An Interview With.....

Author Kathleen Patel!!

Fellow midwesterner and author friend, Kathleen Patel, stopped by to visit about her books,

The Dolls & Hiren's Magical Adventure.

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A - Where are you originally from?

K - I was born & raised in Chicago. Although I have lived on both coasts, I always return to my Midwestern roots.

What inspired you to become a writer?

As I remember it, the minute I learned to read, that was it. It was the most exciting thing that ever happened to me. Reading was a gateway to new worlds. I wanted to be able to open new worlds for others.

What is/are your favorite genre(s)?

I have very eclectic taste, but I have a soft spot for the paranormal.

Are you currently reading anything?

I’m always reading at least three books. Currently, I am reading ‘Megan’s Way’, by Melissa Foster, ‘The Havenshire Resistance’ by Diane Rapp and ‘Wake up and Dream’ by Dr. Barbara Lavi

Who or what is the driving force that keeps you going?

I believe it is my destiny. (Wow- that sounded dramatic : )

It feels right. I worked as a sales executive in Manhattan and then Chicago, for many years. That left little time or energy to devote to writing. Thankfully, we left the rat race and now own a small family business in suburbs of Chicago. I have more flexibility in my schedule; more time to devote to my writing.

How do you balance your personal life with your writing career?

I’m working on that. The business aspect of being an author eats up a lot of my time. I really need to schedule more time to write.

Tell us about your book.

My latest book, ‘The Dolls’ is a paranormal/horror. It was just recently revised and professionally edited. When I published the book initially, a reviewer pointed out a couple of typo’s (embarrassing), so I decided to’ bite the bullet’ and hire a professional to edit the book. I had to cut back on groceries- but I fit it into my budget : )   it was the best thing I could have done. I ended up expanding the story and even changed the ending. 

The inspiration for this book actually came from a vacation in the Costa del Sol, Spain. My cousin, Mary, and I had a crazy time. Things happened to us that you only see in movies. The book is a work of fiction, but…

My first book, ‘Hiren’s Magical Adventure’ is a tween to young adult, paranormal, mystery. This fable unfolds in in India. A teenager named Hiren visits his grandparents for the summer. Nothing could have prepared him for this strange world filled with magic and mystery. He encounters exotic creatures, a forbidden jungle, and a ghost that haunts the eerie palace. He meets a mysterious girl who leads him closer to the secrets. He finds himself facing life-threatening danger in his quest to solve the family mystery.

This book is based on some factual events that happened to my husband, growing up in India. There might be a little fiction thrown in for fun ; )  I was so happy with the editing done with ‘The Dolls’, I decided to do the same with this book. So now, I have a new and improved version that I have just released.

What made you decide to write your book?

For ‘The Dolls’, it was my cousin, Mary O’Donnell. Through all of our drama, she kept telling me, “You’ve got to write a book about this!”

‘Hiren’s Magical Adventure’ came together when I spent a couple of months in India. It truly is a different world. I had some intense experiences. Even with all the differences, I realized that deep down inside, people are so much alike. It’s a revelation.  

Where can people find you and your work on the web?

This is my Amazon page: http://amzn.to/LvpbVi

This is my blog: http://anirishpatel.blogspot.com/

You can follow me on Twitter here:  http://bit.ly/IPytLm

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Kathleen, as always, it's been a treat working with you! Thank you for stopping by to share your books and life with us. I wish you all the very best in your future endeavors.