About Michael L. Patton:
I've been writing poetry and short stories since I was in grade school, and used to love sitting on my grandfather's back porch listening to him tell stories. While I did not have his gift for doing it verbally, I found that I was able to write stories. After college and graduate school I ended up working in telecommunications and computers. Having always dreamed of writing, in 2015 I left the technology sector, bought thirteen acres in the country and started writing novels. I enjoy it and hope the readers do too. I love to explore relationships between characters and their love for animals.
What inspires you to write?
I sometimes like to sit in public and listen to a clip of a conversation out of context and then imagine how those people got there, who they are, and what's going on. Other times it has more to do with a moment, or a place, and trying to capture it to share with others how much it means to me or the feel of it. This last idea was what started the Dan Williams and Syd Series, was my love of the area up in the hills east of San Jose and trying to represent the essence of it.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
I recently found Taylor brown and fell in love with his prose. I also enjoy C .J. Box, Craig Johnson, and B. K. Froman in the mystery genre, as well as others in history and science. I think I follow about ten on Bookbub.
Tell us about your writing process.
I usually start a story with an kernel of an idea what triggers it to begin, and what point I want to make or how it should end. I will begin the story and within a few pages or chapters I know if it will work. Sometimes the characters convince me to change the ending a bit as it did with the third book in the Dan Williams and Syd series. After getting to know the killer's character it was obvious he would not fall for the trick I had planned to end it.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
As mentioned above, I do. They often let you know what they would or would not do. Sometimes a minor character will end up grabbing more of a role than you'd planned.
What advice would you give other writers?
Find a writer's group.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I decided to self-publish at first to hone my skills and get feedback. I haven't jumped to the dark side (kidding) yet, but who knows in the future. I figured I could get feedback from a smaller audience regarding whether there was an audience for my writing rather than a stack of rejection letters.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Unless something changes dramatically it will continue to be a hybrid between publishers and self-published. The self-published segment will likely split into tiers of quality with sites that allow policing by the readers themselves.
What genres do you write?: mystery – animal/humor
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print, Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Michael L. Patton Home Page Link
Link To Michael L. Patton Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
