Women’s fiction author Patti Lee is chatting with me today about her new contemporary novel, Between February and November.
Bio:
Patti Lee began her writing journey in 2019. An avid reader, she never thought she’d actually become a writer, but now she brings women’s fiction stories to life, tapping into the hopes and sometimes fears of readers. An active member of the Women’s Fiction Writing Association, her debut novel, Between February and November, won the International Firebird Book Award in fiction in 2022. An award-winning essay writer, both her fiction and non-fiction work has been included in various anthologies.
When she’s not working her administration job for a small non-profit, she’s either writing or playing with her grandkids. Or thinking about writing or playing with her grandkids. She currently resides with her husband in Vermont, where she has more cats than throw pillows.
Welcome, Patti. Please tell us about your current release.
After an unfortunate chain of events, Layla Ranker finds herself two towns away from home and happens upon her husband, Alan, at a bar with a young, attractive, woman. Layla spies on them and subsequently follows them to a hotel. Devastated, Layla contemplates the last 20 years of her life with Alan and wonders if he regrets marrying her right out of high school. In this emotional story of love, loss and questions they were afraid to ask, can Layla and Alan find their way back to each other and rekindle what they once had?
What inspired you to write this book?
I got the idea for Between February and November after thinking about all the little things spouses do that get on each other’s nerves. I’ve been married since 1988, so I’ve got some material. Seriously though, Between February and November began as a lighthearted look at how couples in a long-term relationship sometimes took each other for granted. But once I started writing, the characters completely took over, so what started out as a light-hearted novel ended up being a more pensive story about how marriage, and different events that happen in a marriage, affect each spouse.
What exciting story are you working on next?
My next book is tentatively titled, “The Truth about Tanya”. Though not a lighthearted look at a long-term relationship, it’s more along the comedy-drama lines I was going for when I started Between February and November. These characters fit the bill, and for the most part, my storyline progressed as I hoped.
When 32-year-old Tanya Terrill suspects Bill, her husband of 12 years, is having an affair, chaos ensues as she tries to prove it. When she wakes up next to a man who is not her husband, Tanya has to face some hard truths about herself and her marriage. Can she fix the mess she got herself into?
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
That’s a great question and one I’ve thought about since I started writing in 2019. Sure, I write, but am I a writer? Even now, after winning writing contests and publishing an award-winning book, I still hesitate to call myself a writer. But ultimately, I just keep having to tell myself because I write, I am a writer.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
Do I write full time? No. I wish I could write full time! I have made very little money off of my writing so until I win the lottery, writing full time is not in the cards for me. When I’m not working my administrative job for a small non-profit, I’m likely writing. Or plotting. Or thinking about writing. I work from home, so it’s convenient for me to wake up early, usually before 5 AM, grab a cup of coffee and go to my desk to start writing. I’m a regular member of the #5amwritersclub on Twitter. It’s a group of us dedicated to supporting each other and cheering each other on at, you guessed it, 5 AM. I try and switch gears around 7 AM to get some chores done and then ‘go to work’. It’s not uncommon for me to write in the evenings, especially if I’ve got a deadline – self-imposed or otherwise.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
The children in my stories are named after trees or plants. I don’t know how or why I did this – it wasn’t a conscious thing. Between February and November was my debut novel, and as I wrote the book, characters came to me at different times and they came with names. As I began writing my second book, The Truth about Tanya, the same thing happened – the characters came to me at different times and they came with names. It didn’t even occur to me the children were all named after plants or trees until I started writing notes down for another novel, and the child in that novel also shares their name with a plant that I realized it was a pattern.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
From a very young age I’d always wanted to be a teacher and a mother. I mean, when I was a teenager, I wanted to be a singer, model, actress, dancer – all of that. But those were more like fleeting thoughts of an adolescent rather than a serious consideration for my future.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I’d like to share a quote by Stephen King – I heard it at just the right time and it has stuck with me because it’s relatable to so many aspects of life. In his book “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” he said, “You can, you should, and if you are brave enough to start, you will.”
#5amwritersclub. I love it. Thanks for alerting me to it. I was a night owl until I became a stay-at-home dad unexpectedly. With our first child I was up at 345 everyday to get some done and exercise before his day started. With our second child, it is 430 am rowing practice carpool everyday. I never thought I could do it. But, as you point out, you can when it is your only choice. And it is a very productive time. I look forward to see more of your work and perhaps encountering you on the twitter group.
Sounds like you’ve got a busy schedule! The #5amwriterslcub has been such a great place for support and motivation. I hope to see you there, Jeff!