Q1. Could you please start by introducing yourself to our readers?
A1. Hi! I’m Patti Lee and I started writing women’s fiction in my 50’s. I love to write about things that can happen to anyone while also taking the experience up a notch or two.
Q2. In your view, what distinguishes a writer from an author?
A2. So interesting that this is one your questions – when I first started writing, I wondered the same thing. I think a writer is someone who writes, journals, creates. An author writes with the intention of publishing.
Q3. Which part of your book “Tanya, We Have a Problem” proved to be the most challenging to write, and why?
A3. I thoroughly enjoyed writing just about every aspect of Tanya, We Have a Problem. The most challenging part was getting inside Tanya’s head to try and figure out how her character would act and respond to situations. I’m a very focused, organized, and thoughtful person who relies on lists and routines, where Tanya is more of a fly by the seat of her pants kind of girl.
Q4. How do you typically celebrate once you’ve completed a book?
A4. That’s kind of a trick question for an author and really depends on what ‘completed a book’ really means because there are so many phases in the process. I celebrate completing a book’s first draft by putting it away, not writing for a day or two, and basking in the relief that the first draft is finished. Completing a book after several drafts, edits, and rewrites calls for more celebration and I usually share with my circle of friends, and they send me congratulatory memes.
Q5. How do you leverage social media to connect with your audience as an author?
A5. I see social media as a way to connect authentically with readers and fellow book lovers. I tend to share moments from my writing journey, reflections on books and stories that have influenced me, and occasional personal experiences that connect back to storytelling and family.
For example, I recently shared about seeing The Outsiders on Broadway with my daughter and grandson, reflecting on how powerful it is that S.E. Hinton wrote a story at sixteen that still resonates generations later. Those are the kinds of conversations I enjoy having online, not just about promoting a book, but about the lasting impact stories can have.
While I’m naturally more reserved on social media, one of my favorite ways to connect is participating as “Author of the Day” with the Global Girls Online Book Club. I enjoy the opportunity to interact directly with readers and fellow writers in a more personal and meaningful way. For me, those conversations are the most rewarding part of being online as an author.
Q6. On average, how many hours a day do you dedicate to writing?
A6. My day job is full-time and pretty demanding and there are times where I just don’t want to look at a computer screen. Writing by hand is completely out of the question because I often write so quickly that the letters are incomplete, the words flow together, and two paragraphs later I have no idea what I wrote. Though I used to write for hours every day, now I tend to write in spurts. I love to dedicate a few hours at a time when the creativity is flowing.
Q7. What kinds of books did you enjoy reading during your childhood?
A7. I loved reading as a child. There was something magical about reading and imagining oneself in the relatable world of Judy Blume’s, Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret, or Louisa May Alcott’s, Little House on the Prairie for the feel-good family moments.
Q8. Is there an author within your genre whom you particularly admire?
A8. There are a ton of authors I admire but Jennifer Weiner is probably my top pick. She has a way of writing that weaves relatable emotional truth with wit and humor that just lands with readers.
Q9. How has the experience of writing and publishing a book ” Tanya, We Have a Problem” influenced your perception of yourself?
A9. Writing and publishing Tanya, We Have a Problem has changed my perception of myself in ways I’m still processing. Like many writers, I carry some imposter syndrome, and I’ve learned it doesn’t necessarily go away just because you’ve published before. “Author” often feels like something other people are, not me.
What this experience has reinforced is that writing isn’t really about feeling fully qualified. It’s about persistence, vulnerability, and showing up for the story even when doubt shows up too.
Q10. If you had to describe yourself using just three words, which would you choose?
A10. Observant. Driven. Curious.
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