Q&A With Patti Lee

Mickey Mikkelson who is the publicist for New York Times Bestselling author Tosca Lee, has connected me with many authors these past few days. One of these many authors is with Patti Lee. Patti is the author of Between February & November, which is her solo novel. Of Cottages & Cauldrons, & Crone Rising are anthologies that she wrote stories for.

 Q: What made you want to write? Did you realize this when you were a kid, a young adult or an adult?

A: I have always been a reader but never thought I’d ever write a book. I’d journal off and on, jotting down thoughts and emotions. And though I often made up stories to tell my kids and grandkids, I never put anything down on paper. It was easy for me to see someone at the store or in a public place and make up little details about their life. Then one day in February of 2019, after batting around the idea of ghostwriting, I just decided I’d write my own story. 

Q: Is it fair to say that the characters and worlds within your stories are based off of real people and places? I love it when authors can create using the real world as an inspiration.

A: It is absolutely true my stories include settings based on real places. So far my writing has been based in Vermont, but I may venture out of state for this next novel. Road trip! There’s inspiration everywhere! I admire those who write fantasy, science fiction and dystopian novels, and the world-building involved. And yes, my characters include little tendencies or mannerisms of a friend or family member, or I may even include something that I myself have a tendency to do – if it works for the character, and makes them more real, I’ll include it. 

Q: What genres would you explore writing in the future and why?

A: I’ve generally stuck to women’s fiction or contemporary fiction but I’d love to try my hand at a mystery or suspense novel, maybe even a psychological thriller. I’ve really enjoyed reading those kinds of books in the past, getting lost in a mystery or trying to solve a murder. I’d love to try and recreate that feeling for a reader.

Q: If you’re writing a new book now, can you reveal any details?

A: I just finished another women’s fiction novel called, “The Truth about Tanya”. While it’s a campy look at one way to handle infidelity, it’s also a story about realizing you are more than what you’ve been told you are. In prepping for my next book, I’ve been reading more mysteries and suspense. I’m a panster when it comes to writing, so other than it involves a young woman who is haunted by events of her past, I don’t have a lot to share. 

Q: If you had to choose, which book did you have the most fun writing and why?

A: Between February and November was probably the most fun in that it was my first. It was a process I wasn’t familiar with, and it was exhilarating spending every free minute I had writing and learning about the craft of writing. It was also such an interesting experience, thinking I knew what I was going to write, but once I sat down, something completely different unfolded. It wasn’t the story I set out to write, but it was the story I was meant to tell.