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New
author Pat White's career is heating up! She's celebrating
the release of two books and both with excellent
reviews! In July, her Silhouette Romance PRACTICE
MAKES MR. PERFECT under the name Patricia Mae White,
hit the stands, and in August, her single title
romantic comedy, GOT A HOLD ON YOU will be released.
Debora:
Pat, tell us about yourself, and how you came to
writing romance. I heard that it took you seven
years to get published! And now you have TWO books
out, one right after the other!
Pat:
Actually, it was good friend, Karen Galvin, who
started all this. She challenged me to read romance
because all I was reading in the early 90's were
parenting books. (I aspired to be the perfect parent,
ha, ha.) All it took was one really good Judith
McNaught book - PERFECT - to inspire me to write
romance! I'd been writing non-fiction for 15 years
prior to writing fiction.
Debora:
PRACTICE MAKES MR. PERFECT is one of the best 'friends
to lovers' category romances that I've read. Everything
about it felt so right. Did this happen to you,
or were you exercising your writer's imagination?
Pat:
Oh, okay, I'll admit it - my husband and I are really
good friends. But I think MR. PERFECT was more inspired
by the thought of something being right in front
of you and you don't see it. I'm into life lessons
and this is a biggie for me. We try too hard sometimes,
when what we need is right there within our reach.
Debora:
What made you set your single title, GOT A HOLD
ON YOU, in the world of professional wrestling?
Are you a fan?
Pat:
I grew up a fan, then drifted away, then was drawn
back into the pro-wrestling world by my sons. There
are a lot of similarities between pro-wrestling
and romance novels. (Yep, you read that right!)
I remember Jayne Ann Krentz saying that a romance
should be larger than life and you should expect
the unexpected. Believe it or not, that's the feel
of pro-wrestling these days.
Debora:
Do you plan to continue writing both category and
single title?
Pat:
Absolutely. I love each genre for different reasons.
The single title gives me freedom to do whatever
I want, and the category is very linear and focuses
on the romance and emotion. I like trying to hone
those "emotion" elements, the ups and
downs of romances - the roller coaster ride!
Debora:
GOT A HOLD ON YOU is wild and hilarious! What makes
you laugh?
Pat:
My husband and sons. Honestly, they are a hoot.
Then throw in three cats and two dogs and you can't
help but laugh in The White House <G> (Picture
a kitty racing through the house with a yellow feather
boa hanging from his mouth). Then you add their
three cousins (all teenagers!) and we're laughing
so hard we fall over. My dad started all this: he
makes people laugh wherever he goes.
Debora:
You've had your first booksignings recently, how
did they go?
Pat:
I had one in Illinois that was awesome! I was very
nervous, but managed not to pass out. We had fun,
laughed and shared stories. I'm blessed to be able
to share life lessons with readers. In the case
of the wrestling book the themes are: "things
are not what they appear to be" and "what's
real is what's in your heart." Yes, you heard
it hear first - philosophy through the study of
pro-wrestling.
Debora:
What are you working on now?
Pat:
A single title called SAVING MUGSY about a playboy
who is really an undercover spy. I'm also mapping
out a series of Silhouette Romances set in a small
town of Illinois. Then there's the psychic book;
healer book and... oh, and I'm moving from Chicago
to Seattle in August. Hmmm, I hope I remember all
the cats.
Debora:
When you have the chance to read, who are your favorite
authors?
Pat:
Judith McNaught changed my life with PERFECT. I
LOVE Suzanne Brockmann and not because we're friends.
She's the most talented (and nicest) person I know
in so many ways. I also enjoy Jennifer Crusie, Mary
Alice Monroe (MIRA) and Myrna Mackenzie (Silhouette
Romance). Oh, and have you read a Nina Bruhns book
lately? Talk about tension - she's amazing.
Debora:
Is there anything you'd like to say to prospective
readers?
Pat:
Just sit back and enjoy. That's my gift to you.
You'll have to trust me with the wrestling book.
Give it a chance and you'll be surprised how much
fun you'll have! And please e-mail me with your
thoughts. I love to hear from readers. (http://www.patwhitebooks.com)
With
love and laughter,
Pat White
Debora:
Thanks, Pat! Best Wishes and Best Sellerdom from
all of us at TRRC!
(Click here for review of GOT A HOLD ON
YOU)
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