Interview Pat Worley

by

Roberta Olsen Major

1) I had the opportunity to interview you for your previous Wings release, Tell Me No Lies. How has your life changed--or has it?--as a result of the publication of that first Wings novel? And how do your feelings now about the release of The Capitol Affair compare with your feelings as you anticipated the publication of Tell Me No Lies?

My life has changed significantly since Tell Me No Lies was published; however, the change wasn’t a result of the book. My husband suffered a severe stroke just before publication, and my excitement was obviously tempered by that event. Although my husband remains in a nursing home, I’m really looking forward to the release of The Capitol Affair.

2) The protagonist of The Capitol Affair is an engineer. Is the language of engineering something that comes naturally to you, or did you have to do extensive research to get a feel for it?

I wanted to make my heroine, Lexie, a strong woman with a profession that includes fewer women than men. I didn’t do extensive research on engineering per se, although both my father and brother are engineers. I’m sure I picked up something!

3) How long did it take you to complete The Capitol Affair, and what was the toughest part of finishing it?

The Capitol Affair was the very first book I wrote (a long time ago); I actually learned the writing craft while doing this book. Needless to say, I did many, many re-writes. But the plot stayed basically the same since I began. It wasn’t difficult to finish the book, but learning and re-writing along the way was the most challenging.

4) Did the current political climate in America influence you in the writing of The Capitol Affair? If so, how?

It wasn’t the political climate that influenced me. I think it was more the criminal element that influenced me. I did research on the selling of arms, which was a problem then and is a problem today.

5) Are you working on anything new at the moment? If so, what?

Right now I am working on a light romance about a travel agent who’s looking for Mr. Right and falling in love with Mr. Wrong. It’s been difficult getting back into the writing mode, but I hope to get the inspiration soon.

6) How would you categorize The Capitol Affair? Suspense, romance, intrigue, political commentary? A combination of all of the above?

The Capitol Affair is a combination of romance, suspense and intrigue. What better place for that than in the seat of power, Washington, D.C.?

7) I understand from our previous interview that you worked for a time in Washington, D.C. Are there any specifics from that time that made it into The Capitol Affair?

I worked in Washington, D.C., for a number of years and many of the locales in the story are described in the book. In addition, my husband was a lobbyist and we attended a number of Congressional receptions and fundraisers. I tried to include some of my experiences in the story.

8) What is your favorite part of the writing process?

My favorite part of writing is when you’re on a roll--you know where you’re going with the story, the words just flow, and all is right with the world!