Kimmery spent the majority of 2019 researching, outlining, and writing the first draft of Doctors and Friends. She interviewed more than forty experts in various fields of science and medicine, a process which extended into 2020. Our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 —and the response to it—was evolving on a daily basis just as Kimmery was honing the final portrayal of her nasty little fictional virus. As Kimmery noted in a letter to booksellers, “It’s hard enough during normal times to somehow whittle an infinite universe of words into a coherent and interesting story. It’s nearly impossible while getting hammered with hundreds of news stories, scientific articles, and social media outrage on the subject.” According to Kimmery, “the friendships forged during medical school are among the most intense and cherished of my life. Especially now, during a time in which medical expertise has become increasingly devalued in favor of ideology, I am thankful for the people who take care of us at considerable personal risk to themselves. In Doctors and Friends, I aim to provide you with an insider’s look at the practice of medicine—and of the relationships that arise in the medical trenches.” Thanks to our Main Stage Sponsor, the University of Kentucky!