Patricia Leavy
Author Interview - Patricia Leavy
Author of After the Red Carpet
For fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace, After the Red Carpet is a feel-good, contemporary celebrity romance about what happens after the fairy-tale beginning as two lovers work toward their own true meaning of “happily ever after.”
After legendary Hollywood star Finn Forrester proposed to philosopher Ella Sinclair on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, the couple captivated the press and public with their real-life fairy tale. Now they vow to prioritize their romance and live an adventure of their own making. Ella moves into Finn’s Beverly Hills mansion and must adjust to his world. Finn, secretly afraid of losing Ella, is determined to make everything perfect for his betrothed. Meanwhile, Ella wants nothing more than to retain her own identity as they build their new life together. All the while, she is writing a philosophical treatise on love, exploring the question: when we love so deeply, where do we end and where does the other begin?
In this highly anticipated follow-up to The Location Shoot, will Ella and Finn finally live the life they’ve dreamed of? See how their epic romance unfolds, after the red carpet.
Author Interview - Patricia Leavy
Author I draw inspiration from:
There are so many authors who I draw inspiration from, and I’m friends with many authors so it’s really hard to choose. To avoid hurting anyone’s feeling I’ll pick someone I don’t personally know, Meg Donahue. A friend recommended her novels to me years ago and I fell in love. She has a different style to my own, often switching character perspectives chapter to chapter, so I learn from that. Although she does it in her own way, her books are filled with tremendous heart which is something I also try to do. She’s a beautiful writer. I especially love Every Wild Heart and All the Summer Girls. If you’re a dog person, which I am, Dog Crazy is also fun.
Author Interview - Patricia Leavy | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
I love reading on the beach. To me, there’s little better than plopping down in a beach chair under an umbrella, smelling the briny sea air, and getting lost in a story-world. It’s the best.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Tate Collins from Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover. I’d love the chance to tell her she’s in a toxic relationship and deserves better. I don’t want to get too explicit and share the lyrics, but there’s an old 90s Tori Amos song called “Precious Things” that has a line about a guy not being a god just because he can get you off. It’s a great song and I think so many of us can relate. No shade to Colleen Hoover at all either, as I’ve enjoyed the books of hers I’ve read. But I do think Tate needs a good look in the mirror from a girlfriend and I would try to be that person. Since she doesn’t really have that kind of friend in the book, I have no idea how it would play out. Maybe she’d tell me to mind my own business. Fair enough.
Author Interview - Patricia Leavy | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
When I was 9 or 10, I saw the movie Romancing the Stone. It’s about a romance novelist who gets swept up in a real-life romantic adventure. On Saturdays when my parents would go out, my dad would take me to the local movie rental store (yup, this was a different time). There were a few movies I would pick over and over again. Romancing the Stone was one of them. My favorite part of the film was the first five minutes during which the protagonist is sitting in her New York apartment typing the end of her latest novel, crying her eyes out, murmuring how good it is. I used to rewind the VHS tape over and over again to watch that opening scene, hoping someday that would be me. Needless to say, it was clear I wanted to be a romance novelist. Unfortunately, I lacked the courage when I was young to pursue my dream, but eventually I realized that life is short and took the leap. It’s been the best time of my life and every day I wake up to do something I love. It feels like my purpose.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
I’m definitely a paperback or hardback reader. I love holding a book in my hands. Even the smell of the paper. While I used to opt for paperbacks, these days, as my eyesight has declined and my reading glasses work harder than they used to, I gravitate to hardcovers when possible because they usually have bigger typeset. I’ve never actually read an e-book, but I just got myself a Kindle Scribe, mostly as a writing tool, but I’m sure I’ll give e-books a try. I’ve never listened to an audio book either, but there are a few celebrity memoirs that I think would be fun to listen to.
The last book I read:
Thicker Than Water by Kerry Washington. My two favorite genres are novels, generally romance or women’s fiction, and memoir. I’ve enjoyed Kerry Washington as an actress for ages and was even lucky enough to see her on Broadway. I thought I’d love the book. She’s smart, thoughtful, and the book is well written, but for some reason I never really got immersed.
