Featured Interview With Patti Sheehy
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up along the Delaware River in Yardley, PA, earned a degree in history from Rider University, and spent the bulk of my career in marketing and communications, primarily in the healthcare industry. I now live in a small town in South Jersey called Haddon Heights, where I have hung my hat for more than thirty years. My book, THE BOY WHO SAID NO: An Escape to Freedom, was named ONE BOOK HADDON HEIGHTS and just about everyone in town has read it by now. The protagonist of the book, Frank Mederos, and I have been speaking to various book clubs and civic organizations about three times a week since the book was launched in June 2013.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been a reader for as long as I can remember. When I was young I had a very long school bus ride and would entertain myself with a book. My mother was also an avid reader and one of my early childhood memories was her reading WINNIE THE POOH to my siblings and me. While I did public relations and magazine writing for many years, THE BOY WHO SAID NO was my first attempt at a book.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am very eclectic in my reading habits, and select books from a wide variety of genres. I buy used books so I can mark them up and make notes in them without feeling guilty. I judge a book by how defaced it is when I finish reading it. I love authors who use crisp, clear prose that allows the reader to clearly picture scenes in their minds. I tried to accomplish that in my own writing. Some of my favorite writers include Jodi Picoult, Jeannette Walls, Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oats, and Lee Child.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
THE BOY WHO SAID NO is based on the true story of Frank Mederos, who grew up in Cuba during the early years of Castro’s rule. We see the gradual destruction of the country through his eyes and follow him as he is drafted into the army, promoted to Special Forces, falls in love, and defects to join the love of his life who has left Cuba for America. Chased by 300 members of the Special Forces, Frank makes three harrowing escape attempts in the name of love and freedom.
I interviewed Mr. Mederos every week for more than a year to obtain the material for this book. THE BOY WHO SAID NO has been greeted by critical acclaim, having won the 2013 USA Best Book Finalist Award, the ForeWord Best Book of the Year award in its genre, and the Benjamin Franklin Silver Award for BEST NEW VOICE IN FICTION. The sequel to THE BOY WHO SAID NO will be released by Oceanview Publishing September 2, 2014. It is called STALKED: The Boy Who Said No and begins where THE BOY WHO SAID NO ends. Each book took a little over a year to write.
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