FAQ
The Stuff People Ask Me Most
How many books have you written? I’ve written thirty-five novels, and I can't seem to stop, so there are more to come! And audiobooks are happening! The audiobooks of the first seven books in the Hidden Saga are available now, and the rest of the series is currently in production. The first two Crimson Accord books are also available in audio format, and the full DESIGNED series is available in audio fro Podium audio!
Can I get a signed paperback of one of your books? Yes! I'd be delighted to sign a book to you or someone you'd like to gift it to. An Etsy shop is coming, but in the meantime, Email me at amypatrickbooks@yahoo.com and tell me which books you want. I'll send you a Paypal invoice and then ship your signed, personalized books to you!
Where do your story ideas come from? Some are purely from my imagination. Others are loosely inspired by my life experiences. I worked in tv news for many years, so I got to go and see a lot of interesting places and things and meet a lot of interesting people. Many of them provided jumping off points for great story ideas. I read a lot across many genres, and I love movies and (a few) TV shows. I also look into my own past relationships and experiences to bring authenticity to the emotions of the characters I write.
As far as The Hidden Saga books— in middle school I was a huge Lord of the Rings geek, and when I learned that J.R.R. Tolkien was inspired by Norse mythology, specifically the Poetic Edda, I looked into the ancient minstrel tales myself. In them, Elves are described as beautiful, frightening, powerful, sometimes god-like. The Hidden Saga, beginning with HIDDEN DEEP, is loosely based on a combination of this Norse mythology and Celtic Fae legends along with some unique twists that are purely my own invention.
So is my new Age of Fae series which is related to the Hidden Saga!
The Crimson Accord series started with a really cool dream. I got up in the morning and started writing!
And The Designed Series (by A. Patrick, my sci fi and dystopian pen name) was born of my deep, abiding love of the original Bladerunner movie, which I *may* have watched more than a hundred times LOL. (The music in it is so soothing—you should check it out!)
You've written a little contemporary romance as well as fantasy and paranormal books. Why the different genres?
I like to read different genres and always have, and I think that’s why I like writing in different genres. Though my contemporary books (under a different pen name) are obviously very different from my fantasy books, they all contain romance, which is always my main interest, whether in books or movies or the TV shows I prefer. I LOVE love!
How did you get started writing? I actually tried writing a novel the year I graduated from college when I was working my first job as a TV news anchor/reporter. I covered an amazing murder trial and it inspired me to write a murder mystery. But I quickly discovered that news writing and novel writing were *very* different. I didn’t know how to get past the first few chapters. As I moved from city to city, moving up the TV news career ladder, I kept trying, starting and stopping several novels over the years. It wasn’t until I quit my full-time job to stay home with my kids that I really began the long process of learning about story structure and good writing. I joined writer organizations, went to some local conferences, and found my first critique partner at one of them. I entered chapter contests for feedback and read a lot of writing craft books. I was fortunate that the first novel I completed (Hidden Deep) was selected as a RWA Golden Heart finalist in 2013. I was a finalist again the next year with that YA murder mystery/romantic suspense book! (What He Hides) That’s the book that got me my agent, too.
Are you from the South? Because you really seem to understand 100 degrees with 100 percent humidity. I live in New England now, and I’ve also lived in California, but I grew up in a small town in North Mississippi (with 5 years in Texas thrown in for flavor). I do love the South (even the heat), and I love books that accurately portray the loveliness of its places and people. I try to do that in my books, most of which tend to have Southern settings, because when the voices start speaking to me, they usually have a bit of a drawl. ;)
What’s your typical day like? I’m very blessed to be able to write full-time, which for me is about three or four hours a day. The other hours in my day are filled with publishing business work since I am an indie author. These days I write first thing in the morning, right when I wake up. I wish I was one of those super-focused people who can write anywhere anytime, but I’m the world’s worst multi-tasker (and have all the signs of adult ADHD) so I'm trying my best to get the most important work done first. Sometimes, I do a second afternoon writing session in my car at the beach, an environment I find very conducive to creativity. I also try to make time to meditate every day and to walk for exercise. I learned the hard way that sitting all day every day while working doesn't work for my body.
Are you a plotter or a pantser? I’m definitely a plotter. I could never write so many books so quickly without it. I pantsed my way through my first book, which was fun, but then it needed LOTS of revision, which took way longer than just planning it out in the first place. Now I do a few character exercises, fill out a beat sheet and then a scene-by-scene outline (in pencil) during my pre-writing stage. I follow it for my story structure, but I also keep a BIG eraser on hand in case inspiration strikes and I want to make changes. While I am a plotter, I’m not rigid about it—things can and do change as the story progresses, and I don’t feel the plotting inhibits my creativity at all.
