aptacious.com
INTERVIEW
IT’S APTacious | The Positive Magazine 7
Interview with Dr. Dora Vilk- Shapiro,
a retired Family and Cosmetic Dentist, community award recipient, and also known as
Doris Vilk, author of The Chatham Series on Amazon: Love Arrested, Love Attempted, and
Love Avenged. Doris is married for 37 years and has one son. She lives in South Florida, on the
beach where she enjoys swimming and beach yoga at sundown.
Q: I am impressed that you are one of the pioneer women in
dentistry. What was that like?
Dora: I fell off my bike at age 10 and needed a lot of Dental work. I
always thought, there must be a better way to accomplish this. I loved
art and science and was talented at both, and Dentistry seemed the
perfect blend. When I entered Dentistry there were only 16% women
dental students and even less practicing Women Dentists or faculty.
Role models were few or non-existent. It’s shameful that I felt harassed,
less than, and had to work harder as a woman but it made me stronger
when I attended Dental conferences, most of the other women attendees
were dental staff, wives, or sales reps. It was an inspiration for me to
mentor other women and to teach. I taught hygiene at Broward College
and was an Adjunct faculty at Nova Southeastern Dental School.
Q: How did you come up with the idea to transition from dentist
to steamy romance novelist?
Dora: I was having many health issues but was reluctant to just quit.
For a while I attempted to keep it going by working only part time. I
became very friendly with one of my Hygienist’s, Sharon. We were
recommending books to each other and she introduced me to more
steamy novels. I told her of the romance story I held in my head since
College. She loved it and encouraged me to tell that story. On days off
I felt a lack of purpose and began to use my time reading and writing…
getting lost in the scenes of my novel became so satisfying. My debut
novel, Love Arrested is dedicated to Sharon. I am married to a lovely
man. He’s my Winnie the Pooh! But I say a woman needs a little spice
too, a little Tigger! Writing steamy novels allowed me to express
my sexuality, talents I longed to have, the beauty I longed to be and
experience the passion and desire from a man I dreamed would love
me and make me whole.
Q: What are the names of your novels and how can we get them?
Dora: My pen name is Doris Vilk and my novels are best read in order:
Love Arrested, Love Attempted, and Love Avenged. They are available
as print or Kindle, kindle for IPhone or IPad and Kindle Unlimited.
There are links to my social media and to Amazon via my website
www.DorisVilk.com
Q: When you showed some of the content to your husband, how
did he react?
Dora:
read my rough drafts to him or pick his brain at times for dialogue
ideas or synonym words. He thinks I have anesthesia brain from my
many surgeries when I went through my health issues. One of my
,
Oh my, who is this person?” Dr. Dora Vilk-Shapiro and author
Doris Vilk are very different people; yet, they are both me! I will
never tell which scenes really happened in my life and which are a
fabrication of my creative imagination. A writer never tells! I can
say I did a lot of research.
Q: You mentioned the universe was giving you clues. What
led you to believe this?
Dora: Well ironically, My Bachelors degree is in Arts and Science
and my major was Speech Communications. I loved to read and
write and am great at public speaking, especially in business
networking groups or book clubs. Fifty Shades of Grey came
out and was so popular and Orange Is the New Black was binge
esthetic. Women’s sexuality and empowerment and the Me Too
movement were on the news. Something awakened inside of me.
I always wanted to do a book - I thought it would be a children’s
book since I love kids or a dental book. I never dreamed I would
write quite the lustful, naughty romances I created. Yet, I am very
spiritual and intuitive and empathic. I believe if we pay attention
there are signs guiding us to our destiny.
Q: It was a pleasure, Dora. Can you share something
APTacious as we end our conversation? APTacious is all about
Accentuate Positive Thinking and Living a Positive Lifestyle.
Dora: When I developed focal hand dystonia with cramping of
and was stricken with Adenocarcinoma of the Uterus, I fell into
an anxiety and major depression that ended my career and life
identity as I knew it. I was in the muck, but I chose to climb out. It
wasn’t and still isn’t easy. I seek help from the professionals and I
choose positive thinking even when I must force myself to do so.
Most people have no idea I suffer from Anxiety and Depression
because I am positive, witty, creative and funny. I love to laugh
and smile. I created smiles in my patients and now still do so with
my writing. I chose self-care and joined many groups that are
all about empowerment and positivity. And groups about health
and wellness and self-care. I lean on my strengths and get others
to help with my weaknesses. I have a team of editors, graphic
designers, a formatter, website designer and social media experts.
They keep me looking good and professional and I can’t thank
groups and people that challenge you and help you be your best
like the APTacious network.
/www.DorisVilk.com