Becca Fitzpatrick is the New York Times bestselling author of HUSH, HUSH. She grew up reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden with a flashlight under the covers, and at one point, dreamed of becoming a spy, thinking it would be thrilling and sexy. Then she read BLOWING MY COVER: MY LIFE AS A CIA SPY by Lindsay Moran and changed her mind. She ended up graduating college with a degree in health, which she promptly abandoned for storytelling. Much to her delight, telling stories can be thrilling, sexy and dangerous. When not writing, she’s most likely prowling sale racks for reject shoes, running, or watching crime dramas on TV. HUSH, HUSH is her first novel. ~ From beccafitzpatrick.com/

OBS: How did you get from a degree in health to writing books?
BF: Quite the switch, right? I started writing HUSH, HUSH in 2003, when my husband enrolled me in a writing class as a birthday present. It’s all his fault, ha! Seriously though, it was instant love. I’ve always been an avid journal writer, but during that writing class, I knew I’d found the one thing I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing. If I hadn’t sold HUSH, HUSH last year, I’d still be writing today. Writing and storytelling are a lot of work, but I’m slowly figuring out that the things in life that require the most work are also the most rewarding.

OBS: Who are your literary influences?
BF: I never tire of Jane Austen, Diana Gabaldon, Sandra Brown, Laurie Halse Anderson, Richelle Mead, Sue Grafton, Laurie R. King, and Juliet Marillier.

OBS: What are you reading right now?
BF: CRAZY BEAUTIFUL by Lauren Baratz-Logsted.

OBS: What is your favorite book of all time? and why?
BF: Oh man, it changes all the time. I do love PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I also love THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB by Karen Joy Fowler. And OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon.

OBS: I was very surprised to learn Hush, Hush is your first book. You write like a pro, which is not easy to do. How did you gain those skills?
BF: I’m glad you think I write like a pro! I’m editing CRESCENDO, my second book, right now, and every time I’m deep into editing a book, the last thing I feel like is a pro. I usually feel completely lost and like a total hack. It’s all part of the process. I don’t think there are many writers who feel completely comfortable with, and proud of, their writing all the time. I know I don’t. Even when HUSH, HUSH went to print, I couldn’t help but think, “But there are still more things I need to fix! I need more time!” In the end, I think it comes down to learning to accept and celebrate what I have accomplished. Anyway, that was a very long and roundabout way of getting to what I really meant to say: thank you!

OBS: What other media do you use to help inspire you while writing (Music, Art, Movies, etc.)? Anything specific?
BF: Oh, wow, I’d never really thought about it. Chances are, I rely on a little bit of everything I see and hear in my day to day life. I can say with certainty that Romancing the Stone is the movie that made me decide, at eight years of age, that I was going to grow up to be a writer.

OBS: How did you come up with the fallen angel aspect of the story? What are your personal beliefs on beings like angels and demons?
BF: When I started writing HUSH, HUSH, I knew I wanted Patch to be the ultimate bad boy… but with a twist. He hadn’t always been bad. In fact, at one point, he’d been really good, and something had caused this big change. While pondering what had caused Patch’s fall from grace, the metaphor of “falling” that I was carrying around in my head became something quite literal – a fallen angel. Since I already knew Patch was going to be the ultimate bad boy, this revelation seemed perfect – after all, fallen angels are the original bad boys. As for my personal beliefs, I absolutely believe in angels and demons, although in some ways, they’re quite different from the characters I’ve created in HUSH, HUSH.

OBS: I really love the hierarchy of angels in heaven, Gabriel’s fall to earth and their roles in Christian tales, did you do any research into this when you came up with the idea of a fallen angel?
BF: I did research Judeo-Christian mythology, but I grew up going to Sunday School every week, so the basic concept of good and evil has been a part of my life for a long time 🙂

OBS: I was instantly drawn in by the characters in Hush, Hush, especially Patch. Each character has a lot of depth. How do you develop your characters? Do they have some of your traits or traits of family and friends?
BF: Although I don’t think I realized it while I was writing HUSH, HUSH, most of the book’s characters are based on people I’ve known. Vee’s character was inspired by two of my childhood best friends. Marcie was inspired by the mean girl in my high school (there’s a reason we have clichés!) And Patch was inspired by a guy I knew a long time ago.

OBS: If Hush, Hush was adapted for the big screen, who would you want to play Chauncey, Patch and Nora?
BF: I don’t know many current actors, but I’d love to have Drew Doyon, the cover model for HUSH, HUSH, play Patch. I think he’d nail the part! As for Nora, I think a young Emmy Rossum would be perfect. Chauncey… hmm… I’ve had fans suggest Alex Pettyfer for Elliot, but I think he’d make a fantastic Chauncey Langeais.

OBS: I enjoyed the plot twists and turns but I’m dying for more Patch and Nora… Will there be a sequel to Hush, Hush?
BF: Yes! I’m working on CRESCENDO right now. There’ll be more Nora, and lots more Patch. In Crescendo, readers will find out what really happened the night Nora’s dad was murdered. Let’s just say he was living a secret life… one with ties to Patch…

OBS: What future projects are you working on? Can you tell us anything about them?
BF: Right now, my focus is entirely on CRESCENDO. That said, I do have a YA romance waiting in line at the back of my mind. I’ve plotted the book, and believe me, as soon as I finish CRESCENDO, I’ll be giving it my undivided attention. It’s sexy and fun, and a little lighter than HUSH, HUSH.

OBS: What would you like your readers to know about yourself or your books?
BF: I love my readers! I wouldn’t be doing any of this if it weren’t for them. They’re the best, most supportive and enthusiastic people in the world! Every time I receive a letter from a reader, it motivates me to make CRESCENDO that much better.

Thanks again Becca for this awesome interview. I can’t wait for Crescendo now. Hurry up and finish it pwetty pwease.

If you’d like to learn more about Becca and her books, please check her website here:
beccafitzpatrick.com/