Phaedra Patrick
Author Interview - Phaedra Patrick
Author of THE MESSY LIVES OF BOOK PEOPLE
Liv Green loves losing herself in a good book. But her everyday reality is less exciting, cleaning houses for people who barely give her the time of day. So when she lands a job housekeeping for her personal hero and mega-bestselling author Essie Starling, she can't believe her luck. However, when Essie dies unexpectedly, she leaves Liv with a life-changing last wish: to complete her final novel. To do so, change-averse Liv will have to step away from the fictitious worlds in her head, and into Essie’s shoes. As she begins to write, she uncovers a surprising connection between the two women – and a secret that will change Liv’s life forever...
Author Interview - Phaedra Patrick
Author I draw inspiration from: Tara Jenkins Reid is a fabulous writer. I love her books and characters. She is unashamedly commercial yet each of her stories feels intimate and special. I always recommend DAISY JONES AND THE SIX, and THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO, to readers.
Author Interview - Phaedra Patrick | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book: I love reading while lying in the sunshine around a swimming pool on holiday (I always take four or five books with me and struggle to fit them into my suitcase!) Because of the pandemic, my preferred reading place at the moment is snuggled up in bed, just before I go to sleep at night.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: I’m going to be a little cheeky and choose one of my own characters, Arthur Pepper. He was the hero of my debut novel THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER and readers took him to their hearts. I think it would be amazing to come face to face with him and see how he’s doing on his globe-trotting adventures since I left him.
Author Interview - Phaedra Patrick | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: I think I knew from around the age of eight. I remember going to the library each week and seeing all the books on the shelves. It was so exciting selecting something to read, but I also knew that I wanted to write a novel one day and for it to sit on the shelves of a library or book shop. At the time, it was a strange thought for a young girl to have and I had no idea how to achieve it!
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: I prefer paperbacks. After writing on a laptop all day, I tend to avoid ebooks.
The last book I read: EARLY MORNING RISER by Katherine Heiny. I really enjoyed it! It tells of Jane who falls in love with charismatic Duncan, who seems to have dated every woman in town. Even his ex-wife is still a big fixture in his life. After a tragedy occurs, Jane’s future changes and she becomes permanently intertwined with Duncan for life, for better and for worse.
Author Interview - Phaedra Patrick | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer: I like to use both. I tend to be more creative when I’m working freehand, so I use a pen and paper for working out the story and making notes. I then use a computer to type everything up.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: It would be cool to hang out in 1970’s Los Angeles with Daisy Jones, from DAISY JONES AND THE SIX by Tara Jenkins Reid. We’d go to gigs and drink whisky from the bottle while wearing cut off denim shorts and mirrored sunglasses.
Author Interview - Phaedra Patrick | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: I’ve always wanted to be a make-up artist on films, especially ones with special effects such as The Terminator.
Favorite decade in fashion history: Probably the eighties. I’m still a fan of thick black eyeliner. It was a creative time full of flamboyance and self-expression.
Place I’d most like to travel: I’d love to return to the USA one day. I’ve been three times and visited eleven states to promote my books. I’d love to see more of Los Angeles and New York, and to visit North Carolina and Miami again. The American people are so friendly and share a similar sense of humour to the British.
My signature drink: Rum and cola. I’ve only recently got into it after wine started to give me a headache!
Favorite artist: David Hockney. I love that he’s from the North of England and produces such big, vibrant works of art, even now he’s in his eighties.
Number one on my bucket list: To tour the USA with my sixteen year old son. I’d take him shopping in New York first and we’d end up chilling on a beach in Santa Monica.
Anything else you'd like to add: I’ve published lots of handy writing tips and advice on my website, to help anyone who wants to write a novel, www.phaedra-patrick.com/writing-tips There’s lots of other information about me and my books on there, too.
Find more from the author:
Facebook.com/phaedrapatrick
Twitter.com/phaedrapatrick
Instagram.com/phaedrapatrick
@parkrowbooks
Author Bio: Phaedra Patrick’s books have been translated into twenty-five languages worldwide and her first three were all USA Today bestsellers. Her second novel RISE AND SHINE, BENEDICT STONE has been made into a Hallmark movie. She lives in Saddleworth, UK, with her family and dog.
