FEATURED AUTHOR: Patricia Sargeant

Patricia Sargeant is a national best-selling, award-winning author of romance and mysteries. Her work has been featured in national publications such as Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Kirkus Reviews, Suspense Magazine, Mystery Scene Magazine, Library Journal and RT Book Reviews. For more information about Patricia and her work, visit PatriciaSargeant.com.

How can readers get in contact with you?

Readers can visit my website, http://www.PatriciaSargeant.com to find out more about me and my stories. They also can email me at BooksByPatricia@yahoo.com.

Workaholic film producer DeAndre Portiss is focused on bringing a high-profile investor onto his company’s next documentary. But since the financier has turned him down before, DeAndre’s next pitch needs to be a hit. Luckily, his business partner’s sister is an experienced marketing consultant with a successful track record. But will their secret past bring down their project’s reviews?

Free-spirited marketing consultant Elisha Tomlin has a unique approach to project presentations. The unconventional marketer also has a revelation for the uptight producer. According to their horoscopes, their one wonderful and reckless night was only the beginning. Elisha is certain that their love is written in the stars. Can she convince DeAndre to go against his nature and follow the signs?

What inspired your book?

Hi, LaShaunda. Thank you for this opportunity to visit with your SORMAG community. These interview questions are terrific! I look forward to answering them.

Regarding the inspiration for A Groom to the Altar: Meet the Bridegrooms, novella 1, I've always been intrigued by astrology. I realize not everyone buys into it, though. In fact, a dear friend apologizes every time she brings up astrology. Her apologies made me wonder what would happen if a woman who believed in astrology used it to draw up a plan to court a man who thought astrology was rubbish? Voila! A Groom to the Altar was born.

What would you like readers to take away from your book?

The most important message in A Groom to the Altar is that we must be true to ourselves. Don't change who you are to fit in or please others. Life is too short to be fake. At the end of the day, it's just you and God. Be true to yourself. That's my wish for everyone.

Which character did you have the most fun writing about?

I had the most fun writing my free-spirited heroine, Elisha Tomlin. She’s comfortable with who she is and what she believes. She won’t let people shame her. She stands up for herself. She’s not ashamed to be the only fuchsia outfit in a room full of gray suits.

What advice would you offer to someone whose book is about to be released?

Ooh, LaShaunda, there are so many recommendations I would offer. For today, I'll focus on advising other authors to have a marketing and promotion plan *before* they launch their book. If you want to support yourself with your writing, it's not enough to just write the story. Sad but true. You have to market and promote your story so that people know it's available.

What does literary success look like to you?

I like the way you've worded this question: What does success look like to *you.* Every author has her or his definition of success and that definition changes - evolves - over the course of her or his career. Don't let other people define success *for* you. You define your success. To me, at this stage of my literary journey, literary success bears a very strong resemblance to a sustainable income. Ha!

What has surprised you most about being a published author?

What has surprised me the most is how much time and energy it takes to promote and market our books. Good heavens. Sometimes by the end of the week, I can feel my eyes crossing. And the doubts ... Have I done enough? Have I done the right things? Am I reaching my target audience? Be prepared, my friends! If you want to make this work, you've got to work. Ha!

What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?

Hmmm, three things ... 1) I wish I'd known that to build your career, it's not enough to "write the next good book." You have to also market and promote yourself *and* each of your books. 2) I wish I'd known what to do to take my career to the next level. 3) I wish I'd had the courage earlier to take more control of my career. Sisters and brothers, don't make my mistakes.

What do you do to interact with your readers?

I love interacting with book lovers. I love talking about books. I love exchanging book recommendations. My favorite way of interacting with readers is through book conferences and events where I can sit and talk with book lovers in person. That's my favorite! I also enjoy emailing with them and interacting with them on social media, but in person is the best.

What are your three favorite social media platforms and how are you using them for promotion?

Actually, LaShaunda, I'm on two social media platforms: Facebook as @AuthorPatriciaSargeant and @BooksByPatricia; and Twitter as @BooksByPatricia. I post only information about my books on my AuthorPatriciaSargeant Facebook page. On Twitter and my BooksByPatricia Facebook page, I'm far more chatty. You've been warned. Ha!

What are you reading this summer?

I'm really, really behind on my leisure reading. I've been swamped with research and marketing materials. I'm desperate to toss everything aside and read Deborah Fletcher Mello's To Serve and Seduce series. Oooh!!! So excited!!!

When you're not writing, what do you like to do in your spare time?

Sleep.

Oprah always asks, what do you know for sure?

The only thing I know for certain yesterday, today and tomorrow is that God is watching over me. I'm grateful for all of the wonderful people He's brought into my life; people who lift me up. I'm also grateful to Him for giving me the strength to turn away from people who don't have my best interests at heart.

Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?

I'm happy to. Thank you so much for asking. My May 2019 release is A Groom Once Again. It's the second novella in my Meet the Bridegrooms novella trilogy. A Groom Once Again reunites a divorced couple, Asher Tomlin and Zora Dabney. Readers meet them in A Groom to the Altar, the first novella in the trilogy. In A Groom Once Again, Asher offers Zora a freelance writing contract. Zora accepts the contract, but she doesn't want money. She wants to be paid with something much more personal. This second novella in the trilogy tells us just a bit more about the Sellsville Sluggers, Columbus, Ohio's, first black baseball team, which is the subject of the heroes' documentary. It also explores the subject of love languages and the importance of understanding your significant other's love language.

Anything you'd like to say to the readers of SORMAG?

Thank you so much for your continued encouragement of and support of my work. Both mean so very much to me.

AVAILABLE NOW: A Groom to the Altar: Meet the Bridegrooms, Novella 1

COMING SOON: Alibis & Angels: A Sister Lou Mystery      

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