OBS reviewer Vicki is back with a new interview to share with or readers, this time with Award winner Northwest author of romance Kelly Fitzpatrick and her latest book ‘Pleasant Lake P.D.’, where they discuss her characters and real life inspiration behind them, romance and other genres, favorite quotes and more. Enjoy!
Read the review for ‘Pleasant Lake P.D.’ here.
Vicki: First things first, is Miguel Diaz based upon a real-life person and if so can I get his number?
Kelly F.: I make no secret of the fact that I love the Latin men. Miguel is probably a compilation of the “best” qualities of many men I’ve known, some Latin and some not. I did not want to write the typical bad boy who can be changed by the love of a good woman. I think it’s irresponsible to tell women over and over again through romance novels that if you are pretty enough, sexy enough and smart enough you can change a man. That line of thinking lays the blame squarely on us when the relationship doesn’t work out for one reason or another. We weren’t thin enough or young enough or just enough. To quote my heroine, Alex, “Miguel was like the illusive unicorn. A good looking, impeccably dressed, highly educated, well-groomed, polite, single, straight guy. Often spoken about in legend and lore, but never seen.” In other words, he probably doesn’t exist and if he does I don’t have his phone number. If I did, I wouldn’t be flashing it around.
Vicki: And Roman Plow, who’s name is ridiculously appropriate by the way, is like the hooker with a heart of gold (kinda.) How did you manage to make a manwhore redeemable?
Kelly F.: Roman is a compilation of the worst qualities of many men I’ve known, so I had a lot of material to work with. I loved Roman and discovered that other women did too, which I found troubling because I thought I was the only one with poor judgment when it came to men. I’ve read many books where the “wrong” guy is so wrong you have to wonder what the heroine saw in him to begin with. Roman is witty and charming and sexy in a one-night-stand sort of way. I did not want to vilify him (too much). But since women were so drawn to his character I had to, like you said, manwhore him up, stopping short of giving him an actual STD or turning him into a serial killer.
Vicki: Alex is a sassy and unique character. Her narrative was almost like a stream of consciousness, which is something that makes her seem all the more honest and authentic. It was extremely refreshing reading this type of romcom heroine. Was it your intention to shy away from the damsel-in-distress and what was your main inspiration for Alex?
Kelly F.: If you think the mind of Stephen King is a scary place, welcome to the mind of Kelly Fitzpatrick, the anti-romance, romance writer. Although I do have other published books, Pleasant Lake PD was the second novel I wrote. The first was a futuristic, interplanetary mail-order bride story that we don’t talk about. I wrote Pleasant Lake PD with no filter. If I thought it, I wrote it. It wasn’t until I began entering writing contests that I was told “you can’t write that” and “Alex can’t say that”. Since I was kicking ass and taking names in writing contests, I didn’t really change much (in that regard) until my editor at Medallion told me “you can’t write that” and “Alex can’t say that”. She gave me a lot of latitude to be outrageous, inappropriate and over the top, but she had her limits. One of us had to be the voice of reason.
Vicki: Crime, mob life, FBI, sexual slavery, shoot outs and punch ups. With lusty lovin’ and comedy! I particularly enjoyed the way in which you subverted genres in order to tell Alex’s story. You could write the same novel from Agent Kilgore’s point-of-view and it would be completely different. You’ve established yourself as a romcom author but do you think you’ll ever crossover to a different genre?
Kelly F.: I love to joke and laugh. I have a bit of a dark, warped sense of humor. Sexual slavery is nothing to laugh about. I think it’s an important issue that I tried not to make light of. But I do make fun of the FBI and criminals and cops. Oh, and family. But so far there is always an element of humor whether I’m writing paranormal or contemporary or anything.
Vicki: Do you have a favourite quote and/or scene?
Kelly F.: I think it would be the scene where Alex and Miguel meet and she’s rifling through his car.
“I wouldn’t say I was above rummaging through a guy’s personal belongings to ascertain his creep ration, but I’d never gotten paid for it before. Not that I was actually getting paid extra. The FBI never mentioned compensation, which started to deeply trouble me.”
Vicki: What do you recommend for readers who enjoy Pleasant Lake P.D. and want more Kelly Fitzpatrick?
Kelly F.: Lily in Wonderland – Lily is a bad girl tamed by the love of a good man. Novel in print and ebook with Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
This Side of Dead – The lines between life and death are blurred in this paranormal ebook novella with Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
Dodging Cupid – An anti-Valentine’s Day short love story out in ebook with Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
Holiday Hostage – Kidnapped by your family for Christmas, a short free ebook with Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
Vicki: What’s the most important message that readers can take away from Pleasant Lake P.D.?
Kelly F.: Have safe sex, wear sunscreen and trust your instincts when it comes to men and danger. Oh, and laugh often.
Thank you to author Kelly Fitzpatrick for a great review!
