Happy new year! I’m excited to kick off the 2019 author interview series with my first MALE guest! There are certainly a lot of men who write young adult, but Patrick is the first to grace my pixels. So without further adieu, please help me welcome Patrick Hodges!

Patrick was born, and still lives, in the greater Phoenix area. He has no plans to live anywhere else! He’s been married for eighteen years to his lovely wife Vaneza. No kids, though they have had many of the furry kind.

Patrick and I met when I was invited to join a very small writing group that he runs on Facebook. There are fewer than 100 members, which really gives everyone a chance to know each other, and I love how diverse and supportive it is. He’s also an AMAZING proofreader and has caught I don’t want to say how many errors in my already published books. Now I have him read in advance to save me from embarrassment!

Tell us about your latest book!

I just completed and published Endgame, Book Three of the Wielders of Arantha trilogy. It’s futuristic sci-fi meets medieval fantasy (think Star Wars meets Game of Thrones). Plus, if you like strong female characters, you’ll find more in the series than in just about any other. There’s a compelling story line, humor, romance, and a ton of action. I’m very proud of it. If you’re interested, Book One is entitled Pawns, and is available on Kindle Unlimited.

Keep reading to learn more about Endgame!

Go to Mount Calabur. Stand on the Nexus. Win the game.

Eons ago, a game to determine galactic dominance began. Now, on the distant world of Elystra, that game is reaching its conclusion.

Two mighty armies clash: on one side, Elzaria the Lightning-Wielder, backed by her brother’s army, is poised to claim the third Stone and final victory. On the other, Earth pilot Maeve and her allies are all that stands in her way.

With the fate of the entire galaxy at stake, who will make the ultimate sacrifice?

Buy Endgame

 

Now for the fun stuff!

What’s your favorite genre? Do you read what you write?

I love Young Adult books because the stories tend to be fast-paced and easy to understand. I tend to read contemporary, dystopian, mystery, paranormal, pretty much anything as long as it’s YA.

The fast-paced nature is why I love to both write and read YA. There’s no time for pages and pages of introspection because the story has to keep moving.

What’s your favorite part about writing?

Finishing! Seriously, though, my favorite part is creating characters I love and that I know other people will too.

There really is no greater feeling than finishing a manuscript.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Finishing. Oh, I said that already. The hardest part for me is finding the time to just sit down and write.

I know a lot of writers struggle with this. Sometimes our lives make having a consistent time nearly impossible.

What’s an activity unrelated to writing that you love?

Besides reading? I love movies. I’ll see just about anything if it looks entertaining.

We’re movie fans too. Oddly, I don’t watch many YA-themed movies, mainly because my husband isn’t as interested and we watch everything together.

Who’s your biggest cheerleader?

My mom. She still asks me where I get all these stories I write!

I love this. Moms are the best!

Now I’d like to play a fun little game called This or That. As a writer, I find that a lot of interviews ask the same questions, so I always appreciate sharing something new about myself. I’m super excited about these questions—and I hope you enjoy them!

Introvert or extrovert?
Introvert! I’m a writer…

Morning or night person?
Night. Hate mornings. Hate hate hate.

Coffee or tea?
Neither. Diet Coke is my poison of choice.

Sweet or salty?
Sweet. Definitely.

Eternal summer or four seasons?
I live in Arizona. The summers are brutal. Four seasons, please!

Mountains or beach?
Beach. Give me the Bahamas any day.

Dogs or cats?
Love both, but I adore cats.

Over 5’5” or under?
Over. By about five inches.

Left or right-handed?
I’m a lefty.

Hoodie or yoga pants?
What’s yoga?

Ha!! You are officially not only my first male guest, but you are by far the tallest! But you have added to the overwhelming majority of lefties.

Patrick, thank you SO MUCH for spending time with us! You can find him online here:

Website | Goodreads
Facebook |  Twitter

If you missed the previous interviews, you can read them here.