Julie Schumacher’s latest book, “Patient, Female,” is a collection of 13 stories centered exclusively on women, reflecting the author’s deliberate shift in focus after years of writing from a male perspective. Schumacher, a writer and professor of creative writing and literature at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, is best known for her bestselling novels featuring Jason Fitger, a cranky creative writing professor. That series, which includes “Dear Committee Members,” “The Shakespeare Requirement,” and “The English Experience,” earned her the Thurber Prize for American Humor.

After completing the trilogy, Schumacher said she felt the need to explore different characters, particularly women, which led to the creation of this new collection. The stories, written over two decades, portray a range of female protagonists navigating various life experiences. Among them are a young woman who volunteers at a nursing home and learns to play bridge, a sister contending with her brother’s reluctance to address their late mother’s remains, middle-aged women reuniting to form a field hockey team, and a woman who works as a mock patient to train gynecology students, featured in the title story.

In a recent interview, Schumacher described her process and motivations. She noted that while her previous male protagonist Fitger “took up a lot of real estate” in her mind, she was eager to write about women, a perspective that aligns more naturally with her thinking. She emphasized the importance of finding empathy for all characters, even those who are difficult or unpleasant. “You have to find them sympathetic in some way,” she said, citing as an example the fascination with characters such as Hannibal Lecter in "Silence of the Lambs."

Some characters in the collection proved challenging to like, Schumacher acknowledged, pointing to Terry and her brother Frank from one of the stories. Terry’s anger and Frank’s failings make them complex figures, yet their flaws also evoke understanding and even affection. Schumacher identified with moments of vulnerability expressed through these characters, such as Frank’s fleeting desire to be a father despite his shortcomings.

The collection also draws on Schumacher’s personal experiences. She shared that although she never worked in a nursing home, she volunteered as a candy striper, and that the story about a recreational hockey team was inspired by her own long-running love of team sports, having played lacrosse into her late 40s.

Discussing the book’s title, Schumacher appreciated its layered meanings. While some characters lack patience in temperament, one is literally a medical patient. She also reflected on the perception of women’s patience, suggesting that social expectations often encourage women, especially those of a certain age, to appear gentle and patient even when they harbor frustration or anger.

Despite her recognition as a humor writer, including the Thurber Prize, Schumacher said she does not consider herself naturally funny and finds that humor in her work often coexists with underlying sadness. “Most things that are funny also aim for sadness,” she remarked. Her work continues to combine wit and empathy, portraying deeply human characters navigating the challenges of their lives.