Do you have any advice for someone who wants to write a book and become published?
I’ve seen the statistic that 90% of people want to write a book and only 10% actually start one. Even fewer finish a book. I think lack of know-how stops most people. (It certainly stopped me until I learned some things about constructing a story from beginnining to end.) So my advice would be to join a writer’s group where you can meet other writers to trade work with, learn with, and grow with. Having writer friends to trade work with made an incredible difference for me. I also enjoyed writing more and had more success when I got a firm grasp on story structure. I loved the book Save the Cat by Blake Snyder and the screenwriting book My Story Can Beat Up Your Story for that as well as the teachings of Michael Hague on character arcs and the six-stage story structure. They're very accessible and clear, besides being funny and enjoyable. When I read those, all kinds of light bulbs went off for me.
Is the Hidden Saga available in audiobook format? Yes! The first 7 books, HIDDEN DEEP, HIDDEN HEART, HIDDEN HOPE, HIDDEN DARKNESS, HIDDEN DANGER, HIDDEN DESIRE, and HIDDEN GAME are now available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes as well as many other audiobook retailers and libraries. I'm hoping that within the next year, the complete saga will be available on all the usual audiobook venues. The first two books of the Crimson Accord series are also out in audio, with the rest coming soon.
And the Designed series (by A. Patrick) was recently produced in audio by Podium Audio, and is now for sale.
Will the Hidden Saga or Age of Fae series be made into movies or TV shows? I hope so! I'm asked this question all the time, and while I'd love to see my stories brought to life on the screen, I'm not in control of that decision. But the more people who learn about the series and the more who read the books and fall in love with them, the better the chances of a big influencer (like a movie producer or director) finding them and making it happen. It absolutely could. Keep sharing your love of the Hidden world, and I believe it WILL happen!
Will there be more books in the Hidden Saga? The Saga itself is complete, wrapping up with all the characters in Book 10, HIDDEN HEIR. But if you're hungry for more magical fantasy romance, don't be sad! In addition to the 10 books available now plus the bonus novella The Sway, I have a new, connected series! The Age of Fae series begins with A Court Bright and Broken, which released February 14, 2025. Though it can completely stand alone, this series is a prequel to the Hidden Saga that takes place thousands of years earlier and explains how things came to be the way they are in the present-day Hidden world. I think you'll love it.
What's next? I'm currently working on book 2 of my new Romantasy series, a Kingdom Ruthless and Radiant. I'll reveal the cover soon! Stay tuned for details!
Can I get a signed paperback of one of your books? Yes! I'd be delighted to sign a book to you or someone you'd like to gift it to. An Etsy shop is coming, but in the meantime, Email me at amypatrickbooks@yahoo.com and tell me which books you want. I'll send you a Paypal invoice and then ship your signed, personalized books to you!
Where do your story ideas come from? Some are purely from my imagination. Others are loosely inspired by my life experiences. I worked in tv news for many years, so I got to go and see a lot of interesting places and things and meet a lot of interesting people. Many of them provided jumping off points for great story ideas. I read a lot across many genres, and I love movies and (a few) TV shows. I also look into my own past relationships and experiences to bring authenticity to the emotions of the characters I write.
As far as The Hidden Saga books— in middle school I was a huge Lord of the Rings geek, and when I learned that J.R.R. Tolkien was inspired by Norse mythology, specifically the Poetic Edda, I looked into the ancient minstrel tales myself. In them, Elves are described as beautiful, frightening, powerful, sometimes god-like. The Hidden Saga, beginning with HIDDEN DEEP, is loosely based on a combination of this Norse mythology and Celtic Fae legends along with some unique twists that are purely my own invention.
So is my new Age of Fae series which is related to the Hidden Saga!
The Crimson Accord series started with a really cool dream. I got up in the morning and started writing!
And The Designed Series (by A. Patrick, my sci fi and dystopian pen name) was born of my deep, abiding love of the original Bladerunner movie, which I *may* have watched more than a hundred times LOL. (The music in it is so soothing—you should check it out!)
You've written a little contemporary romance as well as fantasy and paranormal books. Why the different genres?
I like to read different genres and always have, and I think that’s why I like writing in different genres. Though my contemporary books (under a different pen name) are obviously very different from my fantasy books, they all contain romance, which is always my main interest, whether in books or movies or the TV shows I prefer. I LOVE love!
