Author Interview: PI Barrington

What many of you may not know is that the Desert Breeze group is like a big family. We're constantly chatting it up and supporting each other through our authors network online. So I'm always delighted when I get to host another DB author on my blog. Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to P.I. Barrington.

Would you please tell us a little about yourself?

Let’s see, where can I start? When I saw the Beatles for the first time on Ed Sullivan (yes, I am THAT old, lol!) I was about seven and I decided right then and there that I would meet Paul McCartney when I grew up (but not as a fan). That’s exactly what I did—I directed all my energy toward working in the entertainment—actually the music--industry and tried like heck to stay away from writing! Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately, my first job was as a newspaper reporter! After that I worked in radio (air talent) and at record labels. When I finally left the industry, my family nagged me to return to writing. I submitted a few short stories and they got published. By the time I was confident (and experienced) enough to submit a novel, Desert Breeze had just opened its doors and put out the submission call. I responded and that led to Future Imperfect.

When did you first become interested in writing?

Like most other authors, since I could string letters together to make a word. It was something I just took for granted, which was incredibly stupid. Once I learned to read, that was it. It was like an absorption thing, the more I read the more I wrote, mainly just to amuse myself. I never really thought of it as a profession; it was just for fun, just something to satisfy the urge to put words on paper. I thought my true calling was music and that was all I ever cared about. It’s still a pretty big part of my life but once you see the inside, you look at it differently, not necessarily bad, but differently. Now I just concentrate on enjoying it.

Can you tell us a little about the ups and downs on your journey to publication?

As I said, I ran away from it. But it just kept coming back no matter what! In college, I was the Editor of school newspaper; I was hired by my local newspaper; and even when I went into radio I started as the News Director! Ai yi yi! One of the most idiotic things I ever did (and I’ve done a lot) was when an author I’d just done a feature story on offered to recommend me to her publisher (a BIGGIE) should I ever want to submit a novel! I shrugged it off, thinking “I don’t want to be a writer! I want to work in music!” Can you imagine the stupidity? I kick myself every time I think of it! I’ve been very blessed that I’ve been allowed to return and still be accepted as a writer after all this time and all my struggling against it.

How do you approach a new project? Do you research and plot before you write? Or do you have a general idea and just go to it and see where it leads?

Usually I have a general idea and many times the last line or scene and go back and work the story toward it but many times the story will come about because I have several components that happen to fit together. What I’m talking about is characters or images of characters that I have personalities for or a location, situation, or even a theme. I’ve actually had a couple of stories that really did come together because I had the parts for them, lol! As for research, it’s a weird thing. I’ll have an element in a story that I think I’ll need to delve into and verify or learn about and I’ll go into deep research. The bad thing is, once I’ve done all the exhaustive study, the story ends up barely needing that element at all! So what I’ve learned to do is write the story and if I need the research to go back and do it but that’s rare too.

I'm currently going through this. I had myself all freaked out over the research. I hate not having answers, but I'm discovering that it's not as overwhelming as I thought.

Now, Crucifying Angel has received some really fantastic reviews. Tell us about your latest release?

I’m super excited about this book! Its Book Two Future Imperfect: Miraculous Deception and it picks up where (Book One) Crucifying Angel left off. There’s more intrigue and betrayal in this book and I hope people will like it and be surprised by a few things!

What inspired you to write this story?

Since it’s the second book in the trilogy, it was easy to pick up the story for continuation. But I wanted it to be a little different than the sped up pace of Book One. I think I subconsciously set up a few things in Crucifying Angel that enabled surprises that happen in Miraculous Deception. I did know that I wanted to twist things up a little and while it’s not breakneck speed, I’m happy with the interaction between characters aside from the two main characters. Of course, there are a few things that surprised even me!

That's the fun part! It's a great feeling too when things fit together in a clever way. Can you give us a little history on the characters, including how you developed them, and what endears them to you?

