Is This All There Is?

About author, Patricia Mann:  Patricia Mann grew up in New York and moved to California when she was fourteen. She is a professor of communication studies in Los Angeles and lives with her husband, their two kids, and a silly old dog.  Patricia loves to be outside – running, hiking, biking, or walking.  Reading has always been a one of her greatest passions.

INTERVIEW

You knew you were a writer when…?  I was seven years old and I couldn’t get enough of writing so my second grade teacher allowed me to write my autobiography for extra credit.  I have it right here on my desk for inspiration.  It’s pretty cool – with a hard cover decorated in something that looks like 70s psychedelic wallpaper.

Hard/paperbacks or eBooks?  The smell and feel of a paperback that I can’t put down is something I’ll always love and need.  But recently, I’ve discovered the pleasure of reading on my iPad right before bed, in a darkened room, all tucked in, with the light conveniently provided for me.

You write under a pseudonym.  How did you come up with the name?  My dear friend Corie, brilliant author of the book Orfan, and I were sitting in a coffee shop.  She peppered me with questions about people from my past and places that were significant to me, and we came up with the name together.  If I were to be more specific, I might give myself away. 🙂

How has the social media helped you in your career as a writer?  I started blogging a few months before my book was published, which helped me build a following and engage people in an honest conversation about the themes in my novel – marriage, parenting, sex, the temptation of infidelity, body image, careers, friendships, family, and much more.  I also love to tweet and play on Facebook!  The supportive community of authors I’ve become a part of online is something I cherish more than I ever could have imagined.

Who are your top three favorite authors?  This is so hard! I have so many favorites, but I’ll just say the first three that come to mind: Marion Zimmer Bradley (Mists of Avalon is my favorite book), Barbara Kingsolver, Maya Angelou.

Walk us through your experience of the writing/editing/publishing process:  I was happy being a wife, mother, and professor, but I’ve always been someone who needs to be doing a million things and needs new and exciting experiences. So I joined a weekly novel writing group and went along chapter by chapter, getting valuable feedback from the group members.  I didn’t initially intend for the book to be about an affair between a professor and her former student, but that was somehow the story that came out.  After four years in the group, I felt the book was finished. Though it all started as more of a hobby, positive feedback from readers made me think the book had a shot.  I queried agents and attended writing conferences praying for someone to take me on.  No such luck.  I established a few connections and there were hints at possibly working with me if I changed some things about the book, but in the end, I wanted to be true to my story and myself, even if it would never be published.  I gave up on the book completely for four years.  Then my friend Corie, who always believed in my book, introduced me to her indie publisher.  I realized that was the route for me and began to dust off the book (the computer file, really).  I was shocked by how much work it still needed.  I spent many hours editing and finding inconsistencies that needed to be fixed.  I was blessed to have several friends read and help me edit.  My publisher was very helpful in teaching me what I needed to know to get the book out there and spread the word.  It has been quite the adventure since the book was released on 1/3/13!  I wrote a blog post about the whole process and the miraculous things that happened along the way, in case anyone is interested: http://www.patriciamann.me/thank-you/

What is your favorite word?  Love (cheesy, but true)

If your book were turned into a movie, who would you want to play the parts?  Beth would be Kate Winslet or Jenna Fischer, Dave would be Justin Timberlake, and Rick would be Matt Damon.

Coffee or tea?  Depends on how tired I am. Love them both.

What is the best advice you’ve been given?  YOLO – my kids say it all the time. Trying to take more risks since I’m the second half of the game now.

If you could be on one reality TV show, what would it be?  I would make up my own reality show where I get to hang out with Oprah!

Can you tell us about any of your upcoming projects?  I’m writing a sequel to my novel, Is This All There Is? and also working on a chick lit book co-authored with my mom, who is a nurse and has incredible stories about what goes on in a hospital.

**Is This All There Is? will be on sale for 99 cents from April 4th to April 11th!

**Click HERE to watch the Is This All There Is? book trailer!

**Buy the book:  Amazon   Barnes & Noble

**Contact Patricia Mann:  Website/Blog   Facebook Fan Page   Facebook Friend Page   Twitter