Today I Welcome Author Patrick Carr

Hello Patrick and welcome to my blog. Thank you for taking the time to interview with me today. Please tell us about yourself.

I was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. I have been told this was not my fault. As an Air Force brat, I experienced a change in locale every three years until my father retired to Tennessee. I saw more of the world on my own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. I graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and have worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. My day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. I currently make my home in Nashville with my wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons I think are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future I would like to be a jazz pianist. I think writing about myself in the third person is kind of weird.


Please tell me about your novel. Who or what was your inspiration behind it?

 I read a verse in the Bible that said “God is in the lot.” My mind kind of took off with it. “A Cast of Stones” is the story of a world where casting lots is how the church operates. Add to this backdrop a king who’s about to die without an heir. Into this comes, Errol, a drunkard who gets caught up in the inevitable war for power that’s about to erupt.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What was the biggest compliment? Did those change how or what you did in your next novel?

 The toughest criticism is always from someone who doesn’t bother to read the whole book and then complains about what wasn’t explained. That seems a bit unfair. Harsh criticism doesn’t bother me so much because it presents an opportunity to refine my writing. I think most people are trying to give an honest opinion so it’s important to understand why they don’t like something. The best compliment I’ve gotten so far was from someone who’s been in publishing for quite a while. He said I was his new favorite author. I read that email whenever I’m going through a spell where I can’t seem to get the words right.

What has been your favorite part of being an author? What has been your least favorite?

My favorite part of being an author is the same as being a writer, telling a story. What’s awesome is getting to share it with a wider audience. My least favorite is the need to “put myself out there” as part of the marketing effort. Talking about myself isn’t nearly as fun as talking through my characters.

Which is your favorite character in your book and why?

 Errol. He’s flawed, but refuses to just sit down and die. There’s a poignant courage to him that I admire.

 Besides writing and reading, what is your most favorite thing to do?

 Hanging out with my family. Mary and I are so blessed to have children that we genuinely like to be around. They play music, so every day in our house is like a free concert.

What do you listen to when you write? Do you find one type of music over another that inspires you to write? Why?

 I listen to instrumental music. Christofori’s Dream, Enya, and Bill Evans are at the top of the list. I can’t listen to anything with lyrics in it. I just end up putting the lyrics into my book.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What was the biggest compliment? Did those change how or what you did in your next novel?

The toughest criticism is always from someone who doesn’t bother to read the whole book and then complains about what wasn’t explained. That seems a bit unfair. Harsh criticism doesn’t bother me so much because it presents an opportunity to refine my writing. I think most people are trying to give an honest opinion so it’s important to understand why they don’t like something. The best compliment I’ve gotten so far was from someone who’s been in publishing for quite a while. He said I was his new favorite author. I read that email whenever I’m going through a spell where I can’t seem to get the words right.

Compared to when you first started writing, have you notice any big changes in your writing style or how you write compared from then to now? 

Over time, my first drafts have become more fluid. I’d like to think that’s because I’ve grown as a writer, but it might be because I’ve spent so much time on the keyboard that my fingers do a better job of keeping up with my brain. My style is still pretty much the same, but I try to do a better job of concentrating on staying “in voice” of whichever POV character I’m currently using.

Who are your favorite authors?

 In no particular order: Robert Jordan, David Eddings, Jim Butcher, Raymond Feist, Stephen R. Donaldson, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis.

What do you look for in a book when you sit down to read for fun? 

Good writing. Fiction or non-fiction, it doesn’t matter. I’ve done so much editing on my own stuff that if the writing is less than good, it’s too difficult to wade through it. In a way, that’s a shame because it’s limited the series I’ve been wanting to finish.

Is there anything else that you would like to share or say to those who will read this interview?

Thanks for reading. You make books like “A Cast of Stones” possible. I really appreciate it.

A Cast of Stones by Patrick Carr
ISBN: 978-0764210433
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Softcover (432 pages)

Book blurb:

An Epic Medieval Saga Fantasy Readers
Will Love

In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.

Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and 
grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

Purchase the book: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Contact the author: Website | Facebook