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Before I ever wrote Sunset on Cloud Nine, I lived it.
I started my nursing career in the chaos of the Emergency Room — the kind of place where “normal” means treating a gunshot victim while a drunk guy in the next bay tries to sell you a lawnmower he “found.” I worked my way up, finished my master’s, and eventually ran the Emergency Department at Parkland in Dallas — a job that was equal parts adrenaline rush, political minefield, and family Thanksgiving without the turkey.
Then I transitioned to long-term care, where I sometimes filled in as Director of Nurses, MDS Nurse, or whatever title they needed that day to keep the building from imploding. I saw it all — the conference calls that devolved into absurd therapy sessions, the residents whose antics could beat The Office’s cold opens, and the administrators powered by denial and caffeine.
That’s when I realized: healthcare needed its own workplace comedy. A nursing home version of The Office. I’ve been saying it since 2008. And when TV didn’t deliver, I did. Sunset on Cloud Nine is that show — in book form.

What It’s About
Zane Whitaker, a 34-year-old gay Director of Nurses, is trying to hold together a long-term care facility that’s one missed med pass away from a full-on disaster. He’s juggling grief over his grandmother’s care, staff who range from saintly to certifiable, and residents who remind him daily that dignity is both precious and fragile.
This isn’t some sanitized “heartwarming” hospital drama. This is the truth — the gallows humor, the bureaucratic nonsense, the “Did that resident just wander in naked again?” moments.
It’s sharp, human, and wickedly funny because it’s real.
Meet the Cast You’ll Never Forget
- Zane Whitaker – Sarcastic, exhausted, but fiercely protective of his residents. He’s the guy you want in charge when the state surveyors show up early.
- Terri Guinn – Administrator who could win Olympic gold in overpromising and underdelivering.
- Starla Marie – A brand-new CNA with the energy of a Disney princess and the panic of a deer in headlights.
- Wendy Reinke – 30-year CNA veteran whose heart is gold-plated but whose patience is a fossil.
- Vanessa Roman – LVN who has turned the eye-roll into an Olympic sport.
- Melvin “Naked Again” Price – Exactly what it says on the tin.
- Agnes Periwinkle – Chronic complainer who keeps Zane on the edge of a nervous breakdown.
- Mrs. Eleanor Vance – The kind of resident who can make your worst day feel lighter with one compliment.
And that’s just a fraction. This book is a whole ecosystem.
Why I Wrote It
Because we need to talk about what really happens inside these facilities. Not just the tragedy, but the absurdity. The way humor becomes survival. The way the most dysfunctional workplaces can also be the most human.
And because nobody has done The Office meets Scrubs meets “your favorite sarcastic nurse” — until now.
Ten Quotes That Tell You Exactly What You’re Getting
- “Sometimes the only thing holding the place together was duct tape, denial, and me.”
- “State surveyors are like exes — they always show up when you’re at your worst.”
- “Wendy could start a fight with a chair and win.”
- “We called him Naked Again because ‘Melvin’ didn’t capture the urgency.”
- “If Terri said ‘We’ve got this’ one more time, I was going to request a transfer to Hell for the better air conditioning.”
- “In long-term care, a quiet day is just foreshadowing.”
- “Agnes complained so much we considered installing a suggestion box with a shredder attached.”
- “Sometimes dignity looks like letting a resident wear a tiara to breakfast.”
- “Starla had the clinical confidence of a chihuahua in a thunderstorm.”
- “By the end of the shift, we weren’t charting — we were confessing.”
The Comedy Dynamics
What makes Sunset on Cloud Nine work isn’t just the absurd situations — it’s the rhythm of the relationships. Zane’s deadpan sarcasm plays off Starla’s hyper energy. Wendy’s no-nonsense gruffness crashes into Terri’s relentless corporate pep talk. And somewhere in between, patients like Mrs. Vance and even the infamous Melvin remind you why anyone stays in this job.
This isn’t about “heroes” or “villains.” It’s about flawed, tired, sometimes ridiculous people who are still showing up.
Why You’ll Love It
If you’ve ever worked in healthcare, this will feel like reading your group text. If you haven’t, you’ll still recognize the archetypes — the clueless boss, the drama magnet coworker, the sweet old lady who could take you in a fight.
It’s the perfect binge if you love:
- The chaotic banter of The Office
- The dark humor of Scrubs
- The heart of Grace & Frankie
- Or just watching people try to survive a day without screaming into a pillow
Final Word
Healthcare is messy. Long-term care is messier. But in Sunset on Cloud Nine, that mess is where the magic happens — the kind that makes you laugh, wince, and maybe tear up in the same chapter.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like behind the nurses’ station, here’s your front-row seat.
Read it. Love it. Then tell your friends — because this book deserves to be passed around like the good gossip on night shift.
Grab your copy of Sunset on Cloud Nine here and see why healthcare insiders and comedy lovers are calling it the most brutally honest — and funniest — book of the year.