As I alluded to in my previous post, ever since I came onto the writing scene I have encountered the same assumption over and over again.  Sample scenario:Person: "So what do you do?"Me:       "Well, I'm a psychiatrist, but I also write books."Person:  "Really?  Are they self-help books?"Me:        "Actually, I write fantasy and science fiction books."Person:  "Wow!  That's amazing!  I wouldn't have guessed that.  I would have thought you'd write booksabout psychology or something...you know, because that's what you do."Me:        "..."Truthfully, I don't think any of these people intentionally mean to imply that someone who works within the confines of medicine cannot be creative.  In fact, they seem genuinely excited to hear about my journey to being an author, and often are enthralled at the thought that I manage to find the time to write.  Still, it's a reflection of how often we put ourselves into boxes and relinquish claim over other talents.I started writing as a response to being a voracious reader.  After spending countless hours flipping through book after book, I eventually got to a point where there were no (age appropriate) volumes to peruse.  I don't exactly know what prompted me to write my first story, much less what it was about, but I do remember the defining moment in which my dreams of creating written works were catapulted from my mind into existence.For those of you who have read my author bio, you know the story.  In fourth grade, my nine/ten year old self decided that I wanted to write my favorite teacher a detective story.  It was done on lined paper in pencil, with crudely drawn illustrations and a storyline that makes me cringe when I read it now.  Nonetheless, I proudly presented it to her as a gift, and she graciously accepted it with lots of enthusiasm.A few days later, she called me into the classroom and presented a small printed booklet with a blue cover.  As my eyes landed on the paper, I saw the picture I drew on the cover, along with the title of my story and my name.  I flipped through the interior to find that my words had been painstakingly typed out and formatted to coincide with the art I drew.  On the back, there was my pride and joy, the author bio that I had written so that the book would appear professionally done.I was astounded by her kindness, her ability to see my potential, and her willingness to encourage a little Asian girl to pursue her dreams.  In fact, she announced to me that she was planning on reading it to the class, a decision that mortified me so much I asked to be sent to the library until it was over.  I was still very shy and was worried about being judged, but after a fellow student summoned me back to the classroom, I was met with smiles and applause.Over the years, my traditional Asian parents (yup, had a tiger mom) pushed me to a well-respected, stable career.  As much as they wanted me to be well-rounded, they were of the mentality that if you weren't a natural talent (read: prodigy), there was no reason to waste your time on the arts.  Now, keep in mind that the decision to go into medicine was completely mine, and I remain passionate about caring for others to this day.  Nonetheless, there was a part of me that always held on to the dream of becoming a published author.  I also never forgot my teacher's gesture, and it was the little booklet from years ago that reminded me of my love of writing.  That moment in time would eventually play a great part in propelling me to author The Avalon Relics.I guess what I want to say (through a somewhat roundabout and rambling way) is that sometimes in life you do have to make a hard choice between being a "responsible adult" and living the dream of being creative.  However, just because you cannot focus on your creative side immediately doesn't mean you should forget about it.  I never stopped writing in all the years since that fateful day, even when I was working 80-100 hours a week in medical school.  That gave me the chance to hone my writing style and find my voice as an author.  Even now, I juggle a full work schedule and multiple responsibilities, but I make it a point to steal time to write.In the end, we're all gifted with multiple talents, and if you're passionate about writing, art, music - pursue it!  If you want to keep it to yourself, that's fine.  If you want to shout it from the rooftops, that's fine too.  Just don't buy into the thought that you can't be both academic and creative, be grounded and a dreamer, and juggle career and passion.Be passionate.  Be brave.  Above all, be you!