Author Interview - Patricia Leavy | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I write my first draft on my computer, but I print scenes and chapters as I go, and eventually the whole manuscript, and I do all my revisions by hand. I don’t write my novels in chronological order, but rather as scenes, and then I stitch them together. By the time a novel is out in the world, I’ve revised each scene and the entire manuscript dozens of times.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Victory Ford from Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell. She has the best style and is so much fun. Plus, she’s generous and I really want to borrow her clothes.
Author Interview - Patricia Leavy | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
Professor. Despite my lifelong dream to be a novelist or to do something in the arts (I started college as a theatre major), I wasn’t brave enough to pursue my passion. Doing anything in the arts takes courage. There is so much critique and rejection. It can be brutal, and my younger self couldn’t handle it. So, I earned a doctorate degree in sociology and became a professor, which I did for more than a decade. During that time, I built a career as a nonfiction author and learned a lot about the publishing industry. Eventually I started writing fiction and left academia to be a full-time author. I’ve never looked back.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
I’m sure my friends will give me grief for this, but I totally miss the 1980s over-the-top fashion (I would love it if it were a bit more mellow and merged with today). The puffy sleeves, leg warmers, jelly shoes. You’re talking to someone who grew up watching Jem and The Holograms. That’s my fashion vibe (says the person who wears blue jeans and a black top almost every day).
Place I’d most like to travel:
Japan. I’ve been lucky to visit once before and it’s incredible. Tokyo is one of the coolest cities in the world and when you get outside the city and visit places like Kyoto it’s extraordinarily beautiful. I love the architecture, art, culture. My husband and I were supposed to make a second trip to Japan to celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary in 2020. Sadly, we had to cancel the trip due to the pandemic. I was then invited to give workshops at two universities in Japan, but there was a last-minute problem with the funding the schools had secured, and that trip was also canceled. I really feel due a trip!
My signature drink:
My favorite restaurant, Balthazar in NYC, has a drink called champagne fraises. It’s champagne with strawberry liqueur and a fresh strawberry. Pretty and delicious. It’s definitely my favorite cocktail.
Favorite artist:
Tori Amos. She’s an incredible singer songwriter, musician, and composer. While she’s most known for her early albums in the 90s, she’s released albums every couple of years for the last three decades and I love them all. Her music is the soundtrack to my life and inspires me endlessly as a writer. Tori is an incredible live performer. She plays multiple pianos and keyboards at once and changes her setlist each night. Her shows feel like some sort of spiritual journey. They fuel me. To me, she’s an artist through and through. She writes all her own music. She’s also stood up for artists, waged battles with music labels, and insisted on owning her publishing rights, which has served her well and been a model for others. I could go on and on. Add to all this, she was the first spokesperson for RAINN (rape, abuse, incest national network) and has supported that organization since its inception. As an assault survivor, her dedication means a lot to me and countless others. As an artist, I’m inspired by women who merge their artistry and their activism. After my debut novel came out more than a decade ago, I had the chance to meet Tori. My then ten-year old daughter made her a necklace with a piano on it and she slipped it on right away. We spent about twenty minutes in her dressing room talking about music, art, and books. Since then, I’ve seen her several times. She’s the absolute kindest soul and she’s told me she’s read a few of my novels, which I can hardly process.
Number one on my bucket list:
I want to go to France and eat endless amounts of cheese. Like I literally want to eat all the cheese.
Anything else you'd like to add:
If you have a creative dream, go for it. Whether it’s full-time or a side hustle, it doesn’t matter. Don’t make the mistake I did out of fear. Follow your passion. Bet on yourself.
Find more from the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenWhoWrite/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricialeavy
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/PatriciaLeavy
About Patricia Leavy:
Author Interview - Patricia Leavy
Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than forty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than one hundred book honors. Her last novel, The Location Shoot, was featured on Ms. Career Girl‘s “10 Perfect Books to Get Your Fall Reading List Started” and was the 2023 Firebird Book Awards 1st Place Winner in 4 categories: Contemporary Novel, Pop Culture Fiction, Romance and Summer Beach Read. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” Patricia lives in Maine. In addition to writing, she enjoys art, reading, and travel.
