Interview with Patti Stockdale and a Giveaway!

Welcome to Readers Write to Know! I asked you, my readers, what questions they would ask their favorite authors if given the chance, and the authors visiting my blog answered them! This week, I have Patti Stockdale as my guest. I love the story about how she started writing — clearly God had a plan for her! I also love how her latest release was inspired! Read on to see how you can enter to win a copy of it!

Tell us about yourself: Patti loves hope, history, and a good happily ever after. She can’t remember numbers, so she married a statistician. Thanks to him, she’s lived all sorts of places and worked all sorts of jobs. For 11 years, she directed the programming at a nonprofit senior center and hosted an annual talent show, rocking a Dolly Parton wig, Annie Oakley boots, and a sweet-although snug-Batman costume. She no longer works there. These days, Patti writes books and reading assessments for an educational publisher.

Tell us about your current release: One forbidden love. Two broken hearts. Three little things.

Hattie Waltz should forget the troubled neighbor leaving for boot camp in 1917. He forgot about her ages ago. It had always been the Waltzs verses the Kregers, his family pitted against hers. When she hands him a farewell gift, a chemistry lesson unfolds. The good kind.

Arno Kreger can’t leave Iowa or his old man fast enough. He’s eager to prove his worth on the battlefield and stop blaming himself for his brother’s death. Before entering the train, he bumps into Hattie. He’s loved her forever, always from the sidelines, because nobody crosses Hattie’s pa.

One innocent letter soon morphs into many. Arno and Hattie share three little secrets in each letter and grow closer together. But he’s on his way to a war across the ocean, and she’s still in her father’s house. Their newfound love will need to survive dangers on both fronts.

What inspired you to start writing, or did you always want to write? I returned to college at the age of 35, taking classes two nights a week at a satellite campus. Although I valued the convenience, I had few choices on courses. But that was okay. I’d nail down the basics then declare a major. After the college canceled Western Civ one semester, my only other Monday/Wednesday option was, you guessed it, Creative Writing. Could I work full-time, raise a family, and complete the labor-intensive assignments? I had to try. Surprise, surprise. I fell in love with storytelling.

Do you write your books for your own enjoyment or more for what you think people would want to read? My favorite authors swoop me into their stories, tug on my heartstrings, and reveal how true love wins. I also appreciate deep POV and humor. Whether historical or contemporary, my goal is to write books I want to read.

Who was your first screen/musical crush? At a recent book signing back in my hometown, a friend reminded me I’d once mailed Christopher Knight, Peter Brady from the Brady Bunch, a fan letter. How had that slipped my mind? Anyway, according to my friend, he mailed me his autographed publicity photo. No, it’s no longer pinned to my bulletin board.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? Perseverance. I wrote the first draft of Three Little Things over 20 years ago. Then, it hid in a box while I worked at a busy nonprofit. A million times, I could have given up on my old dream but never caved. It’s not always the most talented writers who sign contracts. It’s those who hone their craft and never quit. My other tip is to hand the manuscript to God, let Him handle the worries and the rejections.

I’m always intrigued by how writers get started. Did you always have these books inside you and knew that you wanted to write them or did the idea just pop into your head one day and you decided to put pen to paper? I needed a new project for a creative writing class. At the same time, my mom and her sisters found an old tin of love letters their parents had exchanged. Writing a historical had never crossed my mind. But why not? I loved reading the genre. Once I persuaded the ladies to loan me their letters, I wrote the rough draft of Three Little Things. Initially, I tried to tell my grandparents’ story. But all great characters need flaws. Guess what? It was impossible to flaw my grandparents. After this revelation, my real-life characters morphed into fictional characters, making Three Little Things a much better book.

Here is where you can find Patti online:

Patti is giving a copy of Three Little Things to a reader! See below how to enter to win:a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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5 comments

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    • bn100 on July 1, 2020 at 22:11
    • Reply

    interesting writing inspiration

  1. Gorgeous cover. Sounds like a great read.
    NANCY recently posted…Guide to Not Wasting What Matters MostMy Profile

  2. Thanks for your thoughts Patti! I loved reading your responses, and I am hoping to read your book later this summer after my summer classes end 🙂 It sounds so good.

    • Paula on July 2, 2020 at 11:33
    • Reply

    This sounds like a great story!

    • Gabrielly on July 6, 2020 at 19:09
    • Reply

    Sounds like a great read. Can’t wait to read it.

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