Author Interview~Pat Brown

Pat resides in Canada. When people ask why she writes, her reply is: "I write to give the little voices inside of me an outlet. Otherwise they'd drive me crazy."

What book or project is coming out or has come out that you’d like to tell us about?

I have a novella called Big City Vet coming out from MLR Press later this year. My first published book L.A.Heat has been revised and has just been released..

Tell us about your journey to publication. How long had you been writing before you got the call you had a contract, how you heard and what went through your head.

I actually started writing at a very young age – in early public school. In high school I wrote really bad poetry, then at 17 I wrote my first book, an angst ridden teen tome about the perils of drugs and promiscuity – this from a teenager who hadn't done anything stronger than marijuana. At 22 I hopped a bus and went to Hollywood in search of 'the dream', only my case it was a desire to write screenplays. I never did learn how to do lunch, so I went back to my real love, writing novels. Being in L.A gave me an incredible background for my book thus what became L.A.Heat was born. Originally I called it Babylon Boneyard, but my publisher thought that was too obscure. I was happy with L.A. Heat, so I'm not complaining. As soon as L.A.Heat was done I knew I had something different. And time proved me right. It got me an agent and a publishing contract soon after. I got the call from my agent just after the new year, 2005. When that phone call came in I was on cloud nine. Thank goodness I had an agent. She wanted to hold out for a bit more money when ever cell in my body was saying 'Sign, sign, sign!' She was right. They paid a bit more. Hey, always listen to your agent.

Do you still experience self-doubts regarding your work?



Yes, some days worse than others. I just went through a bout of severe doubt that bordered on depression. I'm trying to get a new agent since my last one changed careers and you'd think having had one and being a selling author would count for something but apparently not. It's frustrating and really makes me question whether I have talent. Self-doubt is part of the game, I'm afraid. All you can do is work your way through it. Trust in yourself.

What mistakes have you made while seeking publication?
Not to network enough. I'm extremely shy and don't do well in social settings. When I forced myself to attend writing oriented things – sending my ms in to the Toronto writer in residence for a review then later sending it to the same writer in residence at the Kitchener library I started a chain of events that eventually got me my agent and the publishing contract. If I had stayed in my shell none of that would have happened.

What’s the best advice you’ve heard on writing/publication?

Keep writing. Persistence is the key to writing. It's easy to give up. It's hard to press on in the face of rejection.

How do you craft a plot?

I tend to build my plots. They often start out as pretty simplistic things then grow and become more complex as I write. Some fine critiques I've had also help me strengthen weak sections of my plot by pushing me to take chances and go that extra mile. Sometimes it easy to play it safe. In writing today you can't do that. Editors and readers demand you take risks and push your characters.

Do you begin writing with a synopsis in hand, or do you write as the ideas come to you?

I usually only have the most basic of outlines – I usually know the ending and have an inkling of who the bad guy is and how he's defeated. Sometimes I'll have a couple of key scenes in my head, and maybe a subplot. But a lot of it is organic and grows and changes in the telling. I've even made some radical changes when the book is finished. And my endings often change completely, as has my villain But then I figure if I don't know where I'm going, neither will a reader!

What’s something you wish you’d known earlier that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?


Don't trust your publisher to always do what's best for you. They have a lot of authors to promote and decreasing funds and staff to do it with. I missed out on being nominated for a very prestigious award because I trusted the publisher to put me up for it. They didn't – I never heard why but the bottom line is I missed out on that. I could have nominated myself. Chances are I still wouldn't have won, or even got into the shortlist, but at least I could have said I tried.

Is there a particularly difficult set back that you’ve gone through in your writing career you are willing to share?


Early in 2007 I became very sick. I collapsed one day and spent the next 6 months in various hospitals. Apparently I almost died. When I got out, I had to learn how to do everything all over. Walk, write, everything. As well, I lost everything from my home, since I was living far from home at the time and had no one around who could go in and save my stuff. I lost all my writing notes and a book I had just started. All that had to be rewritten from memory. I learned the value of a good offsite backup. It was an experience and gave me a whole new appreciation for life. I also lost all the books I had accumulated over the years, a rather painful and costly loss.

How do you think reading the work of others helps you as a writer?


