shortly after the accident when she said he appeared to her in a dream.
"I couldn’t deny him," said Apple, who was raised Buddhist. "Prior to meeting Jesus, I really didn’t want to live at all. In fact, I was contemplating suicide."
She said she discovered a never-before-realized life direction and purpose with her newfound faith.
"I want people to find hope," she said, adding that that aspect could be built upon in a possible sequel.
And she wants readers to see physicians as vulnerable and human.
"I want people to see some of what physicians go through when something like a major virus happens," Apple said. "Doctors sacrifice tremendously for others every day of their lives, so I wanted to introduce at least some of a physician’s life."
She herself is dealing with aspects of the coronavirus just by sometimes being an attending physician during some oncology operating procedures; and also by receiving cancerous organs that have been removed that she later must dissect. She said she always prays before such work that she could simply and selflessly serve patients as she has done for years — especially those confronting breast cancer, which has been part of her specialty.
"I sing hymns to calm myself (while driving in) on the way to work," she said. "I look at it as ‘This could be the last day of my life.’ I know that it’s possible that I could contract COVID-19. And I know that I could contaminate my husband. So I am really careful."
Hal Apple said he feels most of the public still struggles to understand the wisdom of mask wearing amid the illness. He felt a sense of that while visiting relatives recently in Avon and in Atlanta, Georgia.
"I heard people say, ‘Well, it’s not so bad here,’" he said. " … People don’t fully realize that when they step into the hospital if they’re sick, staff in some places still might be working 14 to 16 hours a day (because of the virus). I take it pretty personally."
Her spouse supports her ongoing medical work, even amid a world of risk.
"I know that Sophie still has a real mission," he said.
And today, with her new book, it now happens to be quite a blended one.
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Title: "COVID-19: A Gripping Novel Inspired By Real Events," by medical pathologist Sophia Apple.
Pages: 312.
Cost: $7.49 on sites such as Amazon, but available on various virtual outlets.
Reader ratings: Averaging 4.5 stars out of 5 on Amazon.
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