Alumni couple promotes pharmaceutical thriller on campus
Authors, with backgrounds in criminal justice and science, answer question of 'what if?'
Rob Hanson
Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: News
"So we went home and started writing it, and we realized that we had a whole story here. We researched it, and it became something more."
The novel got its first real chance after Erin Smith wrote a children's book. Both "Trials" and the children's book were sent to Beaver's Pond Press in Edina, Minn., where to the surprise of the couple, the children's book was shot down and "Trials" was accepted.
Despite a lack of student showing at the event, biology and political science professors view the book as a testament to student achievement and possibilities of the sciences.
"You're always proud to see your students succeed," said Dr. Paula Kleintjes Neff, a former biology professor of Matt Smith. "But then to take it to a whole other level and write a novel, I mean, how cool is that?
"As a biology professor, we often come up with writing assignments and students ask, 'well why are you grading our grammar and punctuation and organization?' It's a great case study."
The couple also spoke at Luther Midelfort Hospital on Friday, and is slated to speak at the University of Minnesota in April, as well as at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Matt Smith said readers can expect another novel in the future on a similar topic.
The novel got its first real chance after Erin Smith wrote a children's book. Both "Trials" and the children's book were sent to Beaver's Pond Press in Edina, Minn., where to the surprise of the couple, the children's book was shot down and "Trials" was accepted.
Despite a lack of student showing at the event, biology and political science professors view the book as a testament to student achievement and possibilities of the sciences.
"You're always proud to see your students succeed," said Dr. Paula Kleintjes Neff, a former biology professor of Matt Smith. "But then to take it to a whole other level and write a novel, I mean, how cool is that?
"As a biology professor, we often come up with writing assignments and students ask, 'well why are you grading our grammar and punctuation and organization?' It's a great case study."
The couple also spoke at Luther Midelfort Hospital on Friday, and is slated to speak at the University of Minnesota in April, as well as at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Matt Smith said readers can expect another novel in the future on a similar topic.
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