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MFT Interview and Giveaway with Patricia Elliot
Please welcome Patricia Elliot to the blog! Patricia is the author of The Pale Assassin, the (soon to be released in the US) The Traitor’s Smile,and much more! She’s also offered some giveaway books and swag, so please check out the details at the bottom of the post!
Patricia, you write everything from Supernatural Thrillers and Gothic Fantasy, to Historical Thrillers! It says on your website that you began writing when you were six. Did you ever imagine that you’d grow up to be a successful writer?
It was definitely part of my game plan from six years old to about…eighteen, I guess! I didn’t realize during my childhood just how hard it is to be a published writer and how difficult it is – when you’ve got a job and/or children – to find time to write. Although I was always scribbling something, I didn’t start to write seriously until my children were at school full-time. And I’d written two novels before my third one was published.
What is your favorite genre to write, or do you like writing all of them equally?
My favorite is always the genre that I’m writing in at the time! I love writing historical because of the freedom it gives your characters (young people are so restricted these days) and because of the research, which I enjoy; but I also love writing fantasy and supernatural thrillers because then I can really use my imagination.
What were some of your biggest literary influences when you were growing up?
I tried to ‘copy’ my favourite books, which were the Moomin books by Tove Jansson, the historical novels of Rosemary Sutcliff and the fantasies of Alan Garner. I read a lot of myths and fairy tales, especially the Norse myths and English folk tales, and I think these have had a lasting influence. I also remember loving Elizabeth Enright, the Hardy boys and Nancy Drew (yes!) and Jane Yolen. So – a real mixture.
Do you have any contemporary favorites?
Too numerous to mention. I read widely, often novels to do with what I’m writing at the moment, not necessarily contemporary – for instance, I’m re-reading Wilkie Collins’s ‘The Moonstone’ just now. I haven’t read it since I was thirteen, and what a great classic it is, full of atmosphere and mystery! I’m also reading Kate Summerscale’s ‘ The Suspicions of Mr Whicher’, a true-life detective story from the Victorian period.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
Not sure if it is a quirk or not, or if it’s particularly interesting, but I do have to write notes on each of my novels in a particular type of notebook. They have to be A4, lined, with black boards, and I buy them from a stationery chain. I’ve bought the same notebook for all my novels. I write down anything that suddenly comes into my head that might be something I might find useful at some point in writing the novel. So the pages are full of these scribbled thought processes, and I now have a number of these rather undistinguished black notebooks piling up!Are you a plotter or a pantser?
A plotter. I like to know the beginning and the end, and my characters fairly thoroughly. I like to leave the middle to work out as I write, knowing how the story must resolve. That way it’s always interesting, and I discover new things as I go along.
It says on your website that you spent most of your childhood in Europe and the Far East! What were some of your favorite parts of living in Singapore?
Singapore City itself was a very different place then. Very few high rise buildings, lots of old colonial ones, and a warren of streets with little houses and shops that teemed with color and life and exotic smells, especially down by the docks. I loved going to a place called ‘Change Alley’ where you could get the most wonderful silks very cheaply. It seemed like a magical world, all those rolls of brightly colored materials, which I used to buy in tiny amounts to make clothes for my puppets. We had a lovely cookboy called Dong, who cooked the best roast chicken and rice I’ve ever tasted, and when he left us (as he had to: he had TB), he gave me a glass ornament with tiny figures and a landscape inside, which I still have in my study today.
Can you tell us more about the Raffles Library?
It was an imposing colonial building on several floors, with a grand staircase. The children’s books were on the second floor. No air-conditioning in those days, of course, but huge fans that whirred above your head. The rather dusty children’s books ranged from Victorian melodramas with the child usually dying, to slightly more contemporary ones! A little old man sat in an office at the top of the staircase – he was in charge, I think – and I remember my mother telling him – much to my embarrassment – that I must be allowed more than two books a week because I was going to be a writer when I grew up! She got her way.
What do you love most about living near the River Thames?
I like the way you can see the shape of the river so clearly and imagine so easily how it must have looked through history. Opposite us are some beautiful eighteenth century houses and further along, the trees come right down to the water, so it looks much as it did in Henry the Eighth’s time, when the river was the most convenient form of transport.
What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?
I am not a particularly daring person (I like my characters to have my adventures for me!) but playing a dares game in the dormitory at boarding school, I had to go alone around the icy edge of the roof at night. There was a parapet, but in places it was broken away, so there was a sheer drop. I’ve also sailed a boat through an electric storm to safety in harbor. That was frightening. The world turned green!
Can you tell us something about yourself that not a lot of people know?
Although I seem gentle on the outside, I am quite fierce on the inside, particularly when it comes to defending children and animals.
Is there any news about upcoming projects or events that you’d like to share?
I’m helping to organize a creative writing festival for young people in South London to take place next year, and co-pioneering a ‘celebration of story-making’ in East Anglia for the following year. At the moment I’m writing a murder mystery set in the Victorian period, and having great fun reading up about poisons (much to my husband’s alarm!).
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
*Giveaway is for 4 copies of The Pale Assassin+swag (4 winners)-please note: Patricia is sending me the books from the UK, so please be patient if you’re one of the winners. I’ll get them to you as quickly as I can!
**GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED**
**GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED**
41 Responses to “MFT Interview and Giveaway with Patricia Elliot”
Author comments are in a darker gray color for you to easily identify the posts author in the comments
Awesome interview! Patricia sounds as though she's lived quite an exciting life. Thanks for the generous giveaway.
aveelachild@gmail.com
I've concluded that you're my pusher.
Mippi283 dot hotmail dot com
Great interview! I found so fascinating reading about Patricia's life in Singapore. I would love to travel there someday.
Jennie
un3xpectedfate[at]hotmail[dot]com
LOL – on the poison research.
this new series sounds so intriguing.
vvb32 at yahoo.com
Great interview! Loved Singapore, when we visited it last year! Thanks for the giveaway!
GFC: Candice
candicerjames (at) gmail (dot) com
What a great interview and giveaway!
LLM – ABookGeek
abookgeek AT gmail DOT com
Im a total floozy when it comes to historical fiction/ thrillers . Can't be helped, I like em too much.
info (at) tipsyreader (dot) com
p.s. thanks for introducing me to all of books!!
Oh wow…Great interview. I love getting to 'meet' new authors!
)
Book sounds very intriguing, count me in!
quarterback.girl[at]gmail[dot]com
Great interview! I enjoyed reading about Patricia's life in Singapore. When I was in high school I had a pen-pal that lived in Singapore.
This book sounds very good.
beckyqward(at)gmail(dot)com
Great interview and giveaway! I love learning about "new" authors!
kliu107(at)gmail(dot)com
Great interview and the cover of The Pale Assassin is beautiful. Sounds like the author has lived an exciting life-and now quite a busy one. She's definitely daring, because I'm afraid of heights and would never do what she did, parapet or not.
Evie
cavernem AT gmail DOT com
http://thebookfiendreviewsbooks.blogspot.com/
Great interview, thanks!
thegirlonfire27 at gmail dot com
thank you for visiting, Patricia!! & thank you for the giveaway!!!!
i am excited to read ThePaleAssassin!!!!
cyn209(AT)juno(DOT)com
I enjoyed the interview, Patricia's books sound very interesting.
Barbed1951 at aol dot com
I loved the interview! It's always fun to get to know the author of the books you read. Ke7yca@gmail.com
thanks for this giveaway. i've alwways wanted to read this book.
ajiehuang1997(at)gmail(dot)com
Really great interview. Wow, your time in Singapore sounded nice, I hope Dong is okay now though. Can't believe you started writing at the age of 6. I love the way you describe River Thames, it sounds beautiful. I wish I had pictures *heads to Google Images* LOL! I know I would have been scared out my wits as well if I had to sail through an electric storm. Can't wait for the upcoming book, sound intriguing. Thank you for the great interview and giveaway guys
drharleyquinn87 (at) gmail (dot) com
Sorry for the deletion i forgot to leave contact info…but i am really excited for the book !!!
contact
coffee_ishita@yahoo.com
Thanks for the Giveaway!! I enjoyed the interview:)
ebbith0115[at]gmail[dot]com
Great interview! Singapore sounds like an interesting place to live.
liedermadchen(at)hotmail(dot)com
What a wonderful interview today – thanks for sharing.
dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com
Loved it, thanks!
Vivien
deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com
I'm a big fan, Patricia! I would really like to win a copy of this book, so thanks so much for the opportunity:) I wouldn't say no to the swag, either! I love me some good swag! <3
jwitt33 at live dot com
Z
I really want to read the book. It sounds very good. I wouldlove to read the rest of the books also. They sound good. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
Thanks for the giveaway
Chllybrd(at)gmail.com
Copying fave book masters is like copying art masters. I never thought of that for writers. So interesting.
books (dot) things (at) yahoo (dot) com
Thanks for the giveaway!
mce1011 AT aol DOT com
Great interview! Thank you for the giveaway as well!
wolfluvr420 at yahoo dot com
Great interview! I'd love to win a copy of this book!
basicallyamazingbooks [at] gmail.com
Wow, that's quite a variety of genres! The upcoming book about the Victorian era murder sounds fun. Learning about poisons is interesting!
Thank you for the giveaway!
imagesandwords at optonline dot net
would love to win this. I follow via GFC
scrtsbpal at yahoo dot com
That sounds like an awesome library. I can only imagine what kind of mom she had.
Lindadao2060 at yahoo dot com
Thanks for the giveaway
jenhedger at hotmail dot com
That's quite a mix of great influences on your writing!! The covers are so beautiful! Thank you for the contest!
inthehammockblog at gmail dot com
thanks for the giveaway, the interview was great!
starlightgirl678 at aol dot com
The book sounds good! Good luck with the writing festival!
meredithfl at gmail dot com
Great interview love the cover
Ktalley28@gmail.com
great interview ty for sharing, sound interesting!
pams00 @ aol.com
Looks like a good book! Thanks for the giveaway.
Clara
thewannabeknight at gmail dot com
I hadn't heard of this author before, but her books sound amazing. Thanks for the giveaway!
loganeturnerblog[at]gmail[dot]com
Great interview! I'm definitely intrigued by these books!
Mare
tommygirl828 (at) gmail (dot) com