I can learn technique from writers I admire. I can also get ideas from their books. Chris and David actually came to me because I'm a huge fan of Jonathan Kellerman's Alex and Milo books. It was the first time I had encountered an openly gay cop in a book. The idea fascinated me. But the idea I came up with ended up resembling Milo in no way, shape or form. Outside of both being gay cops they have nothing in common. My two favorite authors who write about gay cops are Neil Plakcy and Josh Lanyon, both writing very different books with very different characters. It just shows there are no new ideas under the sun, just new executions.

What piece of writing have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why?

I'm still very proud of L.A.Heat. I beat the odds of getting book published, I gained a lot of fans, some of whom became friends and I had a lot of fun doing it. I reread it earlier this year, half expecting to find nothing but flaws in it, but to my surprise it stood up. It was fun though getting to rewrite parts of it.

What is your best advice on maintaining a good editor-author relationship?


Respect your editor. Even if you disagree, do so respectfully. The publishing industry is a very small, insular one. If you get a reputation for being troublesome it will follow you. Be open to suggestions. Many times I've had someone tell me something isn't working or more is needed and my first reaction was to reject their advice. But the more I would think of it the more they seemed right. Sometimes the suggestions you react the strongest against, are the ones that indeed change the story for the better. Don't be afraid to change your story. They're not carved in stone. Even J.K Rowlings edits her work and respects her editor when they suggest changes.

How many drafts to you edit before submitting to your editor?


At least 3. The first one is usually big and rambling, with everything thrown in and gaping plot holes. I easily go over 120K in length, which is easily 40K bigger than most publishers want. The 2nd draft tries to fix these problems and make the plot flow logically. The final draft is usually done following a critique session with a great online group I belong to. They point out all the problems they have and inconsistencies. During the whole process I never stop doing research (my writing is heavy on the police procedural end of things so I'm always reading about the LAPD and how they do things. I also subscribe to the L.A. Times, though I live in Central Canada, but it keeps me up to date on what's happening in the city of Angels. In the end I never stop tinkering with my story until the day it gets taken way from me. That's why it was such a treat to get to revisit L.A.Heat for the e-book version. I'm one of those writers who love editing.

We often hear how important it is to write a good query letter to whet the appetite of an editor. What tips can you offer to help other writers pen a good query?

My biggest tip is Keep it Short. I don't know how many times I've heard of an agent or editor who rejected a submission sight unseen because the query letter was over 2 pages long (1 is even better) Why? Two reasons – tightness matters in todays books, and these people are inundated with thousands of queries a week. In some ways they are looking for an excuse to move on to the next one. I personally hate queries, but I've learned to write them, and I hone them with input from other people in the same boat.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

Many times. Even recently I wondered who I was kidding that I thought I could write. Fortunately I shared my depression with a good writing friend and he offered me support. It's a passing thing I've found and my need to write borders on a compulsion, so quitting isn't really an option. At one point I did quit, for several years, but the need crept up on me and forced me to get back into it. It's the only thing I've ever actually been addicted to in my life.

How much marketing/publicity do you do? Any advice in this area?


Do as much as you can, but keep it realistic. Taking out an ad in Publishers Weekly or People might be ego boosting, but probably won't result in tons more sales. I'm a big believer in web sites, blogs and an online presence. I belong to Sisters in Crime, and Crime Writers of Canada, both of which have an email list you can subscribe too. This gives marketing tips and a small chance to promote your books. I also belong to Gay Writers and Readers a great group of fans and writers of gay fiction. I try to keep active in all my groups, keeping my name out there.

Have you received a particularly memorable reader response?


I love hearing from total strangers who read something I did. The most memorable ones are the one who 'get' my characters, or better, who see something in them that I never did and I hear what it is, and think, “Yes! Er, I meant to do that...” But it's great to hear anything. Face it, writing is very solitary and any feedback I can get is a good thing. I actually made a really good online friend through my writing. We correspond all the time and he even helped me with my last book. He reads everything I write and sometimes has great suggestions.

Parting words?

A writer writes. A professional baseball player wouldn't expect to keep his form or ability by sitting around talking about baseball. Nor would a professional pianist. Everything takes practice. Lots of it. So if you're going to be a writer, then write. Leave the talk to all those people you will meet in your life who tell you they could write a book, secure in the knowledge, that no, they couldn't, because they aren't willing to commit the time and headache into doing it. Make no mistake, it's hard work and often thankless. But so very very gratifying in the end. I personally would keep on writing even if you told me tomorrow I'd never get another book published.