PAT BACKLEY
AGE 69
ENGLISH, BUT NOW LIVES IN NEW ZEALAND
Sit back, relax and escape for a little while into the world of DAISY.
„DAISY” is a gentle family saga, spanning almost 100 years, from 1887 to 1974. It is set in Alabama, Harlem and London and incorporates some of the evils of society – poverty, racism and snobbery – as well as some of the greatest that life has to offer – family, friendship and love.
„Being born poor was a scar that never faded.”
„She had never experienced racial hatred first hand, so had no real idea of how it could erode a person’s whole life.”
Romelia: WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR ARTISTIC PROCESS?
Pat Backley: The most difficult part of my artistic process is the marketing once my book is published. I find the writing part incredibly easy!
Romelia: DOES YOUR FAMILY SUPPORT YOUR CAREER AS A WRITER?
Pat Backley: Yes.
Romelia: IF YOU HAD TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY AS A CHILD OR TEENAGER TO BECOME A BETTER WRITER AS AN ADULT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Pat Backley: Maybe start my author career earlier, 69 years old is rather late!
Romelia: HOW LONG ON AVERAGE DOES IT TAKE YOU TO WRITE A BOOK?
Pat Backley: 6-8 weeks. My own proofreading and editing adds another week or so, then I send it off to my editor for her careful viewing!
Romelia: DO YOU BELIEVE IN WRITER’S BLOCK?
Pat Backley: Yes.
Romelia: AT WHAT POINT DO YOU THINK SOMEONE SHOULD CALL THEMSELVES A WRITER?
Pat Backley: Once they have published their first book, or sooner if they prefer!
Romelia: WHAT DIFFERENCE DO YOU SEE BETWEEN A WRITER AND AN AUTHOR?
Pat Backley: I am not really sure. I call myself an author, because I write fiction and memoirs. Perhaps I think of a writer as someone who does general, non fiction kind of work.
Romelia: HOW DO YOU PROCESS AND DEAL WITH NEGATIVE BOOK REVIEWS?
Pat Backley: The first two negative book reviews made me cry. Then I remembered someone telling me that you are not a proper author until you have received negative reviews! So now, I try to treat them as just peoples opinions and soothe myself my remembering that the vast majority of my reviews are excellent, positive ones!
Romelia: WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR WRITING PROCESS?
Pat Backley: The most difficult part of my writing is probably the research. As I write mostly historical fiction it is very important to get my facts right!
Romelia: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING OR WHEN DID YOU START?
Pat Backley: I wrote my first book during Covid and it was published in October.
Romelia: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A WRITER WORKING ON THEIR FIRST BOOK?
Pat Backley: Just stick with it, even when the going is hard. Write with passion, from your heart.
Romelia: WHAT, TO YOU, ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF GOOD WRITING?
Pat Backley: Something that people enjoy reading, good storylines, good characters and a message.
Romelia: WHAT COMES FIRST FOR YOU – THE PLOT OR THE CHARACTERS – AND WHY?
Pat Backley: The plot, although that often changes as my writing progresses!
Romelia: HOW DO YOU DEVELOP YOUR PLOT AND CHARACTERS?
Pat Backley: Just in my head and through mind mapping.
Romelia: WHEN DID YOU FIRST CALL YOURSELF A WRITER?
Pat Backley: After my first book, Daisy, was published.
Romelia: HOW DO YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS AN AUTHOR?
Pat Backley: Facebook and Instagram posts, Linkedin and my own website: http://www.patbackley.com
Romelia: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE AND LEAST FAVORITE PART OF PUBLISHING?
Pat Backley: My favorite part is the excitement of seeing my book go live and getting good reviews. My least favorite is the bad reviews and the marketing!
Romelia: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO AN AUTHOR WHO WANTED TO DESIGN THEIR OWN COVER?
Pat Backley: Unless you are very confident in your own ability, I think it is better to go with a proper cover designer.
Romelia: HOW MANY BOOKS HAVE YOU WRITTEN AND WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE?
Pat Backley: I have finished two so far, with another two in the writing stage. The second one (my memoirs) will be published in the new year. I will always love Daisy best, as she was my first, but my life story is pretty interesting too!
Romelia: WHAT PART OF THE BOOK DID YOU HAVE THE HARDEST TIME WRITING?
Pat Backley: actually I didn’t find it hard at all, I love the whole writing process!
Romelia: WHAT PART OF THE BOOK WAS THE MOST FUN TO WRITE?
Pat Backley: Again, I loved writing it all really, although I guess seeing how my characters developed and took on a story of their own was pretty exciting!
Romelia: WHICH OF THE CHARACTERS DO YOU RELATE TO THE MOST AND WHY?
Pat Backley: Probably many of them, because I realize how much is based on my own life experiences.
Romelia: IF YOU’RE PLANNING A SEQUEL. CAN YOU SHARE A TINY BIT ABOUT YOUR PLANS FOR IT?
Pat Backley: Yes I am currently writing a sequel. It will be called Daisy the second and will follow the lives of the younger generation (from 1974 to 2001).
Romelia: TELL US SOMETHING FUNNY ABOUT YOUR ADULT LIFE.
Pat Backley: My life has not turned out at all as I expected it to. There have been many amusing moments, as my forthcoming memoirs will tell!
Romelia: describe yourself in a few sentences. Tell us something we do not know about you and something you hate about the world.
Pat Backley: I was 59 years old when I decided to become a kiwi and 69 years old when i wrote and published my first book. I absolutely love my new career and intend to carry on writing until i am at least 100. I love life, but just wish the world was a fairer place, that we could all be equal.
website: http://www.patbackley.com
tel: (64) 21281 1234
email: patbackley@yahoo.co.nz
Books for Life 
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