How did you get started writing? I actually tried writing a novel the year I graduated from college when I was working my first job as a TV news anchor/reporter. I covered an amazing murder trial and it inspired me to write a murder mystery. But I quickly discovered that news writing and novel writing were *very* different. I didn’t know how to get past the first few chapters. As I moved from city to city, moving up the TV news career ladder, I kept trying, starting and stopping several novels over the years. It wasn’t until I quit my full-time job to stay home with my kids that I really began the long process of learning about story structure and good writing. I joined writer organizations, went to some local conferences, and found my first critique partner at one of them. I entered chapter contests for feedback and read a lot of writing craft books. I was fortunate that the first novel I completed (Hidden Deep) was selected as a RWA Golden Heart finalist in 2013. I was a finalist again the next year with that YA murder mystery/romantic suspense book! (What He Hides) That’s the book that got me my agent, too.
Are you from the South? Because you really seem to understand 100 degrees with 100 percent humidity. I live in New England now, and I’ve also lived in California, but I grew up in a small town in North Mississippi (with 5 years in Texas thrown in for flavor). I do love the South (even the heat), and I love books that accurately portray the loveliness of its places and people. I try to do that in my books, most of which tend to have Southern settings, because when the voices start speaking to me, they usually have a bit of a drawl. ;)
What’s your typical day like? I’m very blessed to be able to write full-time, which for me is about three or four hours a day. The other hours in my day are filled with publishing business work since I am an indie author. These days I write first thing in the morning, right when I wake up. I wish I was one of those super-focused people who can write anywhere anytime, but I’m the world’s worst multi-tasker (and have all the signs of adult ADHD) so I'm trying my best to get the most important work done first. Sometimes, I do a second afternoon writing session in my car at the beach, an environment I find very conducive to creativity. I also try to make time to meditate every day and to walk for exercise. I learned the hard way that sitting all day every day while working doesn't work for my body.
Are you a plotter or a pantser? I’m definitely a plotter. I could never write so many books so quickly without it. I pantsed my way through my first book, which was fun, but then it needed LOTS of revision, which took way longer than just planning it out in the first place. Now I do a few character exercises, fill out a beat sheet and then a scene-by-scene outline (in pencil) during my pre-writing stage. I follow it for my story structure, but I also keep a BIG eraser on hand in case inspiration strikes and I want to make changes. While I am a plotter, I’m not rigid about it—things can and do change as the story progresses, and I don’t feel the plotting inhibits my creativity at all.
Do you have any advice for someone who wants to write a book and become published?
I’ve seen the statistic that 90% of people want to write a book and only 10% actually start one. Even fewer finish a book. I think lack of know-how stops most people. (It certainly stopped me until I learned some things about constructing a story from beginnining to end.) So my advice would be to join a writer’s group where you can meet other writers to trade work with, learn with, and grow with. Having writer friends to trade work with made an incredible difference for me. I also enjoyed writing more and had more success when I got a firm grasp on story structure. I loved the book Save the Cat by Blake Snyder and the screenwriting book My Story Can Beat Up Your Story for that as well as the teachings of Michael Hague on character arcs and the six-stage story structure. They're very accessible and clear, besides being funny and enjoyable. When I read those, all kinds of light bulbs went off for me.
Is the Hidden Saga available in audiobook format? Yes! The first 7 books, HIDDEN DEEP, HIDDEN HEART, HIDDEN HOPE, HIDDEN DARKNESS, HIDDEN DANGER, HIDDEN DESIRE, and HIDDEN GAME are now available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes as well as many other audiobook retailers and libraries. I'm hoping that within the next year, the complete saga will be available on all the usual audiobook venues. The first two books of the Crimson Accord series are also out in audio, with the rest coming soon.
And the Designed series (by A. Patrick) was recently produced in audio by Podium Audio, and is now for sale.
Will the Hidden Saga or Age of Fae series be made into movies or TV shows? I hope so! I'm asked this question all the time, and while I'd love to see my stories brought to life on the screen, I'm not in control of that decision. But the more people who learn about the series and the more who read the books and fall in love with them, the better the chances of a big influencer (like a movie producer or director) finding them and making it happen. It absolutely could. Keep sharing your love of the Hidden world, and I believe it WILL happen!
Will there be more books in the Hidden Saga? The Saga itself is complete, wrapping up with all the characters in Book 10, HIDDEN HEIR. But if you're hungry for more magical fantasy romance, don't be sad! In addition to the 10 books available now plus the bonus novella The Sway, I have a new, connected series! The Age of Fae series begins with A Court Bright and Broken, which released February 14, 2025. Though it can completely stand alone, this series is a prequel to the Hidden Saga that takes place thousands of years earlier and explains how things came to be the way they are in the present-day Hidden world. I think you'll love it.
What's next? I'm currently working on book 2 of my new Romantasy series, a Kingdom Ruthless and Radiant. I'll reveal the cover soon! Stay tuned for details!