Payce and Gavin, most especially Payce, evolved from a picture I’d found and the way it was shot, it looked like her to me. I’d already had the photo but did not develop a character for it until Future Imperfect came about and I knew it was her. I like Payce because she’s not a super hero type. She’s short and not at all the tall athletic type. Gavin, well, I still can’t get a complete lock on him visually. But he’s tall, dark and British and I love the fact that he’s out of his element in Las Vegas, especially weather wise and also that he gets himself into situations that he can’t explain himself out of easily. The other characters are elemental to the story as well, Georgene Channing, the Coroner-cum- hospital Medical Director, is kind of the chorus (if you know Greek plays, lol!) in that she links them all together and gives information that moves the story along.
Nick is obviously the rival for Payce’s affections. I wanted to hate Nick, but I kinda’ like his smart*ss personality. I have pictures of them all and of course I cast them with actors as well.

Really interesting! What do you hope to be able to accomplish through your writing? Any long term goals?

If I can entertain people for a while, get them out of their daily stress and show them a good time, I’ll be happy. My dream is that they’ll remember my books fondly and maybe a line or two will stick in their heads that was funny or impressed them in some small way. I’ve done that with my favorite authors. Long term? I’d be happy if I could be the casting agent if any of my books were optioned successfully to the film stage. I used to want to direct; now I just want to cast my books.

I know what you mean. My niece posted a line from my book as her facebook status once. That was cool! Any ideas for future projects?

Um, yeah I have several that I’m working on in various stages of development. But I’m very, very superstitious and don’t like to talk about projects before they happen. That’s a hangover from my Hollywood days.

Makes sense. Okay, time for trivia. What's your favorite movie, food, and place to vacation? Also, any other hobbies?

I’m a comedy freak. Airplane, Naked Gun, Scary Movie(s) anything by the Wayans, Marx Brothers, Abbott and Costello, Laurel & Hardy! And I absolutely adore old black and white movies from the 1920’s to 1950’s. I love the clothing women wore back then. They knew how to dress women (and men in tuxedos—I faint) back then in my opinion though I do love Lady Gaga’s stuff too! I’m also a sucker for Gone with the Wind.
My favorite food of all time is Thai. I love it so much I learned to cook it! I’m pretty good at it too! Second is Mexican.
My favorite place to vacation? Well, I love Britain—just amazing. I love New England, that’s my favorite place to go. If I could only stand the cold, I’d be living there right now. We vacationed there for a decade, pretty much the nineties. We always visit in the fall, immediately after Labor Day when everyone else has gone home from their vacation. Something about it calls to me and it really is the only other place outside of California that feels like home.
Hobbies? Well, I’m a gardening fanatic indoors and out. I dabble in art whenever my sister bugs me to make something for her—currently she wants me to draw freehand on a shirt and then embroider it—I do that by hand but it’s not really a hobby. Music is still my life and I keep up with it, who are the current artists, who’s upcoming, I love all styles of music from classical to rap (Tupac!) and when I have extra time (right) I will concentrate on listening to music. I’ll never stop loving music. I can’t.

Other than your book, do you have any recommendations you'd like to pass along?

Any of the Desert Breeze authors and I mean that. Every one of them is a high caliber writer. And what’s best is that there are so many genre’ to choose from; it’s a well rounded roster as well as a talented one.
It’s hard to recommend any particular author, DBP or not because peoples’ tastes are so different and now there are additional and sometimes doubled up genre’. Paranormal historical is an example of that. Also, my personal tastes may not be everyone’s. I have not read On Writing by Stephen King, though people talk highly about it, but that’s King for you. I do recommend him to any contemporary authors since he’s the true maestro of that genre’ whether you read his horror or not. Yeah, I guess Stephen King would be my recommendation.
Thanks so much Shawna!

You're welcome P.I. And...it just so happens that I have "On Writing" on my Kindle. It's a great read. Some of the personal stories about when Stephen was growing up are just classic. The poison ivey one, and the super magnet -- if you've read the book you know what I'm referring to. Hilarious! Well, now anyway. I doubt they were too funny at the time.

For more about P.I. Barrington and her books:

http://www.thewordmistresses.com/