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Jessica R. Patch interview with Susan Sleeman
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January 04, 2016
A: I’m a former early childhood educator and director as well as a wife of an ordained minister and mom to a teenage daughter and pre-teen son. I love Perrier and find that very few others do, including my family. But that’s okay because I know I’m never going to open my fridge and find that I’m out. I’m also a movie buff and possible Netflix addict. I live in MS and most of my novels are set in the South. Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? A: I’ve always loved storytelling but didn’t actively pursue writing until 2008. Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break? A: I attended my first writing conference in 2010 where I met with Rachel Kent of Books & Such. I pitched my idea and she asked for the full manuscript. A few months later she offered me representation and began shopping my manuscripts. In early 2015, she suggested I write a book for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line. So I did. And they bought my manuscript a couple of months later.
A: Fatal Reunion is story about second chances and God’s mercy. My heroine became involved with a group of thieves in her early years and it’s come back to bite her in the behind. Not to mention she’s a suspect in a murder, and the detective on the case is the former undercover cop she fell in love with and betrayed years earlier. Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Fatal Reunion? A: Piper owns a karate dojo and that idea came from my husband and son who happen to be black belts. I also love reunion romances, so I knew the hero and heroine had to have a past together. Once I had the idea, the characters came to life and told me the rest. Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story? A: I hope readers who have made past mistakes know they don’t have to continue beating themselves up over it. If God forgives us, and He does, then we need to be able to forgive ourselves. I also hope they enjoy the wild ride! Q: What is your favorite scene/chapter from the book? A: Oh man! That’s a tough question. There’s the first kiss scene I so very much love because it’s tender and intense and on the heels of a near-fatal blow. But I also love the scene when Piper whips a grown man in a pool hall down on Beale Street. She’s seriously tough on the outside and yet terribly tender inside. Q: What inspires you to write? A: Story. I love telling a story. It’s like a burning in my bones. Melodramatic maybe, but that’s the only way I know to describe it. Q: How has being a published novelist differed from your expectations of the profession? A: I’ve been studying the industry for a long time and over the years have made lasting friendships with authors so I don’t feel like it’s much different than what I expected, other than more email. J Q: What advice or tips do you have for writers who are just getting started? A: Don’t expect to be an overnight sensation. Learning the craft and discovering your voice takes time. It’s a marathon not a sprint. Be patient. Be prayerful. Be persistent. Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now? A: I am working on a synopsis for my 4th Love Inspired Suspense that was recently contracted. And I’m sure content edits for the 3rd book will come soon. Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do? A: Like I said earlier, I watch way too much Netflix and am a movie buff. So, TV and movies. I like to hang out with my family. Sit in my sunroom and daydream or walk along the edge of my pond and plot stories! I also love drinking coffee with friends and talking for hours. Q: Where can readers find you on the internet?
Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us? A: My 2nd LIS book, Protective Duty, is now available for pre-order on Amazon! |
Jessica R. Patch is an inspirational speaker and author of over 26 novels. She lives with her husband and children just south of Memphis, TN, across the border in Mississippi.
