Books
Across genres, Deborah's books bear witness at the crossroads of the ordinary and the extraordinary. Of her first novel, The Boy on the Bus, the New York Times said, "From beginning to end, nothing is ordinary, while at the same time everything is." Of her most recent work of narrative poetry, When We Were Gun, a reviewer said, "Deborah Schupack has chosen to take on that poetic responsibility, that human responsibility: to bear witness."
When We Were Gun
Fleur-de-Lis Press, 2025
Winner of the 2025 Louisville Review National Poetry Prize
Deborah Schupack's fourth book, When We Were Gun, occupies a narrative space between poetry and prose and a psychic space between everyday and end-of-the-world. The twenty narrative poems are told in a "Greek chorus" of parent voices as they wait outside the scene of a school shooting, forging a remarkable chronicle of the ordinary exigency of parenting.
Winner of the 2025 Louisville Review National Poetry Prize
These narrative poems are told in a "Greek chorus" of parent voices as they wait outside the scene of a school shooting, chronicling the ordinary exigency of parenting.
Relentless
Mount Sinai Health System, 2022
Written while the world was still in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic, Relentless tells the capacious and compelling story of one of America's leading health care systems mobilizing across science, medicine and the human experience to battle the greatest healthcare challenge in living memory. The book is based on more than 100 interviews with doctors, nurses, scientists, patients, hospital leaders, and many others deployed to the front lines of the pandemic response.
This nonfiction narrative reads like a novel as it documents the science, medicine and human experience on the front lines of the greatest healthcare challenge in living memory.
The Boy on the Bus
Free Press/Simon & Schuster, 2003
"Schupack's debut novel is at once familiar and eerie, like discovering a bird fluttering recklessly about your living room...a chillingly twisty psychological drama about love and need— one that turns on itself as seamlessly as an elegant Escher." — Entertainment Weekly
"This is my favorite book this year— an incredible page-turning idea, written with grace, style, and deep, true emotion." — James Patterson
"Schupack's debut novel is at once familiar and eerie, like discovering a bird fluttering recklessly about your living room...a chillingly twisty psychological drama about love and need, one that turns on itself as seamlessly as an elegant Escher." — Entertainment Weekly
Sylvan Street
Plume/Penguin, 2010
"The page-turning pace never flags . . . Teeming with plot twists and social unrest, Schupack shows with poignant prose and commendable plotting the good, the bad, and the ugly that money brings out in people." — Publishers Weekly
"A work of pure magic about money, class, and the daily deceptions among friends and neighbors, husbands and wives." — Kate Walbert
"The page-turning pace never flags. Teeming with plot twists and social unrest, Schupack shows with poignant prose and commendable plotting the good, the bad, and the ugly that money brings out in people." — Publishers Weekly
Branding & Copywriting
Deborah has deep experience creating thought-leadership content at the intersection of science, medicine, and the human experience. Her background as a journalist and novelist infuses voice-driven content and messaging, connecting the rapidly evolving world of healthcare with our everyday lives.
VNS Health
Partner with the largest home care agency in New York to develop content for thought leaders and stories for the website across several subject areas, including: Evidence-Based Home Care as the Future of Healthcare; Eldercare in America; and End-of-Life Care.
View story → View story →Doris Duke Foundation
Create narrative strategies, messaging and content for several of the foundation's programs and initiatives. Most recently, developed name, key messaging, and content (web and print) for a new initiative in the Child Well-being space, OPT-In for Families.
View project →The Development
Verbal strategist for branding engagement group on projects that include messaging, content development and video-scripting for Pantone, Regeneron, Amgen and Bravecto.
View work →Burke Rehabilitation Hospital
Write for top-ranked inpatient and outpatient program to bring to life its expertise and innovation in physical and medical rehabilitation, including wide-ranging clinical care, inventive research and commitment to the community.
View annual report → View blog post → View blog post →Northwell Health Cardiovascular Institute
Worked with one of New York's major health care systems to develop copy for an entirely new website. Researched, wrote, edited/migrated existing content, and interviewed subject matter experts to develop 25+ pages of content, covering centers and specialized programs.
View website →As an author
Deborah has published award-winning books of fiction, poetry and narrative nonfiction. Her latest, When We Were Gun (Fleur-de-Lis Press, 2025), won the Louisville Review National Poetry Contest and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her first novel, The Boy on the Bus (Free Press/Simon & Schuster, 2003), received wide-spread critical acclaim, including, from the author James Patterson: "my favorite book this year." Her second novel, Sylvan Street (Penguin, 2010), was optioned for television by ABC studios. In addition, Deborah spent the pandemic reporting and writing the narrative science book Relentless (Mount Sinai, 2022), chronicling New York City's medical and scientific response to Covid. The book debuted as Amazon's #1 book in Healthcare Administration and is available commercially as well as from medical school libraries across the country.
As a verbal strategist and copywriter
Deborah creates compelling messaging and thought-leadership content at the intersection of science, medicine, and the human experience. Her background as a journalist and novelist infuses voice-driven content and messaging, connecting the rapidly evolving world of healthcare and its outsize influence on our everyday lives. She writes, edits and consults for major healthcare organizations, foundations, and branding agencies— positioning organizations in a fast-moving industry, guiding new products and initiatives to market, and communicating healthcare innovations to various stakeholders and audiences.
Education & Recognition
- Master's Degree in Creative Writing, New York University
- Bachelor's Degree in Religion and Creative Writing, Dartmouth College
- Winner, Louisville Review National Poetry Contest
- Nominated, Pushcart Prize
- Finalist: Ex Ophidia Press Poetry Book Contest; Copper Nickel Jake Adam York Poetry Prize; Marsh Hawk Poetry Prize
Get in Touch
Interested in working together or learning more about my work? I'd love to hear from you.