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Guest: Interview with Helen Pattskyn.
May. 10th, 2012 09:51 amToday, I'm joined by Helen Pattskyn, here to talk about her book, ghost huntings and her dogs. Take it away, Helen!
~***~
1. Tell us a little about your interest in ghost hunting and haunted places.
One of my earliest childhood memories is of sitting in front of the television watching In Search of…, with Leonard Nemoy (which should tell both you and your readers how old I am! *g* I don’t actually make any secret of my age). I was always fascinated by the things we can’t completely understand, ghosts, lake monsters, cryptozoology… it probably doesn’t hurt that my spiritual/religious beliefs allow for things that the average person calls “super natural”—I just call it “stuff science hasn’t explained—yet.”
2. Where do you get your inspiration for your stories?
Everywhere. Literally. Some of them come from bits and pieces of my own life, or things people have told about their lives (when I was in high school, I had friends who literally refused to tell me what they’d done over the weekend, for fear I would turn up in something I wrote, someday).
The idea for my debut novel, Heart’s Home came from a painting in the art show, at Dragon*Con, 2011. The image was a Victorian era woman and great big snarly werewolf—although they were clearly companions, not at odds with one another. I thought “That’s cool, but what if the lycan were a woman and the human were a man…or better yet, what if they were both men, lovers. How did they meet, I wonder…?” And immediately, I knew the answer: over the body of a dead prostitute in the street.
3. What are you working on at the moment?
As soon as I wrap up the Ghosthunting Michigan, for Clerisy Press, I’m going to dig back into the romance (m/m) I started earlier in the year. It doesn’t have a solid title at the moment, because all of the working titles I had were tongue in cheek—but then as I realized that one of the boys was HIV positive. Yes, a lot of us “realize” these things about our stories along the way. Suddenly the lighthearted “easy” write I’d started got a lot more serious and it needs a title to match.
I’m also working on a sequel to Heart’s Home, hoping to get that into Dreamspinner Press for consideration by the end of the year, as well. (My goal is to submit three more romance novels by the end of the year).
4. I have to ask about your dog - he's a Mexican hairless dog, how did he enter your life? (He's adorable, btw.)
Thank you! He really is a love. My husband is terribly allergic to dog fur, but I am dog person through and through; my life is not complete without a canine in it. Of course I’ve always had these big fluffy, hairy beasts… and truth be told, if I’d discovered hairless breeds 20 years ago, I would always have had them. It is *so* nice not to be covered in dog hair on a daily basis! I did try to sell my husband on a standard (large) poodle, or a puli, both of which have hair, not fur, and Michigan winters are awful cold for a hairless dog, but he really doesn’t like poodles and definitely didn’t want a “rag mop dog”.
5. What’s your favorite place in the entire world?
Of the places I’ve actually been, I’d have to say Appalachia. My husband and I have talked about moving to North Carolina, where he has family—although I was recently in Allegan Michigan on a “ghost hunting adventure”, and really fell in love with the town. When it comes down to it, I’m a small town girl.
6. Has your upbringing influenced your writing?
Absolutely. The other main character in my HIV story is of Russian descent, just like me. I’ve written lots of characters with odd and dysfunctional families, just like mine, although truthfully, I’m of the opinion that no family is fully functional, but mine really knew how to put the “fun” in dysfunctional, a fact that I’m not ashamed of, much to their chagrin. She’s gone now, but my grandmother would definitely have preferred I sweep the “bad stuff” under the rug.
7. What genre are you most comfortable writing?
Paranormal/supernatural and urban fantasy are definitely my comfort zones, but I also love a good contemporary romance and really love writing BDSM/kink, mostly because it’s so hard to find good books written in that genre. Regardless of genre, though absolutely has to be m/m (or m/m/m); I don’t get into het romance at all.
8. What do you do to unwind and relax?
I work in my garden; digging into the dirt is very relaxing and it always seems to clear out the mental cobwebs. When I can’t get into the garden, I’ll take a walk or curl up with a good book—and my dog. At forty pounds, he is convinced that he’s a lapdog and I don’t have the heart to tell him otherwise.
