Hi folks, this is the first in an intended list of interviews with talented new(ish) writers and strong self-promoters out there in the ever expanding ether. Today say hi to the talented and generous Patti Larsen:
Bio:
Patti is a writer and independent filmmaker on the East Coast of Canada. She has a passion for Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction that drives her to write full time and sometimes even through the night. She has two self-published books: (http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/curiosities-inc/15538186) YA Curiosities, Inc. and (http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/27519) MG Cat City. Her YA novel, (http://facebook.com/frescobooks) Fresco (Etopia Press), is due for release this summer, while the sequel, (http://etopia-press.net) Wasteland (Etopia Press), has just been approved. Her MG novel, (http://acornpresscanada.com) The Ghost Boy of MacKenzie House (Acorn Press), is due for publication Spring 2012.
1. Tell us something interesting about yourself? Only one? I'm very interesting, you know... ;) Let's see... I coach roller derby. Used to play but broken bones aren't my thing. Sad, because it's WICKED fun. And I read Tarot cards. Oops. That's two things...
2. What themes do you find yourself returning to in your writing? Dark, darker and darkest. For some reason, my muse seems to be sinking into the black pit of despair. I love YA paranormal and mainly write in that field but everything I outline lately seems to be on the dark side of it. Voodoo dolls, kids being hunted by hybrid creatures, teen suicide... that kind of stuff. The truly terrible part is that I'm enjoying it so very much... some of my betas are starting to back away from me, shaking in fear. One of them told me point blank she wasn't reading the voodoo doll one. I guess I can't blame her.
3. What does literary success look like to you? It used to be the DREAM--big contract with big publisher and the New York Times Best Seller list. Now it's very different. To me literary success is simply having my work in the hands of readers while supporting myself doing it. And I'm right on the edge of that now, with two books coming out. I haven't given up on my plans for world literary domination, however. No, that goal is alive and well. It's just going to happen on MY terms, not that of some Big Six publishing house.
4. Who are your literary idols and why? Stephen King--the man just keeps producing and producing. I love a lot of his stuff and can't stand other bits, but the point is he is where I want to be--writing and publishing without limits. I write so quickly and have so many ideas I can barely keep up. Other than that, I really don't have any. I love to read as much as I love to write and every author has their merits. But if I had to dig deeper it would be old school authors like Marion Zimmer Bradely and Anne MacCaffery and Andre Norton--the women of fantasy and science ficiton in the 60's and 70's that my Dad read and I then read too because of him. They inspired me to write.
5. Which one of your own pieces of work is your personal favourite? OMG seriously? I have to choose? You must know from your own experience that a writer's current piece is always the favorite? Okay, if I have to pick, it's the first YA book I wrote called Family Magic about a sixteen-year-old girl who lives in a family of witches, demons and vampires and she just wants to be ordinary. I love Syd's voice--she speaks to me every day. She and her crazy family are currently with my publisher, Etopia Press. I was holding on to her and the series, 'saving' it for when I 'made it'--yeah. Silly. I'm hoping the books have found a home at last. Family Magic really kicks ass.
6. Where can we find out more about you and your writing? I have multiple personalities:
http://pattilarsen.com - my main website
http://pattilarsen.blogspot.com - my blog where I usually post
http://pattilarsenbooks.blogspot.com - my book blog with updates on publications
http://facebook.com/pattilarsenauthor - my fanpage
http://twitter.com/#!/PattiLarsen - on Twitter
If you'd like to feature on this blog then contact me through any of the usual channels (FB, Twitter, carrier pigeon, etc, etc...).
