Cat Patrick-Interview with the Author

With the May 7 release of THE ORIGINALS The Reading Cafe like to welcome the author Cat Patrick.

TRC: Hi Cat and welcome to The Reading Café. We would like to start with some background information for anyone who does not know about Cat Patrick. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Cat: Sure! I’m a mom of twins and a writer of young adult novels living near Seattle, WA with my family. I was born and raised in Wyoming, and have lived in Kansas, Boston, and San Francisco. I think I was British in a past life.

TRC: Your website bio information reads like a ‘bucket list’ of things you have done. What five things would you like to do that you have not already attempted?

Cat: Hmm…let’s see. I’d like to:
Walk the red carpet at the premiere of a movie adapted from one of my novels.
Be in a music video.
Travel to Ireland. And Spain. And Brazil. Okay, just travel.
Surf. Except that I’m really, really afraid of sharks and drowning.
Write a trilogy.

TRC: THE ORIGINALS is your May 7, 2013 young adult release about three cloned sisters. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

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Cat: The story is about the first human clones and the lengths they go to in order to hide their background from the outside world. They live as one person, with one of them attending school in the morning; the next going to classes in the afternoon; and the other handling extracurriculars and a part-time job. It works well until two of the clones fall for different guys. And, as with all of my books to date, there’s a mystery element driving the story forward, as well.

TRC: How much research (logistical, historical, scientific etc) was required in writing this particular storyline?

Cat: Most of my research for this book was scientific. I did a fair bit of reading about cloning, human and otherwise, and an extensive amount of bothering my Real Live Scientist friend about things like what labs look like, and whether my “fake science” was too far fetched. She was my Science Adviser for Revived, too, and is the reason I know about things like a PCR machine.

TRC: Would you please tell us about the catalyst that sparked your interest in writing a story about ‘cloned’ sisters?

Cat: The catalyst was my busyness, honestly. One day I was doing laundry while wishing I was simultaneously playing dress up with my twins AND writing a new scene. I thought: I need a clone! No, I need TWO clones! I started wondering what that would be like, then got sort of sucked into the idea…the story came together from there.

TRC: What do you believe is the message (if any) surrounding The Originals storyline?

Cat: I think the message is that we’re all unique, and should be proud of that. It’s easy to sink into a role and feel like you’re one of many–particularly in high school where standing out is sometimes viewed as a negative. I hope what people take from The Originals that it’s important to like what we see in the mirror, not in spite of our differences, but because of them.

TRC: Do your storyline characters speak to you and tell you the direction of the story or do you direct the characters?

Cat: They direct me for sure. I am not an outliner, so I usually just start with a vague concept and let the characters guide the story.

TRC: How do you deal with the stress and anxiety of writing deadlines?

Cat: I’m a tiny bit Type A and spent fifteen years doing deadline-driven public relations work; therefore, I tend to be highly motivated by the ticking clock. What’s harder for me, honestly, is slowing down. I’m working on something that is taking much longer to write than my first few books–and it should, because it’s bigger and more challenging–but part of me is always screaming, HURRY UP!

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception about yourself?

Cat: That I know how to answer this question.

TRC: What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?

Cat:
Continuing to raise two happy kiddos.
Publishing at least five new novels.
Obtaining fewer than 15 new wrinkles.
Visiting at least ten new cities.
Trying something new. Screenplays? Drumming? World domination?

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Cat: I don’t want to say too much, but my WIP is set in my home state and written from six different POVs, many of them boys, which I’m really enjoying.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Cat: Thanks for giving me the opportunity to get spread the word about my books. People may also want to check out Just Like Fate, which I co-wrote with the amazingly talented Suzanne Young (A Need So Beautiful, The Program, etc.), and which is coming out in August of this year.

ORDER:  Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
cream cheese

Favorite Dessert
mint chip ice cream

Favorite TV Show
The Walking Dead

Last Move You Saw
Warm Bodies

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Thanks to Martha Brockenbrough, who feeds me chocolate to make me type faster on our writing retreats, I’ll go with dark.

Favorite Flower
Tulips

TRC: Thank you Cat for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations, again, on The release of THE ORIGINALS. We wish you all the best.

Cat: You’re welcome. Thank you so much!