9. What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?
The best thing about writing—other than having my novel published, which is such an amazing feeling—has been getting to meet so many wonderful people.
10. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
A librarian. I actually have a library degree (the two-year degree, not a masters), but finding a job in library science is nigh unto impossible these days.
11. What inspired you to pen your first novel?
I already talked a little bit about how the story for Heart’s Home developed in my head, but I would never have had what it took to go from “idea” to “finished novel” if it weren’t for the support of my fanfiction readers. For the past few years, I’ve been penning Torchwood fanfiction and I’ve gotten not just great feedback, but some really helpful constructive criticism that has made my work so much stronger. I’m especially grateful to the beta reader who helped me tame the wild em dash…although I’m sure Lynn, at Dreamspinner, would like to see them reigned in a little (a lot) more!
It was truly fanfiction readers who inspired me to write original fiction. Unfortunately the downside had been that the more original fiction I write, the less fanfiction I have the time for.
11. Tell us about your current release.
At its very core, Heart’s Home is about overcoming differences and finding true love. It’s also an urban fantasy about werewolves and demons and murder in Victorian London. Both James (my human) and Alun (my werewolf) are hurting.
Alun has completely given up ever having any kind of love or companionship in his life; he was banished from his birth pack by his father because of his sexual orientation. Lycanthropes are even more prejudice than humans, which is saying something, considering the era.
James on the other hand is an idealist who truly believes that love conquers all, he just has to find the right man—of course initially, all he thinks he and Alun need to overcome are their class and socio-economic differences. Learning that the man he loves isn’t a man at all comes as a bit of a shock…but in the end, love really does win out. I will always, always write “happily ever after” endings. Yes, I’m a bit of a sap *g*.
12. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I only hear from them a little bit, but the feedback I’ve gotten has been really positive. I’ve also had a lot of folks asking whether or not there’s going to be a sequel, to which the answer is “yes, two of them”. I really love hearing from readers (hint!)
14. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your book?
Yes, lots! I would have taken more time to polish it, tighten some parts, draw out others, have at least two more beta readers…I totally freaked out when I got the galley, the final proof that you’re really not supposed to make too many changes on, because suddenly I hated everything about it. But the truth is that every author says stuff like that, we’ll always find more flaws in our own work than the worlds harshest critics. On the advice of another writer, I’m going to take all those things that I would change and file them away for another story!
15. And last but not least, the question I ask every interviewee - if you were to come back as a plant in the next life, what would you be and why?
LOL! I would love to be a belladonna atropa. They’re quietly beautiful (brown flowers that become big black “berries”) and only slightly poisonous (assuming you’re not a small child).
Heart's Home.
Outcast werewolf Alun Blayney is jaded, fearful of what could happen if even one human were to discover monsters are real. Police Constable James Heron is an idealistic young man convinced that love can overcome any differences. When they meet over the body of a woman murdered in the streets of 19th century London, they form an uneasy friendship.
As the murder investigation progresses, the attraction between them grows, but before they can see the case or their relationship through there are obstacles to overcome. A sadistic pack leader is out to get Alun, a daemon has fallen in love with James, and James’s immediate supervisor is determined to pin the recent murders—and last year’s rash of Whitechapel homicides—on Alun.
Buy it: Here and at Amazon.
Helen Barbara Pattskyn remembers writing her first short story in the second grade—it wasn’t very good, but it was a good start! Growing up as an only child being raised by her grandmother, she preferred to spend time alone in her bedroom, reading, writing, and drawing, rather than playing sports or hanging out with other kids her own age.
She started writing fanfiction in her early twenties, in response to the dreaded “it didn’t really happen” third season of television’s Beauty and the Beast, and has been writing it ever since. It was only a few years ago that she entered the world of m/m slash—and she hasn’t looked back. As one of her readers put it, “boys kissing is hot!”
In addition to being a writer, Helen is an artist and tarot reader. She shares her life with a wonderful man, an occasionally wonderful teenager, two cats who graciously allow her to live in their house, and a spoiled rotten xolo (Mexican Hairless) dog. She can be found hanging out at science fiction conventions in her home state of Michigan.
