Pat Bertram Introduces . . .

What is your book about?

Ghosts and Physics is about a girl with a vision. Albeit, it’s a comparatively unorthodox and “out there” vision, but it’s visionary, nonetheless. She theorizes that what we see and/or perceive as “ghosts” may not actually be ghosts at all but, rather, people and things existing in other overlapping times. This story is about how she and her physics-genius boyfriend go about not only proving her theory, but wreaking hilarious havoc with the time/space continuum as well. Of course, sometimes what seems to be a ghost is, actually, just a ghost; so there are a few true hauntings as well!

How long had the idea of your book been developing before you began to write the story?

This plot actually came to me in a gradual kind of way. I love watching all the ghost-hunting “reality” shows, but I’m also into the “what if?” side of solid, provable science…a strange mental balancing act, at times. I had just read an article about a girl who witnessed a person dressed in 1800s garb suddenly materializing in front of her along a roadway. As the materialization occurred, the environment around her also began to shift until the girl herself was very clearly IN the 1800s. This experience lasted several seconds, and then her world shifted back to normal. It was in that moment that Ghosts and Physics began materializing in my mind.

How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book?

All my life I’ve been told that good writers write what they know. Therefore, the main character, Katie, and many of her experiences are almost entirely me and mine. The other characters are loosely based on people I know or have known.

How long did it take you to write your book?

This book began as two short stories which I began writing in 2009. Once those were completed, I thought, who in the world is going to have any interest in marketing two short stories? Either you write enough shorts to fill an entire book, or you combine and “thicken” these two plots into a full-length novel. Obviously I opted for the latter. I was, of course, also employed full-time at a “real job,” so I worked on the book until completion in 2013.

How (or when) do you decide that you are finished writing a story?

Stories never seem to be truly “finished.” I could still be organizing, writing, tweaking, rewriting, and editing this book ad nauseum but finally had to simply MAKE myself reach an end point. I knew I wanted to write at least two more books in this series, so I forced my ideas to stop flowing and wait for the next manuscript. Patience isn’t one of my stronger personality traits!

What is the most difficult part of the whole writing process?

Thus far, the most difficult part of the writing process has been the editing. A confirmed grammar and spelling nerd, I always assumed that fixing punctuation and spelling mistakes would be a breeze (I will NOT use Spellcheck as it is a machination of the devil). And maintaining plot continuity? No problem! Yeah, that didn’t work out so well. It’s amazing how many quotation marks get missed when you’re proofing a story you’ve not only written but have already read through twenty times or more. Then there’s the contradictions in character descriptions or actions from chapter to chapter. For example, it can be a real challenge to remember that the red sweater in one chapter still needs to be the color red several chapters later instead of suddenly morphing into chartreuse.

What are you working on right now?

As of this moment, I’m already 80 pages into a second book in the Ghosts and Physics series and have a basic plot outline for book #3. I also have two other books being mentally-written as I create these. Those two lean more toward a “historical horror” genre, if you will, and by “horror,” I mean the intelligent and suspenseful kind…not the “grab a chainsaw and massacre the entire cast” kind.

What writer influenced you the most?

As a teenager, I was heavily influenced by the creative, imaginative writing and storytelling style of Frank Peretti. In more recent years, Joss Whedon and Janet Evanovich have become my greatest influences. In a perfect world, should Ghosts and Physics ever make it to “movie” status, I would love to see Mr. Whedon write the screenplay and direct! I’ve also mentally cast the four main characters (mostly). Katie MUST be played by Emma Stone. I’d dearly love to see James Franco play Katie’s boyfriend Mick. No one but Sandra Bullock should ever attempt the part of Eva, and her husband Timothy would be excellently portrayed by John Cusack.

Describe your writing in three words.

My writing in three words: smart, imaginative, comedic.

Where can we learn more about your books.

http://secondwindpublishing.com is your initial go-to source for my books. They will also be available on Amazon.com in both print and electronic formats. Updates and information on the State of my Writing Union will be posted on my WordPress blog entitled Diabloggical Me. I’ll also be posting information on my Ghosts and Physics Facebook page which is coming soon!