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Shirlywhirl, M.D.
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2022-05-22

The gag is, we’re the ones usually bringing home the bugs in the first place… 😅

I attempted to make this comic in a more shareable format, but it turns out that it’s nearly impossible to do this with my 2 and 3 panel comics on Instagram, so I’m sharing the “compiled” version on Twitter (my handle is shirleneobuobi) if you want it.

#manflu #shirleneobuobi #healthcareworkers #hcws #residency #cardiology #fellowship #wic #intern #internship #meded #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #internalmedicine #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician #webcomic

May 22 2022-05-22T00:00:00-05:00

2022-05-21

ONE MONTH UNTIL ON ROTATION IS OUT IN THE WORLD!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

Slide 1: launch will be at @madstreetbooks in Chicago, IL on June 24, 2022 at 7pm. There will be wine, reading, giggles, and snacks.

Slide 2-5: the multitude of emotions I feel about the fact that my book will be out there in the world for ppl to read, en masse, very soon. I’m going to spend the second week of June hyperventilating, I think.

A note: if you see On Rotation on the shelves before the release day, you absolutely can buy it, but it unfortunately doesn’t count toward first week sales, which are important for bestseller lists ! It’s still a sale & still great for stores, but hold off if you can bc mama has no expectations at all but she does have some dreams 😭

#bookstagram #booktok #blackbooktok #onrotation #healthcareworkers #hcws #residency #cardiology #fellowship #wic #intern #internship #meded #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors

May 21 2022-05-21T00:00:00-05:00

2022-05-18

We are getting alarmingly close to ON ROTATION’s release date (6/21/22!) It feels like just yesterday when I made the on sale announcement…and now we’re a few days shy of a month till it drops. I have been vacillating dramatically between excitement and sheer terror.

If you’ve been around this account for a while, you’ll know that I take my platonic relationships VERY seriously. I am who I am because of my circle of brilliant, insightful, fun, and thoughtful friends, who have given me the space to be myself freely and fearlessly. You’ve probably seen them featured in my stories (I hear all y’all in seattle can identify @linnliu on sight 😂).

ON ROTATION is often classified as a romance, which, admittedly, isn’t quite accurate. Angie’s developing relationship with Ricky is definitely central, but so are her other relationships- with her parents, her sister, her mentors, and most importantly her best friend, Nia. Nia is actually my favorite character, because she contains bits and pieces of my favorite people! And because I only like writing characters who are complicated, she’s just as much of a mess as my mains. @bookriot said of Nia and the rest of the Sanity Circle- “the side characters are so real that you imagine their lives existing when they’re off the page” - which makes me so happy, because it’s precisely what I sought out to do!

#bookstagram #booktok #blackbooktok #oneotation #healthcareworkers #hcws #residency #cardiology #fellowship #wic #intern #internship #meded #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #internalmedicine #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician #webcomic

May 18 2022-05-18T00:00:00-05:00

2022-05-15

💘💊 ROMANCE ARC GIVEAWAY 💊💘

We are all women who work in the science field AND write romance novels, and we want to gift ONE lucky (randomly selected) reader with a print ARC of each book shown here. Yes, that’s FIVE print ARCs of some of the most anticipated upcoming contemporary romance releases of the year.

To enter, all you gotta do is:

  1. Follow each of us here on IG: @alihazelwood @authorallisonashley @shirlywhirlmd @mazeyeddings @sandhyamenonbooks

  2. Tag a friend who loves romance and/or science!

  3. In the comments, drop your favorite science-related emoji or favorite scientific fact!

May 15 2022-05-15T00:00:00-05:00

2022-05-06

The first sentence of my debut novel, ON ROTATION, out June 21, 2022 (coming up hot!) Swipe for a sneak peek of the first chapter, narrated by the incredible, stunning, and immensely talented @themelalee. If you get a chance to listen to the audiobook, you should - she really brought it to life!

ON ROTATION is generally light hearted, but not necessarily light on themes. One of those themes is the sexualization of Black women, particularly dark-skinned Black women, particularly dark skinned, shapely (🍑) Black women. So much of my main character, Angie’s, flightiness stems from her fear of objectification and being treated like an experiment, something she’s experienced many times before the story starts. It’s a unique experience that I really wanted to highlight in OR’s romantic subplot. Also, I was able to start a book with this line and get paid for it. AYYYY!!!

