Author Interview with Patricia Bossano

Patricia Bossano
ULM: Do you have a new release coming up? If so, can you share with us readers what it is?
PB: Thank you, Danielle, so glad you ask! My current WIP is a philosophical fiction entitled “Daughters of the Bride: love and homegrown magic,” slated for publication on Halloween 2020, a night which will also bring us a Blue Moon! Following is the working blurb for the new novel:
“After the unexpected death of their father, the ‘weird sisters’ cling to one another and to their widowed mother; the ‘head witch.’
However, no traditional mourning rituals await them, instead, the three women flex their powers and embark on a distressing journey of reflection.
Amid the hilarity brought on by the head witch’s disconcerting return to a youthful attitude, difficult questions will be asked. Genetic memories must be acknowledged. Painful feelings must be expressed, and life-altering decisions will be made because, at the end of their journey, a new reality must be embraced by all for the family bond to be preserved.”
ULM: How did you get started in writing your books?
PB: I was in the 4th grade when a light went on for me about the importance of language, and I’d say my affinity with its written form began to develop in elementary school because of my issues with blushing. I had a lot to say but, for some reason, standing up in front of classmates made me heat up until my chest and face were covered in red blotches—it wasn’t even a pretty blush! Everyone would point, laugh, and ask “why,” which only added to my anxiety.
As an adult too, in conference room settings, the old discomfort would creep up at the most awkward moments (sigh). But, back to your question, I was inspired to write by a desire to communicate without becoming a blotchy mess who made herself, and everyone else, uncomfortable.

I started out small, writing journals and letters. I moved on to short stories in my teens, and I began tackling full length novels in my twenties.
ULM: I noticed you have other books published. What are your thoughts on the whole process?

PB: The experience I had a few years back with my first novel, Faery Sight, was grim in that finding a publisher or a literary agent willing to bet on me became an impossible feat. After months of discouraging pursuit and dozens of rejections, I snapped out of the traditional publishing quest and decided that since the story I’d written was a gift for the women in my family, the obvious path for me was to self-publish.
It helped a lot that I am one of those people who must re-invent the wheel every chance I get. So off I went to learn what I could about the publishing business, and never looked back. I have 4 titles published under my own imprint now (Water Bearer Press), and another on the way later this year.

Turns out, I am the publisher and literary agent who will bet on me!

ULM: What is it like being a published writer?
PB: You could say that as a published indie author, writing full-time, I am living the dream. The accuracy of that statement depends solely on how said author defines dream. As a philosophical fiction writer, I am working on that definition.
ULM: As a writer, what are your goals?

PB: I believe that as fiction writers, we fulfill a collective need to escape reality while launching alternate perspectives into the universe. I intend to keep up efforts to change my world, one novel perspective at a time.
ULM: Which of your characters did you enjoy creating the most?

PB: For some reason, the antagonists in my books are easier to write—Ederne, from the Faerie Legacy Series plastered herself on the pages without interference from me, ha-ha.
There is a certain enjoyment in that because I’m not worried about curbing an antagonist’s ‘bad’ to make them likeable.
Trent, from Abiku (one of Seven Ghostly Spins) is another antagonist who just did his own thing and drove the plot right along.

ULM: As a writer, what advice would you give to inspire would-be writers?

PB: It is important to PLAN your book out of respect for your readers. I begin a new project with three paragraphs detailing the beginning, middle, and ending of the novel. From there, I outline each chapter, establishing the structure of the book while looking for timeline issues or plot gaps. And then, when I feel comfortable with the flow, that is when I begin fleshing out the chapters.
While that is going and out of respect for your craft and for the people you love, you need to PRIORITIZE your time. Create a reasonable work timeline and stick to it. If you respect your writing hours, the people who love you, will too.

And then last, but not least, because this is out of respect for your dreams, you have to
PERSIST—never give up the dream.

ULM: What are some of the toughest parts you have experienced as an author? How did you overcome them?

PB: Whether you go the traditional route or independent, the publishing process is an overall complex industry filled with limitations and flexibilities. What I hadn’t known or expected was that becoming an independently published author would make me confront my fears on a daily basis, force me to define my dreams, and challenge me not just to believe in them, but also to follow through daily to make them come true.

I see my literary career (the writing, marketing, publishing) as the daily battle of the spiritual warrior, and although I might lose a battle here and there, I’m aiming to win the war by creating a body of work that—in the end—reflects my overall transformation in style, language, experience, and personal growth throughout the various stages of my life.
ULM: In three words, how would you describe your writing style?

PB: Vivid, magical realism.

ULM: Where can readers connect with you online? Where can they find your books?
Seven Ghostly Spins by Patricia Bossano

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