Welcome to The Historical Book Club Patty Wiseman and thanks so much for joining us today. 1. Are you a reader/writer? I’ve always been an avid reader with a bent toward writing. In the last 10 years finally realized the writing dream. 2. Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself? Are you married? Any kids? Where do you live? I’m married 21 years to my husband, Ron. I have 2 grown sons and a step-daughter. We have 11 grandchildren. I’ve lived in Woodlawn, Texas for 38 years, but was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. 3. What are your fondest memories of reading? I was that kid who hid a flashlight under the covers so I could continue to read all night! The fondest memory for me was my 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Bell. We had to move to Kansas because of my health. My older sister was going to school and I wanted to go, too. They tested me at 4 years old and let me enter the 1st grade. There was no Kindergarten at the time. Mrs. Bell opened up the world of words to me. With her unique story-telling abilities, I began my love of books, and that set me on the journey to be a writer, as well. 4. What are some of your favorite authors and books? In the last few years, I’ve become a big fan of Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander series. It’s fiction and its time travel, but she does a great job setting the historical scenes, and I love to step back in time. That is my pleasure reading. I’ve always been a big history buff and read a lot of biographies of past leaders, kings and queens. Other favorites are David McCullough and his biography of John Adams, Ron Chernow and his biography of Alexander Hamilton, & Jon Meacham’s book American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. 5. If you could describe what writing/reading means to you, how would you do so? As a child I listened to the amazing stories told by my colorful family. Those stories became the background for me to express my hopes and dreams, to refashion my life, so to speak. Reading took me to faraway places; writing allows me to reconstruct my world and to gain more control. I’m retired from a career of 25 years in the financial business. Retirement has allowed the creativity to blossom. 6. What is your favorite snack & drink while reading/writing? I don’t know why, but popcorn seems to help me concentrate. I use unsalted, unbuttered popcorn and a Dr. Pepper. I keep a wet towel next to me so the keys on my computer don’t suffer! The munching just helps somehow. 7. Which book do you think was best adapted into a movie? Why? After reading “John Adams” by David McCullough, I couldn’t wait to see the movie adaptation. I think because I loved how he portrayed Abigail, John’s wife. As a woman, I am fascinated by our strong predecessors, these women who blazed the way, who held down the home front. Yes, the book was about John Adams, but he wouldn’t have been the man he was without Abigail. I thought the movie portrayed that well. 8. Which book was the least successful adaptation into a movie? Why? I don’t know if this counts or not, but I went to see “Noah”. Worst movie I’ve ever seen. 9. Why do you like to read/write historical novels? I read them because I’ve always been fascinated by how we got to where we are. It all started as a child, trying to figure out how my family came to be, the stories of a grandfather I never knew and wanting to know more about him. When I discovered who he was, there was no turning back. I try to go back as far as I can in my family history. This conjures up stories and I have to write them. Each generation before me has molded and shaped the person I am. I become fascinated with the times they lived in, the hardships they endured. 10. Write your favorite quote and explain why you picked it? “Find out who you are, then do it on purpose.” ~ Dolly Parton This quote defines me. I’m certainly not Dolly, but she doesn’t apologize for her eccentric way. The 1st part of the quote has been my life’s journey. ‘Finding out who I am’. So many things in my life have been inconsistent, so putting the pieces of the puzzle together has been a journey. Now that I am older and have taken that journey, ‘Doing it on purpose’ has set me free to be me and to like it! 11. Any other things you’d like to share? This would be a good place for authors to mention their books. When I discovered who my grandfather was, the story wouldn’t let me go. Over the years, I felt cheated not to have known him. My father was only 10 months old when his father was killed in a brutal way, so he didn’t know him either. It affected him all his life because he was lied to for years. He searched for his father’s grave or any trace that he had been alive, but never found it. My dad died 20 years ago without answers. I took up the search, and with the power of the internet, found him. As I began to unravel his story I was amazed. A case of mistaken identity, an attempted kidnapping, all happening in the 1920’s during the height of the mafia wars. Why my grandmother hid all this from my dad is a question I will never have the answer to. My first book in the series, An Unlikely Arrangement, is based on the beginning of their story, an arranged marriage. My grandmother was 17, wild, and uncontrollable. Her parents decided a marriage would ensure her future and settle her down. Enter my grandfather. My father was the product of that marriage. Unfortunately, grandfather’s last name led to the mistaken identity. From there I fashioned a mystery series, based on the events in their life. I found the 1920’s was a very interesting time to write about and enjoyed doing the research to get the feel and flavor of that era. The first book went over so well, I was urged to write another. An Unlikely Beginning was born. This book conveys the secrets of my great-grandmother and how these secrets nearly destroyed the whole family. Again, many of the facts are in the book, but woven into a mystery. By now, I realized I would need a third book to complete the series. I knew what the ending was supposed to be, but I couldn’t bring myself to write it. The third book was born, An Unlikely Conclusion. In this book, I decided to end it the way I wanted it to end, the way it should have been. It’s a tribute to the grandfather I never knew. This story also reveals another long kept secret by an unlikely source. It changes everything the characters thought about their lives, and sets them on a different course. All 3 books have won awards which was an added thrill. Author of An Unlikely Arrangement Author of An Unlikely Beginning Author of An Unlikely Conclusion Amazon Author Page pattywiseman/
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 04:28:56 +0000
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