Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Patti Shenberger

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! Today I'm featuring fellow Wild Rose Press author Patti Shenberger. You're in for a treat...enjoy!

Hi, Patti, and welcome! Can you tell us a little about your background?

My background is quite varied. I was raised by my great grandparents who were in their 62 amd 64 yrs old whem they took me in at the ripe old age of 3 months. I learned early how to become a grown-up (my grandfater worked for General Motors and toured the country with the Auto Shows). We traveled around the world visiting and dining with kings, queens, and movie stars. It gave me a lot of fodder for writing romance. After high school, I dabbled at college, dropped out, got married, had two kids and went to work doing whatever would pay the bills. I've done everything from office work, to insurance sales, financial planning, retail, car porter, fabric store manager, real estate admin work and now semi-retired and writing full time. This is my favorite job (G)

Wow, what a cool upbringing! Can you tell us about your latest writing project or published title?

Right now, I am working on a category romance length novel entitled The Billionaire's Royal Houseguest. I am hoping it is something Silhouette Desire will pick up (fingers are crossed) It's the story of a pampered Princess who desparately seeks the assistance of a rich salvage diver to recover artifacts off a sunken vessel to save her small island nation. He has no intention of ever going back in the water after a near fatal shark attack on his last job. Can Princess Annabelle change his mind? And more importantly, can Victor Dragon overcome his past to include the woman of his dreams in his futre??? Stay tuned!!

My latest released title is Take No Prisoners. It's the story of Frankie Canfield who announces to the world that she is returning to her home town of Harmony to marry the man of her dreams, the Sheriff. Little does she know her PR stunt is about to go horribly wrong when a new Sheriff is in charge: the only man Frankie has ever loved and lost.

My last three titles have all been with The Wild Rose Press. You can check them out at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/ or on my web page at http://www.pattishenberger.com/

You've definitely become a successful writer. What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

I would tell them to read everything they can get their hands on and never give up. Just because one person doesn't like your writing doesn't mean everyone hates it. I've had agents and editors at larger houses reject my work and then a smaller press picks it up and loves it. It's all subjective and you have to remember it's NOT PERSONAL!

Ooh, that's really good advice and important to remember! So what kinds of books do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

My favorite author is Jude Deveraux, Luncy Monroe, and Lucy Gordon. I love a good romance, but I will read pretty much anything that piques my interest. Right now I'm reading The Secret.

OK, important question: How do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

Writing is very solitary work and very rewarding also. Balancing my writing has been easy for me this past year in the sense that I haven't had a day job to go to. I learned last fall that I had colon cancer and the subsequent months were a flurry of surgery, recovery, chemo, recovery, hysterectomy and now tail end of recovery. I'm fine but it took its toll. I didn't write a word most days but then I would have a spurt where I would write a chapter in a sitting. I also sold three books (granted they were already finished) during this time frame and did revisions and saw they come to fruition. My children are grown and out of the house, my hubby works retail so he's gone 6 days a week, 12 hours a day. The house is mine (G)

Describe your writing space for us...

My writing space is my home office - which used to be my son's bedroom before he moved out and into the Army. It's a total disaster right now! All the furniture from my daughter's room (she moved out) is in here while we paint her old room and turn it into a reading room of sorts with an electric fireplace and two comfy armchairs!

Well, we know you love to write. But what do you like to do when you're not writing?

When I am not weriting, I can be found with my face buried in a book. I love to read. It is my absolute favorite thing to do. Other than that, I love to meet friends for lunch, spend time with them and also travel. Hawaii, the Panaman Canal and Australia are next on my list of places to see.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention for readers today?

This is so cool! Thanks for letting me be a part of it. My web site is http://www.pattishenberger.com/, my titles can be found at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/, and thank you again!!!

Thanks, Patti - it's been a pleasure! And readers, take a look at her website and all those yummy looking short stories. For less than the cost of a Starbucks latte, you can have a quick and satisfying read today!