Interview With Author Patrice Lewis
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My husband and I are “modern homesteaders” striving toward food self-sufficiency on a small farm. Cows, gardens, chickens – it’s all grist for our mill. I write inspirational Amish romances under Harlequin’s Love Inspired line and have hit the Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller list numerous times. I have 12 books in print and four more in the pipeline. We also write for a wide variety of rural-themed magazines.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is entitled “Rachel’s Folly: A Romantic Mountain Adventure.” I’ve always been fascinated by the skills possessed by the pioneers which enabled them to create a home out of the wilderness. “Rachel’s Folly” examines what it might be like to do that in modern times.
“Rachel’s Folly” doesn’t fit within the Love Inspired guidelines, yet it’s always been my favorite unpublished manuscript. For this reason, we decided to dip our toes into the world of indy publishing and put it out for everyone to enjoy.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
For all writers, it’s a matter of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair to get a job done. Additionally, fiction writers can be divided into “pansters” (those who write by the seat of their pants) and “plotters” (those who must have the book plotted in advance). I’m very much a Plotter. Plotting doesn’t come easily to me, so coming up with a storyline is the hard part. Writing, however, is a joy.
For this reason, when I write fiction, I write a detailed chapter-by-chapter outline in advance, which lets me find any holes in the plot. Since most of my fiction writing is for the Love Inspired line, I need to follow a formula. This means I know in advance the length of my finished story. I aim to write half a chapter a day, which means I can complete a Love Inspired manuscript in about six weeks.
“Rachel’s Folly,” of course, doesn’t follow any formula. It’s a unique story. You might call it the story of my heart.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Possibly the author that’s influenced me the most is historical writer Anya Seton. Even though her books were published in between the 1940s and the 1960s, her books still resonate with millions of readers because she makes her characters come alive. “Katherine” and “Green Darkness” are among my all-time favorites.
What are you working on now?
Aside from some magazine articles, I have two fiction projects. One is another indy manuscript, which is fully written but needs editing. The other is my next Love Inspired story. I’m way ahead of schedule on the Love Inspired book, so I can write at a leisurely pace.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My long-running blog (www.rural-revolution.com) is my best marketing tool. Many of these loyal readers have followed me for upwards of 15 years, long before I started writing fiction. They are my biggest cheerleaders.
More recently, I’ve delved into Twitter and Facebook. These have proved successful for promoting my writing, but I’m still building up followers on these other platforms.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s important to start building a platform BEFORE you get published. Many agents won’t even look at writers who don’t already have a built-in audience. It seems unfair, but that’s the reality of the publishing world. If it wasn’t for the blog I’ve maintained for so many years, my agent would likely not have taken me on.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’ve heard all kinds of wonderful advice, but when it comes to writing, the old Nike slogan “Just Do It” comes to mind. Many people want to write, but they come up with all kinds of excuse why the words never hit the page. “I’m too busy.” “I have to get a Masters in Fine Arts degree first.” “My muse isn’t working.” Whatever the excuse, they do everything BUT write. Sometimes you just have to…do it.
What are you reading now?
I always have a number of books going simultaneously, but at the moment I’m re-reading Bill Bryson’s book “One Summer: America, 1927” as well as a book by Dan Jones called “The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England.”
What’s next for you as a writer?
In addition to my Love Inspired contracts, I have two other longer manuscripts that we plan to indy publish. My husband and I are also looking to self-publish our collection of material on rural living.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
In addition to my Bible, I’d probably grab my collection of Anya Seton novels and the entire Bill Bryson oeuvre. Yeah, I know that’s more than three or four books, but what true bibliophile can limit herself to so few?
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