Today, Bookpleasures.com is excited to have as our guest Victoria Patterson, author of This Vacant Paradise, selected as an Editor's Choice by The New York Times Book Review.

Drift, her collection of interlinked short stories, was a finalist for the California Book Award and the 2009 Story Prize. The San Francisco Chronicle selected Drift as one of the best books of 2009. Her most recent work is the historical fiction novel, The Peerless Four.

Her writings have appeared in various publications and journals, including the Los Angeles Times, Alaska Quarterly Review, and the Southern Review.

She lives with her family in Southern California and teaches at the Antioch University's Master of Fine Arts program and as a Visiting Assistant Professor at UC Riverside.

Norm:

Good day Victoria and thanks for participating in our interview.

What do you think over the years has driven you as a writer?

Victoria:

It’s like a disease. I don’t really understand it.

Norm:

Are you a plot or character writer?

Victoria:

Character.

Norm:

What helps you focus when you write?

Victoria:

Minimal aural or visual stimulation is helpful—therefore a room with no windows and no music or chattering people.

Norm:

What's the most difficult thing for you about being a writer?

Victoria:

The rejections and humiliations.

Norm:

Do you have a specific writing style?

Victoria:

Literary fiction, dark, I’m told, and humorous.

Norm:

Could you tell our readers a little about your most recent novel The Peerless Four?

Victoria:

The Peerless Four is based on the first women allowed to compete in track and field on a trial basis at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.

Norm:

How did you decide you were ready to write The Peerless Four?

Victoria:

I suppose I didn’t decide. I had some false starts and then, somehow, finally, the writing began to cohere.

Norm:

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

Victoria:

I’m now more grateful than ever for my right to exercise and to play and compete in sports.

Norm:

What purpose do you believe your story serves and what matters to you about the story?

Victoria:

There’s a giant gap in literary novels about women athletes. I felt the need to write into it.

Norm:

It is said that writers should write what they know. Were there any elements of the book that forced you to step out of your comfort zone, and if so, how did you approach this part of the writing?

Victoria:

I’d not tried to write historical fiction before, so it was a challenge. But I tried to keep in mind that all writing is difficult, and to not let this fact overwhelm me.

Norm:

Where can our readers find out more about you and your books?

Victoria:

I have a WEBSITE

Norm:

What is next for Victoria Patterson?

Victoria:

I have a novel coming in the winter or spring of 2015. The novel is loosely based on the Haidl Three gang rape case that took place in Newport Beach in 2002.

Norm:

As this interview draws to a close what one question would you have liked me to ask you? Please share your answer.

Victoria:

What kind of pens do I use? Pilot Precise V5 Rolling Pen—Extra Fine.

Norm:

Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavours.

Follow Here To Purchase The Peerless Four: A Novel