Dr. Frank Schwalbe appearing pensive on his front porch.

Why do I write?  Like so many of us, I wrestle with getting  the 'Things That Need To Get Done' (TTNTGD) in the few hours I have after work and before bedtime.  Yet, instead of taking care of TTNTGD, I write.  


 I've always enjoyed telling stories, creating worlds and inventing characters.  After reading a book, I can't help but wonder how I would have written it.  My wife and daughters roll their eyes when I ramble on about my 'improved' ending to the blockbuster movie we enjoyed on a Saturday night.


So, in those few hours after work when I'm supposed to be working on TTNTGD, I write.


I write about the people I know and admire.  The nurses, POA's, NA's, secretaries, surgery techs, environmental service workers and EMT's.  Those guys who spend the night at the hospital during a North Carolina ice storm (they are provided a vacant room, cot, towel and bar of soap) so they can be at work and taking care of patients at 0600.  And they do it with such an amazing attitude, the patients don't realize their nurse has a sore back and is worrying about how her child is going to get to school.


These healthcare professionals inspire me, and I strive to incorporate their gifts and grace into the characters and plots I create.


 In addition, I get out of TTNTGD.

Skills

About Me

Frank Schwalbe was born in Jacksonville, FL  where he wrote, illustrated and bound his first book in the fourth grade.   Although Pigpen the Pig has been lost forever (unless it's buried in his father's storage), the experience stoked his desire to become an author.


After graduating from the Bolles School and then Davidson College, he completed medical school and his Anesthesiology residency at the University of Florida.  During these years, late in the evening or the early morning hours, he satisfied his creative needs by crafting short stories, novellas and chapters of novels that were never completed.


Three years ago he resurrected these literary fragments from his hard drive and wove them together to create the Allie Parsons series.


Toro! is his first published book since Pigpen.  He currently resides in Concord, NC with his wife, three dogs and two cats.




Experience

Biography

​Frank C. Schwalbe 

My experience in writing began with Mrs. Khazali's AP English class at the Bolles School in Jacksonville.  Then a Davidson professor told me I shouldn't try to be 'fancy' in my writing.  After that, my wife, Marcie has been a an advocate and critic.  I will update this section of the template as things develop.  

'Skills' is a heading from the Godaddy website builder I'm using to create FSchwalbe.com.  Unfortunately, I don't have any skills to talk about outside of Anesthesiology.  So, I will be updating this section as I develop a skill set.  Please stay tuned.