Q&A
with Cat Patrick
Tell
us a little about your new book, The Originals.
The Originals is the story of the first
human clones. They are three identical sixteen-year-old girls, and because
human cloning is illegal, they hide their existence by living as one person
named Elizabeth Best. The way they do that is to split their days in thirds,
with one clone attending school in the morning; the second handling classes in
the afternoon; and the third being in charge of afterschool commitments like
their part time job, college course, and cheerleading. The system works well
until two of the clones fall for two different boys, which is an issue if
you’re supposed to be just one person. Like my previous two books, in addition
to the teen romance aspects, The Originals offers a bit of a mystery to round
out the story.
Where
and when do you write?
I’m most functional in the morning, so I
get up early and write until I need to pick up my twins from preschool. I also
generally write on Saturdays. I work in my home office in silence, usually with
a crunchy snack to keep me alert. (I read something once about how the act of
chewing crunchy things can wake you up. Or maybe I dreamed it when I was asleep
on my keyboard.)
If
you could have a super power, what would it be and why?
I would manipulate the wind. Growing up in
a windy place, strong gusts make me feel powerful and energetic. I would
protect suburbia from villains, one dust devil at a time.
Where
do your ideas come from for a book?
The idea store on Main Street.Or,
everywhere. I spoke recently at a high school where one of the students aspired
to be a professional yo-yo…uh…artist? Performer?Expert? In any event, that
stuck in my brain, and maybe it’ll find its way into a character dossier at
some point. I think getting inspired is often as simple as paying attention.
How
long does it take to write a book?
It varies. It took me three months to write
the first draft of Forgotten, but in a way, I needed to write it that quickly
to keep the rules of London Lane’s forward memory straight. The book I’m
working on now took me a year to finish the first draft, and it’s still not
where I want it to be.
How
do you get over writer’s block?
The best way to deal with writer’s block it
is to focus on something else for a while, and come back to your work with a
clear head. I also hear juggling works.
If
you could go anywhere in the world where would it be and who would you like
with you?
I’m going to cheat and say a few places—and
the place dictates the people. I’d love to be on a beach with my family. In
Ireland for the first time with my dad.In Paris with my French-speaking
girlfriend.In London with my publicist—because I’d love to travel there and
connect with readers.I love traveling; the list could go on for days.
Are
you a cat person or a dog person?
I don’t have pets, but I consider myself a
little of both. I realize that is extremely noncommittal, which is probably why
I don’t have pets.
Ketchup
or mustard on a hotdog?
Ketchup.Or mustard.Or ketchup.I love
condiments.
If
you could meet Teen Cat Patrick, what advice/encouragement/secret about the
future would you tell her?
Don’t be so hard on the person in the
mirror. And step away from the hairspray.
Would
you rather have your life narrated by Morgan Freeman in real time, or scored by
John Williams?
I have serious love for Morgan Freeman, but
I have to go with the John Williams score. I hear music in my head all the time
anyway: It might as well be really great music.
·
My family
·
A little box with birth
certificates and passports and things
·
The computer, where my writing
and photos are stored
What’s
next for you?
Just Like Fate, which I co-wrote with
Suzanne Young (The Program) comes out in August. It’s about how the choices we make can change
our paths in life: Suzanne and I wrote the same main character after she has to
make a critical decision. Beyond that, I’m hard at work on my next novel. I
hope to share more details about that one in the coming months.
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