We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Patricia Leavy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Patricia, thanks for joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I’ve loved creative writing more than anything else since I was a little girl. In fifth grade, my English teacher exempt me from some class assignments so I could try to write a novel. I was only ten, so the novel didn’t pan out, but I loved the process. I dreamt of being a novelist. In my heart of hearts, I knew I was an artist, a storyteller. Despite feeling a strong calling to be a creative, I did not pursue that path. Being an artist requires bravery. It means opening yourself up to constant rejection and critique. It can be brutal. My younger self didn’t think I could handle it. So, instead of pursuing my true passion, I studied sociology, which I also loved, and ultimately earned a doctorate degree and became a sociology professor. I started publishing nonfiction articles, essays, and books, and soon had a serious career as a nonfiction author. By that time, I had gained more confidence and started to realize just how short life is. I wrote my debut novel, in secret, not knowing if I’d have the courage to publish it. I did publish that novel and it changed my life. I quit my academic job, and have since written more than a dozen novels, with many more coming down the pipeline. I wake up every day to do something I truly love. I finally feel like I am living my purpose. Do I wish I had been braver when I was younger? Sometimes. Most of the time though I’m glad it played out the way it did. Sociology gave me things to write about. While fiction is my “happy place” it turns out I really love writing nonfiction too, and I’m proud of those books. Really, I’ve learned that we each have to carve our own path, and it’s rarely a straight line.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Please tell us something that makes your creative work stand out.

My novels vary widely, including across genres, but they also have a few things in common. My novels follow female protagonists, they include positive messages about the possibilities for our lives, there’s always an arts narrative, and they’re quick reads. In recent years I’ve turned to writing romance novels and I believe it’s my sweet spot as an author. There are so many romance novels that follow toxic relationships, women trying to make a “bad guy” good, or tropes such as characters going from hate to love. There’s a place for all of that, but it’s not what I do. The main characters in my novels are always good people who treat each other well. If there are toxic characters, they lurk in the background. My characters are aspirational. They do love well They show is how we can be kinder, gentler, and more compassionate. They demonstrate what unconditional love looks like and feels like. My novels aren’t about big plot events, they are about relationships. The “event” that happens in each of my books is people falling in love and dealing with how that impacts their identity. To the extent there are plot points like a kidnapping or missing person, those things are used as a device to further explore the relationships in the book and those events will be resolved quickly. Romance is a limiting term in a lot of ways. My novels are love stories in the broadest sense. Yes, there’s always a central romantic relationship, but there are also deep friendships, chosen families, celebrations of the arts, and love of life itself. My romance novels are about living with passion and living to the fullest. My hope is they inspire readers. If you’re looking for a feel-good read with a whole lot of love and a bit of inspiration, please check out my recent novels, Hollyland and The Location Shoot.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I wake up every single day to do something I truly love. I write 365 days a year– weekends, vacations, holidays. I do so because I love it. I’m truly grateful to be able to do something I love so much. Being an “author” is a job. Being a “writer” is a calling.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I think about what I am putting out into the world. I think about each book and my catalog as a whole. What are the messages? What might readers take away? What images and stories am I contributing to the larger cultural narrative? I aim to create beautiful story worlds populated by compassionate people from whom we can learn to move through the inevitable darkness in our lives and into the light. To me, my novels are really about the healing power of love. I hope the characters’ stories bring warmth, comfort, love, joy, and healing to readers. That’s my goal every day when I sit down to write.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://patricialeavy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricialeavy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenWhoWrite
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatriciaLeavy