kevinpeter

Kevin Peter of Moterwriter.com caught up with author Patty Lesser and got her to talk a little about her book A Discerning Heart. This is what transpired in the tête-à-tête with the author.

Kevin Peter: Tell us something about yourself and what you do?

Patty Lesser: I’m a full time author. I work 7 hours a day, 7 days a week. I only take days off when I can’t work. I’m always working on a novel. If I get stuck with one, I move to another and work on it for a while.

KP: ‘A Discerning Heart’ – give the short take on it?

PL: It’s about a poor man who dreams of becoming rich and famous. He sets out to achieve greatness only to fall victim to the mighty ocean. Saved by a mermaid, his life changes.

KP: What was the inspiration behind this book?

PL: I was chatting with a guy named Jim who said I should marry a rich fisherman. I said only a poor fisherman would want me and then Dim Jim was born.

KP: Tell us something about your main characters Jim & Merrow?

PL: Jim and Merrow are completely fictitious and totally my imagination. They developed naturally as the novel progressed. Of course, part of them is me behaving as if I was them.

KP: Jim and Merrow aren’t exactly role model material. Are you apprehensive about how readers will react to them?

PL: No. People fell in love with Thomas Hardy’s characters even though they were terminally flawed. I hope my novel reminds people of Hardy.

KP: What kind of research did you have to undertake for this book and were there any reference points that you relied upon?

PL: Actually, the whole book is completely my imagination with some historical references I researched. I love history so I had some background in the genre.

KP: Was there any specific thought/idea/message that you wanted to explore with this novel?

PL: I wrote a novel with a thought to Thomas Hardy’s novels as well as the Count de Monte Cristo by Dumas. I wanted to explore humanity.

KP: If given a choice, would you choose to spend the rest of your life alone in a utopian island with a beautiful mate or would you want the cacophony that a civilization brings and the company of a variety of people?

PL: Being alone on a deserted island with a mate is very romantic and idealistic but it isn’t realistic. No one could survive that way. We need people around us to bring a difference to our lives. We need change and excitement or life would stagnate.

KP: Do you read other author’s works while writing? Authors claim it can serve as both an inspiration and a distraction.

PL: To be honest, I’ve been working on 3 books for the past few months. I haven’t done much reading except for my own stuff which has taken my whole concentration. I find it a distraction to read other novels.

KP: The story inside the story about pirate captain Frank Sexton. Do you see yourself developing that thread into a full blown book in the future?

PL: No sequel will come from this book. I’m not much into sequels. I love pirate stories but don’t believe I could do justice to the story. If you want to see pirates, I would just recommend the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

KP: The last book you’ve read that you would recommend?

PL: I highly recommend the memoir, And Then There Were Nun by Jane Christmas.

KP: What’s next for you?

PL: My thriller novel, The Perfect Hand, is finished and off to the editor. It should be ready for publishing in a couple of months. It’s about 5 poker buddies who uncover a conspiracy.

KP: And lastly, thank you for parting with your valuable time Patty Lesser and all the very best for your book.

PL: Thank you for the interview.

Connect with her at – http://www.pattylesser.com/

Buy From - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015EPA1J0/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb