Tag Archives: James J. Murray

The Deadly Invasion of CRE

Posted on March 20, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

In last week’s blog I discussed “superbugs”, a term given to bacteria that evolve to become resistant to some of the most commonly-used antibiotics. Drug resistant bacteria are a growing concern among healthcare professionals and the causes are partially related … Continue reading →

Posted in Antibiotic Overuse, Carbapenem Resistant Bacteria, CRE, Drug Resistant Bacteria, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Superbug Epidemic, Superbugs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Super Bugs = Super Killers

Posted on March 13, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

We perceive bacterial infections to be little more than a nuisance—with a simple fix of taking an antibiotic for a few days and then we’re back to feeling one hundred percent. Fortunately, that’s usually the case. Certain bacteria, however, have become … Continue reading →

Posted in About Medications/Pharmacy, Antibiotic Overuse, Antibiotics in Agriculture, Drug Misadventures, Drug Resistant Bacteria, MRSA, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Superbugs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

How To Write a Bloodless Death Scene

Posted on March 6, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

The storyline for the novel I’m currently writing calls for one of the characters to be murdered. Simple enough! Shoot or stab the person, or use a dozen other ways to kill off the character. But that didn’t fit with … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, Bloodless Death Scene Writing, Bloodless Death Scenes, Drug Poisoning, Drugs Used For Murder, The Art of Writing, The Psychology of Murder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

I’m a Writer – No Other Label Needed!

Posted on February 27, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

I started my professional career as a pharmacist: a graduate pharmacist first, then a registered one, and then a clinical one. Those labels defined not only who I was, but it described in a single word what I had achieved. … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Writing, All About Writing, The Art of Writing, What writers are called!, Writing Labels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

MADE IN AMERICA: But What About Our Prescription Drugs?

Posted on February 20, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

From time to time, news features on TV report a trend to “buy American”. The reports suggest that Americans are choosing items made in America over similar items made overseas. That’s admirable—right up there with “buy local”. But sometimes doing … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, Our nation's drug supply, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Perfect Drug As A Murder Weapon!

Posted on February 13, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

As I write about murder, I often have to ask myself this question: What is the perfect drug to use as a murder weapon?  There are a number of possibilities, but most have flaws that make them less than perfect. … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, Drugs Used For Murder, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

The Next Big Thing!

Posted on January 30, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

Two writer friends of mine, Paul Anthony and Clive Eaton, recently “tagged” me for a “chain blog” called The Next Big Thing. It works like this: you answer a specific set of questions about your current work-in-progress and then invite … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Writing, Blog Rolls, Blog Trends, Blog Writers, Blogging, The Next Big Thing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Medication Errors – A Killer

Posted on January 23, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

As a follow-up to its landmark report, To Err Is Human, the Institute of Medicine has determined that medication errors are a serious public health risk and that the risk remains a widespread and growing threat. Medication errors result in … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, Drug Misadventures, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, The Pharmacy Profession, The Practice of Pharmacy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Mysteries vs Thrillers

Posted on January 16, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

A few years ago, mysteries were the hot genre. It seemed as if everyone was reading a mystery novel. The thrill of guessing, “Who done it!” was the excitement that kept me, and many others, reading book after book. More … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Writing, Difference Between Mysteries and Thrillers, Mysteries and Thrillers Compared, Mysteries Vs Thrillers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

A Forged Prescription!

Posted on January 9, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

This New Year begins with fresh hope for all that’s possible in the days, weeks and months ahead; but I’d like to take a moment to share an unusual, yet true story that happened to me in the past. Many … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, Drug Misadventures, Forged Prescriptions, Prescription Forgers, The Pharmacy Profession, The Practice of Pharmacy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments