| As
a writer, I spend many hours facing an empty
computer screen trying to create the perfect
story that will captivate my audience and make
them want for more, which as I have learned,
is quite the feat. This month's Jen's
Jewel has mastered her craft and then
some.
I
first heard about Patry Francis from my friend Amanda Tobier at Penguin
Books. Whenever
Amanda sends me a book, it goes without saying that the novel will be phenomenal. She
has the knack of being able to put her finger on the pulse of what most definitely
will be a hot commodity in the fiction market. The Liar's
Diary is no exception. I was hooked from the very first page. 
What I like
best about this novel is the way Patry Francis pulls the reader in with her strong
characterizations. She makes it seem as if her characters are like the
people next door or even down the street…just ordinary people. And
as for the plot itself, it is a psychological suspense that keeps you on the
edge of your seat just biting your nails in anticipation of the character's
next move. It's really that good. Find this book in our catalog.
The Liar's Diary is a spell-binding tale
of two polar opposite women who befriend each other despite their differences
and become each other's confidant. As the story unfolds, haunting
secrets from the past and lies and deception from the present wind up intertwining
their lives and brings them to a point of no return. The final blow is
a shocking plot twist that you won't see coming. And just when you
think it can't get possibly get any better, it does. Believe me. The
story is well worth the read.
As part of
the column, five lucky readers will win their own copy of The Liar's Diary. So
go ahead and get to know Patry Francis and don't forget to look for the
trivia question at the end of the column. Good Luck!
Jen: Please tell us a little bit about
your educational and professional
background.
Patry: I always wanted to be a writer, but I got married and
had
children at a very young age. By the time I attended college, I was
divorced with two small sons to support so I decided to major in
Communications (I thought that would be more practical.) But what I learned was
that if
you have an overwhelmingly powerful dream, the only practical--and maybe even
possible--thing to do is to follow it!
Jen: What
finally made you take the leap and pursue a
writing career?
Patry: In middle school, I
was scribbling poems when I should have been
doing my algebra problems; and in high school,
I first took a stab at
writing a novel. I think what made me take my
career more seriously was
TIME. When my children (four in all) got a little
older, I finally had
the hours and the clear mental space necessary
to write and revise a novel.
Jen: You started your career
writing poetry and short stories. What has
been the biggest challenge for you as a writer
switching gears from
poetry to plotting an entire novel?
Patry: Probably keeping track
of all the threads, and making sure
everything is consistent throughout the book.
I like to create a complex
plot so taking care that every question that
is raised gets answered
was a challenge. But in the end, I believe it
all came together.
Jen: For all of the aspiring
writers out there who read my column,
please tell us how you were able to get your
work published. Did you
hire an agent? Send out manuscripts? About how
long did it take?
Patry: I was completely obsessed.
I read acknowledgment pages and
guides and poured over Websites that provided
information about agents and editors.
I learned everything I could about who represented
whom, who sold what, and which
agents represented books like mine. Then I wrote
the best query letter I could
possibly write, and sent them out in bunches.
It took me about three
months to receive an offer. But once that happened,
I quickly got two more and was able to choose
the right agent for me.
Jen: Please describe your typical
work/writing day. What is the most
rewarding part of being an author?
Patry: When I'm immersed
in a project, I allow myself fifteen minutes
in
the morning to read my e-mail. Then I plunge
right in and do my daily
writing (1,000-2,000 words.) I've learned
that if I put it off, I may
never get to it. The most rewarding part of being
an author is being read by people I've
never met! It's meeting a stranger who
loves my characters as much as I do, and hearing
them ask, “When is the next book coming
out?”
Jen: Whose opinion do you value
most when it comes to your writing and why?
Patry: A few trusted friends and family members read my work
first, and
I listen carefully to their suggestions. My agent
is also a terrific
reader, and I value her opinion very much. With The
Liar's Diary, I had
the privilege of working with a brilliant editor
whose thoughtful
questions improved the novel vastly. However,
in the end, I think a
writer has to value her own opinion most.
Jen: The
Liar's Diary is
a suspenseful novel that is extremely
well-written and at times nail-biting. I just
could not put it down. How
did you arrive at the premise?
Patry: I found mine in a much
publicized murder committed by a well-liked adolescent
from a "good family". As a writer,
I wanted to explore how such a boy might
deceive so many people--especially his own family.
I also wanted to
understand how they had failed to recognize his
problem. However, once I got started The Liar's Diary took
off in an entirely different direction, and bears
almost
no resemblance to the story that inspired it.
Jen: Ali Mathers, one of the
main characters in the book, is a
charismatic woman who draws everyone into her
web of deception while at
the same time; she tries to deal with her own
demons from the past. Tell
us what you like best about her and why.