Her website is http://helenpattskyn.com; you can also email her at thylacine.yawn@gmail.com.
1. Tell us a little about your interest in ghost hunting and haunted places.
One of my earliest childhood memories is of sitting in front of the television watching In Search of…, with Leonard Nemoy (which should tell both you and your readers how old I am! *g* I don’t actually make any secret of my age). I was always fascinated by the things we can’t completely understand, ghosts, lake monsters, cryptozoology… it probably doesn’t hurt that my spiritual/religious beliefs allow for things that the average person calls “super natural”—I just call it “stuff science hasn’t explained—yet.”
2. Where do you get your inspiration for your stories?
Everywhere. Literally. Some of them come from bits and pieces of my own life, or things people have told about their lives (when I was in high school, I had friends who literally refused to tell me what they’d done over the weekend, for fear I would turn up in something I wrote, someday).
The idea for my debut novel, Heart’s Home came from a painting in the art show, at Dragon*Con, 2011. The image was a Victorian era woman and great big snarly werewolf—although they were clearly companions, not at odds with one another. I thought “That’s cool, but what if the lycan were a woman and the human were a man…or better yet, what if they were both men, lovers. How did they meet, I wonder…?” And immediately, I knew the answer: over the body of a dead prostitute in the street.
3. What are you working on at the moment?
As soon as I wrap up the Ghosthunting Michigan, for Clerisy Press, I’m going to dig back into the romance (m/m) I started earlier in the year. It doesn’t have a solid title at the moment, because all of the working titles I had were tongue in cheek—but then as I realized that one of the boys was HIV positive. Yes, a lot of us “realize” these things about our stories along the way. Suddenly the lighthearted “easy” write I’d started got a lot more serious and it needs a title to match.
I’m also working on a sequel to Heart’s Home, hoping to get that into Dreamspinner Press for consideration by the end of the year, as well. (My goal is to submit three more romance novels by the end of the year).
4. I have to ask about your dog - he's a Mexican hairless dog, how did he enter your life? (He's adorable, btw.)
Thank you! He really is a love. My husband is terribly allergic to dog fur, but I am dog person through and through; my life is not complete without a canine in it. Of course I’ve always had these big fluffy, hairy beasts… and truth be told, if I’d discovered hairless breeds 20 years ago, I would always have had them. It is *so* nice not to be covered in dog hair on a daily basis! I did try to sell my husband on a standard (large) poodle, or a puli, both of which have hair, not fur, and Michigan winters are awful cold for a hairless dog, but he really doesn’t like poodles and definitely didn’t want a “rag mop dog”.
5. What’s your favorite place in the entire world?
Of the places I’ve actually been, I’d have to say Appalachia. My husband and I have talked about moving to North Carolina, where he has family—although I was recently in Allegan Michigan on a “ghost hunting adventure”, and really fell in love with the town. When it comes down to it, I’m a small town girl.
6. Has your upbringing influenced your writing?
Absolutely. The other main character in my HIV story is of Russian descent, just like me. I’ve written lots of characters with odd and dysfunctional families, just like mine, although truthfully, I’m of the opinion that no family is fully functional, but mine really knew how to put the “fun” in dysfunctional, a fact that I’m not ashamed of, much to their chagrin. She’s gone now, but my grandmother would definitely have preferred I sweep the “bad stuff” under the rug.
7. What genre are you most comfortable writing?
Paranormal/supernatural and urban fantasy are definitely my comfort zones, but I also love a good contemporary romance and really love writing BDSM/kink, mostly because it’s so hard to find good books written in that genre. Regardless of genre, though absolutely has to be m/m (or m/m/m); I don’t get into het romance at all.
8. What do you do to unwind and relax?
I work in my garden; digging into the dirt is very relaxing and it always seems to clear out the mental cobwebs. When I can’t get into the garden, I’ll take a walk or curl up with a good book—and my dog. At forty pounds, he is convinced that he’s a lapdog and I don’t have the heart to tell him otherwise.
9. What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?
The best thing about writing—other than having my novel published, which is such an amazing feeling—has been getting to meet so many wonderful people.
10. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
A librarian. I actually have a library degree (the two-year degree, not a masters), but finding a job in library science is nigh unto impossible these days.
11. What inspired you to pen your first novel?
I already talked a little bit about how the story for Heart’s Home developed in my head, but I would never have had what it took to go from “idea” to “finished novel” if it weren’t for the support of my fanfiction readers. For the past few years, I’ve been penning Torchwood fanfiction and I’ve gotten not just great feedback, but some really helpful constructive criticism that has made my work so much stronger. I’m especially grateful to the beta reader who helped me tame the wild em dash…although I’m sure Lynn, at Dreamspinner, would like to see them reigned in a little (a lot) more!
It was truly fanfiction readers who inspired me to write original fiction. Unfortunately the downside had been that the more original fiction I write, the less fanfiction I have the time for.
11. Tell us about your current release.
At its very core, Heart’s Home is about overcoming differences and finding true love. It’s also an urban fantasy about werewolves and demons and murder in Victorian London. Both James (my human) and Alun (my werewolf) are hurting.
Alun has completely given up ever having any kind of love or companionship in his life; he was banished from his birth pack by his father because of his sexual orientation. Lycanthropes are even more prejudice than humans, which is saying something, considering the era.
James on the other hand is an idealist who truly believes that love conquers all, he just has to find the right man—of course initially, all he thinks he and Alun need to overcome are their class and socio-economic differences. Learning that the man he loves isn’t a man at all comes as a bit of a shock…but in the end, love really does win out. I will always, always write “happily ever after” endings. Yes, I’m a bit of a sap *g*.
12. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I only hear from them a little bit, but the feedback I’ve gotten has been really positive. I’ve also had a lot of folks asking whether or not there’s going to be a sequel, to which the answer is “yes, two of them”. I really love hearing from readers (hint!)
14. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your book?
Yes, lots! I would have taken more time to polish it, tighten some parts, draw out others, have at least two more beta readers…I totally freaked out when I got the galley, the final proof that you’re really not supposed to make too many changes on, because suddenly I hated everything about it. But the truth is that every author says stuff like that, we’ll always find more flaws in our own work than the worlds harshest critics. On the advice of another writer, I’m going to take all those things that I would change and file them away for another story!
15. And last but not least, the question I ask every interviewee - if you were to come back as a plant in the next life, what would you be and why?
LOL! I would love to be a belladonna atropa. They’re quietly beautiful (brown flowers that become big black “berries”) and only slightly poisonous (assuming you’re not a small child).
Heart's Home.Outcast werewolf Alun Blayney is jaded, fearful of what could happen if even one human were to discover monsters are real. Police Constable James Heron is an idealistic young man convinced that love can overcome any differences. When they meet over the body of a woman murdered in the streets of 19th century London, they form an uneasy friendship.
As the murder investigation progresses, the attraction between them grows, but before they can see the case or their relationship through there are obstacles to overcome. A sadistic pack leader is out to get Alun, a daemon has fallen in love with James, and James’s immediate supervisor is determined to pin the recent murders—and last year’s rash of Whitechapel homicides—on Alun.
Buy it: Here and at Amazon.
Helen Barbara Pattskyn remembers writing her first short story in the second grade—it wasn’t very good, but it was a good start! Growing up as an only child being raised by her grandmother, she preferred to spend time alone in her bedroom, reading, writing, and drawing, rather than playing sports or hanging out with other kids her own age.
She started writing fanfiction in her early twenties, in response to the dreaded “it didn’t really happen” third season of television’s Beauty and the Beast, and has been writing it ever since. It was only a few years ago that she entered the world of m/m slash—and she hasn’t looked back. As one of her readers put it, “boys kissing is hot!”
In addition to being a writer, Helen is an artist and tarot reader. She shares her life with a wonderful man, an occasionally wonderful teenager, two cats who graciously allow her to live in their house, and a spoiled rotten xolo (Mexican Hairless) dog. She can be found hanging out at science fiction conventions in her home state of Michigan.
Her website is http://helenpattskyn.com; you can also email her at thylacine.yawn@gmail.com.
