Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Writers Like Us - Huntley Fitzpatrick

I am so excited to have Huntley Fitzpatrick, author of My Life Next Door on the blog today to share her Writers Like Us answers. I am loving My Life Next Door, and if you haven't put it on your TBR list, you are missing out (plus that cover is gorgeous!).

Her answers are below in bold. Let us know what makes Huntley like you in the comments.

Huntley on Writing
  • I've written 6 (complete—I’ve started so many more) books, and 1 so far has seen the light of day. I’m contracted for another and have my fingers crossed for more.
  • My favorite type of scene/character/setting to write is: Oh, I love the awkward moments. The moments when your heroine just embarrasses herself or can’t pull it together in front of the hero. To me, those moments are sacred. If he can love you then, if you can laugh together, it will all work out.
  • No matter how long I've been writing, I still have issues with perfectionism. My mantra is taken from Elizabeth Gilbert “Better ‘done’ than ‘perfect’”. But I still always think “with just a little more time, I could…”
  • A typical comment from my critique partner is “He really needs to keep his shirt on more.”
  • The book I wished I wrote is: Oh, there are so many. ALICE BLISS. THE STARBOARD SEA. THE NEXT BEST THING. Heck, THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND and GONE WITH THE WIND.
Huntley on Getting Published
  • If my agent (or editor) really knew how crazy I was, s/he would find out: how ridiculously much I obsess about every single word and every single choice. I am so foolish about making sure no hero ever has the same clothing style or makes the same gestures, even from heroes in books of mine that will never be published. As in “No, he can’t wear a white tee-shirt, Jase wore a white tee shirt.” As if there are all that many choices in guy-wear.
  • When I was querying, I felt: like I had no clue what I was doing. Summarizing a story in a sentence? Forget it. I can take ten paragraphs to say what should be said in two sentences.
  • The biggest mistake I ever made querying was: not knowing what was important.
  • When I got "The Call," my first thought was:  “Are you sure you have the right number?”
Huntley on Life Outside Writing
  • If I weren't a writer, I'd probably be a: librarian. That was the career everyone predicted for me. Whatever I was, it would always be book-related. And I adore that song, “Marian the Librarian” from THE MUSIC MAN. And also his great advice: “My dear Marian. You pile up enough ‘tomorrows’ and you’ll have nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays.”
  • Secretly, I'm terrified of: Spiders. Failure. Letting down people I love.
  • My secret girlfriend/boyfriend is Nat Eaton from THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND. Tom Shaw from AN OLD FASHIONED GIRL. Adam Eddington from A RING OF ENDLESS LIGHT. Augustus Waters, of course, from THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. Cal from THE STARBOARD SEA. Ethan from THE NEXT BEST THING. Okay, I need to stop.
  • Sometimes, when no one is around, I sing along to songs from WICKED. Which my daughters have expressly forbidden me to do. Don’t tell them!

Huntley Fitzpatrick has always wanted to be a writer, ever since growing up in a small coastal Connecticut town much like the Stony Bay of My Life Next Door. After college she worked in many fields including academic publishing and as an editor at Harlequin. Huntley is currently a full-time writer, wife, and mom to six children. She lives in South Dartmouth, MA. Visit Huntley online at www.huntleyfitzpatrick.com

15 comments:

  1. Summarizing a story in one sentence...Ugh! I'm the same way. If I could just have 2 or 3 sentences to work with I could do it. :) And I have the same problems with perfectionism. I end up revising as I go, so it takes me WAY too long to get through a first draft.

    Great interview, Val & Huntley! :)

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    1. OMG! Not Val, not Val! (Whoops!)

      Let's try that again: Great interview, Valerie & Huntley. :) Better? (Sorry about that.)

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    2. Hahaha! Much better (but it's really okay if you slip, everyone always does :))

      I still have not been able to master the one-sentence pitch. I can do it in 3...and get creative to push it at 2, but never 1. Luckily, I have an agent to help me with that now.

      I really liked Huntley's comment about being super detailed "he can't wear a white t-shirt too!" because I do the same thing! I obsessed over a character's tattoo placement once.

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  2. Loved this! My Life Next Door was one of my favorite reads from last year. YA Contemporary is my favorite, and what I want to write long-term. I liked how developed all the supporting characters were, and how the storylines worked together.

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    1. YA Contemporary is my favorite too, Stephanie! :)

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  3. MY LIFE NEXT DOOR was one of my 2012 favorites -- I love a good contemporary romance and Jase was absolutely adorable. It was fun learning more about Huntley and her writing past. I can totally relate to her comments on the querying experience. Thanks for the fantastic interview, ladies!

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    1. Thanks Katy! I adore Jase too. I'm not quite through but he might be one of my new favorite LIs.

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  4. Great post! Esp. since I just finished reading MY LIFE NEXT DOOR. :) Thanks so much! I'm really loving these Writers Like Us installments!! <333
    Loved My Life Next Door's ending, btw!

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  5. What a great post! I loved MY LIFE NEXT DOOR. And this post made me love Huntley too! I look forward to reading many more of her books.

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    1. Thanks Marisa! I especially love that "he needs to keep his shirt on more" comment!! :D

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  6. Valerie! Another fabulous post. I just noticed MLND this week when I reset our teen table; I'll have to borrow it. Although I'm still reading SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL. :)

    Anyway, I pimped out your blog series by linking you in the Liebster Award on my blog. It's here. Have fun, and I can't wait to read more interviews!

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    1. Thanks Jessica!!!

      Hurry up and read SOMETHING LIKE NORMALLLLL!! ;)

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  7. LOVE It. I also love those awkward moments ;o)

    Great addition!! Excellent job!

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