Patry: I love Ali's fearlessness.
Though it lies at the root of all her
trouble, and causes pain for other people in
her life, it also propels
her to risk her life to save someone else. To
me, Ali is a flawed, but
very genuine, hero.
Jen: Jeanne
Cross, the other main character, is your typical
housewife who is putting up the all too familiar
façade
of living a normal life
when in actuality, her life is in shambles. What
message, if any, are
you sending to your readers through this character?
What do you like
best about her and why?
Patry: By choosing friendship
with Ali, Jeanne unconsciously decides to
grow and change. It is incredibly painful for
her, and in many ways goes
against her nature, but by the end of the novel,
she is a much stronger
character. I also admire (and envy) Jeanne's
organized nature.
Jen: Comparing Ali to Jeanne,
who is the stronger character and why?
Patry: Ali is definitely stronger. Though she is confused
and vulnerable
in many ways, she has the heart of a lion.
Jen: How much research did you
do for this novel and what was the most
fascinating thing you learned?
Patry: I spoke with two psychiatrists,
as well as an expert who deals
with one of the issues that is dealt with in
the novel. I also listened
to a lot of classical music. Probably the most
interesting thing I
learned was that all classical music wasn't
composed by dead people!
There are a lot of new composers out there who
are producing some
remarkable music.
Jen: What has surprised you
most about the publishing business and why?
Patry: How much it is changing! There are more opportunities
than ever
for an author to be pro-active about marketing
their book. I love that!
Jen: From what I have read,
you are no stranger to the blogging world. Please tell us about your two blogs.
Patry: Simply Wait (http://simplywait.blogspot.com)
has become my heart
and my home. It's not just a blog about
me and my work; it's a place
where an amazing group of people come to tell
stories, laugh, and
discuss important questions like “When
was the last time your life
changed?” My second blog, “Waitress
Poems” is just that: poems about
ordinary life.
Jen: Do you do phone chats?
If so, how would my readers go about
scheduling one? Do you have a web site? Mailing
list? E-mail notification of
releases? Book signings?
Patry: I love to do phone chats,
which can be scheduled through my Website. All
of the above can be found at ww.patryfrancis.com
Jen: Are you writing another book? If so, what can you
tell us about it?
Patry: My new novel, which is set on Cape Cod, is also psychological
suspense. But at its center is a powerful love story. Here is a sneak
peek just for your readers.
HELENA 'S
POINT
Aside from the pain of her repeated miscarriages, Hallie Davis has what
might be called a charmed life. She is happily
married, and committed to
her work as a pediatrician. What she can't admit
to anyone--even
herself--is that she has never gotten over her
first love. As a young
man, Gus Silva was so compelling and charismatic
that he was called
"Voodoo" back in P-town where they grew up. He and Hallie had been
inseparable until a violent prom night incident
on Helena's Point
altered both their fates. Fearing his own passion,
Gus renounced Hallie
and entered the seminary. Heartbroken but determined,
Hallie has worked
hard to build a new life. She has also worked
hard to keep the promise
she made to her father, and later to her husband:
she would never see
Gus Silva again.
But when Gus is accused of murdering a woman
who came to him for
counseling, Hallie is forced to remember another
promise. /No matter
what happens/, she and Gus had vowed when they
were young, /I will
always be there for you/. In spite of those haunting
words, Hallie
becomes a key witness in his trial and is forced
to dredge up the
painful incident that separated them. She soon
finds that she is the only one
who believes in him when he is convicted and
sentenced to life. As she
learns more about the victim and about Gus's
putative crime, she is
increasingly convinced of his innocence. She
also begins to question
everything in her own life--from her marriage,
to what really happened
that night on Helena's Point. It will take years
and many sacrifices to
free Gus; but for Hallie, once she begins her
search for the truth,
there is no turning back.
Jen: Thank you so much
for taking the time to speak with me and for
giving my readers the inside scoop about your
next novel. I truly
enjoyed The Liar's Diary and
I'm looking forward to reading Helena's
Point. Best of luck in
your future!
Patry: Thank you, Jen! It's been a pleasure.
I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Patry
Francis. I highly recommend this book. If
you are interested in reading it, be one of the
first five readers to e-mail at jensjewels@gmail.com and
you will win a copy. Good luck!
Please name one of Patry's blogs.
Be on the look-out for my next column
which will appear on the May 15. I
will be interviewing Paulina Porizkova, former
Super Model as well as contestant on Dancing
with the Stars. She has written her first
novel called A Model Summer. You
won't want to miss it!
Until next time…….Jen |
Meet
the Author: featuring Jen's Jewels