#bookstagram #booktok #blackbooktok #healthcareworkers #hcws #residency #cardiology #fellowship #wic #intern #internship #meded #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #internalmedicine #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician #webcomic

May 6 2022-05-06T00:00:00-05:00

2022-05-03

This is a dark day in American history. So many people will die as a result of this decision. Pregnancy is a medical condition. The United States’ maternal mortality rate is ~24 per 100,000 births, and 43 per 100,000 for when the mothers are Black. Imagine going to a football game and watching 24-43 young people drop dead - this is what we’re talking about here.

If you’re a healthcare worker, this affects you, and affects your patients.

#abortion #roevwade #peripartumcardiomyopathy #maternalmortality #cardiology #wic #healthcareisahumanright

May 3 2022-05-03T00:00:00-05:00

2022-05-01

Daily reminder that the guy who thought medical training should come with a decade plus of sleep deprivation was on a sh*tton of coke, which is, like, illegal now

(Obligatory yes, I know, not all attendings live like this, i implore y’all to let me complain in peace)

#healthcareworkers #hcws #residency #cardiology #fellowship #wic #intern #internship #meded #doctor #womeninmedicine #womensrights #internationalwomensday #pregnancy #childbirth #maternaloutcomes #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #internalmedicine #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician #webcomic

May 1 2022-05-01T00:00:00-05:00

2022-04-27

Okay but baby Shirlene is SCREAMING! My team over at @avonbooks @williammorrowbooks @harpercollins put together this adorable animated cover for ON ROTATION.

It’s hard to believe that this book is going to be on the shelves all across America (and the UK!) soon (June 21). I’m excited! I’m petrified! I’m ready to pull off the debut bandage already!

What books coming out in 2022 do you have on your TBR?

#bookstagram #booktok #blackbooktok #onrotation #healthcareworkers #hcws #residency #cardiology #fellowship #wic #intern #internship #meded #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #internalmedicine #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician #webcomic

Apr 27 2022-04-27T00:00:00-05:00

2022-04-21

2 months until ON ROTATION hits the shelves!

I got so many rejections when I went on sub, & each one felt more personal than the last. Often my vision for ON ROTATION didn’t align with publisher’s. They saw my raw material: Black female doctor, Ghanaian, talks about social determinants of health- and wanted more of that, less of the life, less of the romance. It was dehumanizing (and still is, more on this in the story), and I remember feeling so sure that my book wouldn’t sell not because it wasn’t good, but because it wouldn’t be a case study on the experiences of Black Immigrant Women in Medicine. And then I got the call. I still get goosebumps when I think of the 1st time I talked to my editor at HarperCollins & realized that she understood exactly what I was trying to accomplish OR, and was down for the ride!

Not going to lie. The process shook my confidence some. I was confident in my writing, but less confident that readers & professional reviewers, would pick up what I was putting down. Would they understand the nuance behind my characters’ decisions, and love them for their imperfections? Would they understand the tropes I was trying to subvert? Would they enjoy the way my book straddled genres (somewhere between General/ Women’s Fiction & Contemporary Romance)?

But the reception to ON ROTATION has been so very wonderful. I put so much heart into this book, and I am overjoyed to see it resonating with readers and trade alike (swipe to see snippets of reader reviews as well as trade reviews from Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus, all of which almost made me cry except I was at work and had to like, hold it together ha.)

Can’t wait for you all to finally be able to read ON ROTATION en masse! (Reminder: It’s 25% off today & tomorrow at B&N.com!)

Apr 21 2022-04-21T00:00:00-05:00

2022-04-17

🌸Using the eternal youthfulness my mother and melanin have gifted me to cosplay as a Very Hip Gen Z kid who is deeply invested in bringing back 90s baby pink and backwards caps.🌸 felt cute, probably won’t delete. 🌸

I have a lot of work to do, but I’ve decided to neglect it. Instead, I’m writing, drawing, talking to my friends, & reading my ARC of Babel. I’m also starting to work on Book 2.

I have ideas for about 3 more books basically plotted out. My original Book 2 was Cardiology related, & I realized that I wasn’t enjoying writing it because it’s currently a bit too close to home (I’ve dubbed it my post fellowship sabbatical book, and intend to write the heck out of it during a 6 month break between my graduation and getting a job.) So instead, I’ve switched focus to another story that straddles the line between Women’s Fiction and Romance. It’s been a while since I’ve been this excited about a cast of characters!

I write with music as a rule, and so one of the first things I do when I start a new story is build a playlist that matches its vibes. The one for book 2 is rapidly underway. Writers: what do you do to get into a creative mood?

#fabletics #moveinfabletics #fableticspartner #ootd #grwm #healthcareworkers #hcws #residency #cardiology #bookstagram #booktok #blackbooktok #writing #authors #writersofinstagram

Apr 17 2022-04-17T00:00:00-05:00