First published 27th August 2022
Welcome to the first of our Author Interviews,
where we will put 12 questions to a different author to find out a little more
about them, their work, and their writing habits.
We hope that these interviews will become a
regular feature, and we are seeking new authors to feature. If you are an
author (either self-published or signed up with a publisher), and would be
interested in being included in our interview posts, details of how to be
included can be found at the end of this post.
Our first author interview is with Chicago resident Patrick Sacchetti, author of Heaven’s Assassins, a new thriller, shot through with dark humour and satire; a cry of anger at the injustices of the modern world.
So, let’s hand you over to Patrick to find out
more:
Brindle: In about three sentences, what is your book about?
Patrick: Heavens Assassins is about average, middle class working people tired of being used and abused by the 1% ruling class. They don’t trust politicians from either side of the aisle and don’t believe in mass violence or guns. Using their brains instead, they figure out the root causes of which of the ruling class holds down their workers, pollutes the environment and takes advantage of the religiously ignorant and decides to confront those root causes directly.
Brindle: When did you first get involved in writing?
Patrick: In grade school I wrote a story about animals that ended up on a local news broadcast. In high school and college, I wrote album reviews – when there were albums and not CD’s or digital downloads. I read fiction and non-fiction throughout my entire life and realized that I can write at least as well as some of the published authors, so I gave it a go.
Brindle: What got you interested in this subject in the first place?
Patrick: The rise of Trumpism in America got me riled up, but I didn’t want to write another Trump book since there are so many already. I wanted to write the other side of Trumpism, about the people who are tired of the fascist, ruling elite and don’t buy into the political fascist propaganda machine that is spinning out of control in America right now.
Brindle: What’s been your highlight or biggest achievement in this field?
Patrick: I don’t know if I have a particular business highlight in this field. I take personal satisfaction and pride from people who check out what I have completed and tell me it is interesting, entertaining and funny, at the same time. I consider those compliments as my biggest achievements.
Brindle: What is it that drives you to write?
Patrick: Writing gives me an outlet to express myself and creating a book is a legacy of sorts. When I am dead and gone at least Heavens Assassins, and my first, Specialty Meats will be still be around in some format.
Brindle: Can you tell us about your research methods?
Patrick: I read a lot of books. Fiction and non-fiction, for my entire life. Thank God for Google by the way.
Brindle: What are the best and worst things about being a writer in this field?
Patrick: There is stiff competition, and it is easy to get lost in the field of writers. Since I have never been good at self-promotion, that is a drawback. What is most satisfying is getting an idea and watching it grow onto the pages. It is great when people realize where I am trying to be funny and tell me that certain parts of the book are very humorous.
Brindle: Which authors etc. are your biggest influences?
Patrick: Stephen King is someone I have always admired. Murakami is a modern-day genius in my opinion and there have been several Thomas Pynchon books that I totally devoured.
Brindle: What do you think is the most important quality/skill for a writer in your field?
Patrick: First, there is no better way to see formats of books than by reading a lot of different authors. Also, I like listening to what other people have to say. I try to get other people talking about any subject. For my first piece, Specialty Meats, about the human organ black market trade, I had a discussion with a pharmacist about how crazy this country, and world, was getting and he mentioned that there must be a more advanced civilization someplace in the universe and I responded, “Yes there is. We are probably their reality television programming that they watch when they want to see how the lower form of human life interacts.” That is a concept used in Specialty Meats, especially at the end of the book.
Brindle: What are your future plans?
Patrick: I would like to do more travelling. Go to some beaten, off the path places to visit. Like to see where the Salem witch trials were held on the East Coast and see a couple of the Civil War prison locations, just to see and find out what I can see and find out. Maybe a visit to Alcatraz off San Francisco. Not exactly glamorous vacation spots but areas of interest. I also need a real good Las Vegas vacation to get that out of my system.
Brindle: Can you tell us a bit about your writing process? (location/time/words per day/schedule etc.)
Patrick: I don’t do any words per day type routine although I know that is what Stephen King teaches in his book on writing. Lately, I have been doing a lot of reading and research type of work for my upcoming work. Another take on the Reality Television politics that are ruining America. I am 40,000 words into that one and write furiously whenever idea’s or topics come to mind.
Brindle: What advice would you give to new writers in your field?
Patrick: Read and write often and have fun doing it. Write for fun and if the profit comes, that is great. Write for your enjoyment and if other people enjoy your writing and come along for the ride, that is great. If monetary gain comes along that is great also.
They were angry over the hypocritical lies espoused
on their brothers and sisters.
They were enraged by the power elite who made
jobs dangerous and poisoned community waterways. They were upset with people pledged to look over the community and
instead poison them physically and spiritually with toxic ideas. The hypocritical, self-righteous, alleged morality
keepers who picked the pockets of and poisoned the brains of their flock – this
was damning most of all. A surprise shock
ending that will amaze the reader. Do not reveal the ending to any other
readers.
Heaven’s Assassins is available now on Amazon.com: