Author Interview: Cat Patrick

Today I have the pleasure of having Cat Patrick author of Forgotten, Revived, The Originals and co-author of Just Like Fate with Suzanne Young.

Hi Cat. Thanks for being here.

Thanks for having me!

What is the first thing you do when you sit down to write a book?

I obsess about the character’s names. I take my time naming them: looking up meanings, creating nicknames, etc. I will have to spend a lot of time with those names, so I want them to be right. I’m not an outliner, so from there, I just pretty much start writing.

All of your books have had very unique ideas. How do you come up with them?

Inspiration really does come from everywhere: You just have to be open to noticing the people, places, things around you. Specifically, the idea for Forgotten hit me when I was thinking about amnesia; I thought: What if you could remember forward instead? The concepts for Revived and The Originals were both products of my reading strange science news on the internet and letting my brain run away with the ideas. Just Like Fate is similar in concept to the movie Sliding Doors: I’ve long wanted to explore the “what if” moments in life in that way, but it took for me to meet Suzanne Young to really get that idea right.

All of your books, so far, have been stand alone. Do you plan on writing a series?

Yes, the (unsold) book I’m writing now will be the first in a series.

Of the books that you have written, which is your favourite and why?

That’s like asking me to choose between my babies! I love them all for different reasons: Forgotten for being the first, and for its twist; Revived for the emotional side of it: Audrey’s story was inspired by a family friend’s; The Originals for its exploration of the bonds of sisterhood; and Just Like Fate for the new—and amazing—experience of writing with another author.

What would you like to do in the next 10 years?

Be the best mom I can be. Travel. Write a TON. Sell a series. Be healthy and happy and spend time with people who make me laugh.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Well, write. We all make excuses for putting it off, but the way to get better is to write all the time. Also, read. I get so much inspiration from others’ amazing work. 

I would once again like to thank Cat for being here! Make sure to check out her books.