I’d like to welcome Patsy Collins to my blog today to tell us a bit more about her recently released e.book ‘Paint me a Picture.’ I know it began as a short story, so here’s Patsy to tell us a bit more.
SUE. When did Mavis come to mind, and how long has she been a story in progress?
PATSY. I first created her about ten years ago and I’ve been working on her story (and improving as a writer) all that time.
SUE. At any point in the story, were you tempted to let Mavis jump?
PATSY. Oh yes! That was the original idea but she was never quite ready for that.
It’s not simply that I’m squeamish – I’ve killed other characters including some who I was very fond of. There’s one character in Paint Me a Picture who I feel guilty about killing, but for the good of the story she had to die. There are also a couple I rather enjoyed bumping off (obviously absolutely none of these were based on real people who’ve annoyed me).
SUE. I’ve read the short story version of this, what made you extend the story and make it a novel?
PATSY. Mavis made me do it! That’s really how it felt. In just the same way as she wouldn’t die, she wasn’t content to stay a short story. With all my characters I know more about them makes it into the finished story and usually that’s just fine but in this case I had to keep writing her story. So I did. All 103,000 words of it.
SUE. I’m glad to see you sticking with a story you have faith in, if you love it, then your readers will too.
PATSY. I do hope that’s true!
I’m glad I didn’t know at the start how long it would be – or how many times I’d have to rewrite it. Actually there’s a lot it’s a good job I didn’t know at the start!
I was so new to writing back then that I didn’t know we’re supposed to write in a particular genre. Admittedly that was a disadvantage with regard to trying to get it published! I think it was a good thing for her story though. If I’d known I was supposed to decide on romance or thriller or crime or whatever I’d have chosen just one of those and left out much of what makes Mavis who she is.
SUE. Thanks for sharing that with us Patsy, and hopefully it will help others like me who hope to publish a novel one day.
Paint me a Picture is available here.
You can see more on Patsy’s writing here.
Susan Jones - Writer 
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