Reading and In-Conversation with debut author JoDean Nicolette, Portland author Ellen Michaelson, and Pacific University MFA Director Scott Korb

About the Book

JoDean Nicolette’s memoir, Trail Magic: A Physician's Journey Through the Appalachian Mountains, recently released by Choeofpleirn Press, was named a top finalist in the Kenneth Johnston Contest. In Trail Magic, Nicolette, known as “Violet” on the Appalachian Trail, embarks on a transformative hike amid personal challenges, including the harsh realities of medical education, her father's cancer, and her mother's addiction. As she navigates treacherous terrain, Violet gains a deeper understanding of medicine through her husband Ben’s serious health issues. Her journey leads her to rediscover herself and embrace the healing power of nature, ultimately finding her place within her family and the medical field. 

About the Author

JoDean Nicolette is a writer, physician, and teacher. A graduate of the Stanford University School of Medicine and the Pacific University MFA Program. Her work has appeared in The Sun, the Chicago Tribune's Print Row Journal, and many other publications.

About Ellen Michaelson

Ellen Michaelson’s debut novel, The Care of Strangers, winner of the 2019 Miami Book Fair/de Groot Prize, was published by Melville House Press in November 2020. Her work has appeared in Creative Nonfiction, Portland Monthly, Literature and Medicine, and Women in Solitude. She has been an assistant professor of medicine at OHSU in Portland, Oregon, and is vice president of the board of the NW Narrative Medicine Collaborative. She holds an MFA from Pacific University.

About Scott Korb

Scott Korb is the director of the MFA program at Pacific University, where both authors attended, and will be introducing and moderating the conversation.