The great thing about writing is that it’s never too late to start. While it takes time to find your voice and learn your craft, the actual act of writing is never out of reach. Retired lawyer Patrick Scott knows this all too well after writing his first book, Farm Tough. Below is my interview with Scott about his book, his writing process, and his real life inspirations.
About the author and book
Author name/pen name: Patrick Scott
Book Title: Farm Tough
Genres: murder mystery/youthful adventures
Farm Tough book summary
The book is about several young boys growing up next to the Feather River where they play unsupervised, build rafts, fish, and hunt. One day, they see an atrocity they cannot unsee and Sean, who grew up farm tough, despite being 12 years old, cannot let the crime go unpunished.
Book excerpt
From Chapter 14:
Terry and Glenn soundlessly moved up to the end of the island with hardly a thanks or goodbye and swam back to Yuba City side of the river. Within minutes of sunrise, we were all up, had our gear strapped to a raft and were moving downstream. Red van and Hades followed. Sean, however, always curious, took a quick detour across the river and back upstream to inspect the boat we had pummeled the night before. He grabbed the boat to access its exterior damage. I saw a couple of broken windows. There was no evidence of whose rock it which window, but windows had been hit.
Then Sean exclaimed, “look at that pole.”
With a look of great satisfaction, he pulled a 10-foot-long straight rose-colored wooden pole of the boat’s deck. You would’ve thought he had discovered a buried treasure.
Sean marveled eagerly, “this is perfect fur da river.”
He smiled ear to ear as we begin moving downstream. However, we heard two ear shattering explosions. Someone had fired a gun at us from behind. A quiver of pins spiked through my spine. Everyone froze. Sean’s face went white.
Without looking over his shoulder Sean yelled in a whisper, “Shit! That’s a 45 pistol. Whose shootin’ at us?”
Talking Shop
What do you want readers to take away from your books?
I want readers of Farm Tough to experience the boys had growing up in 1955 on the Feather River without parental supervision and being able to enjoy each adventure at their own risk.
Name a fact or detail about your story that readers will never know is there.
Most people wouldn’t know that Juan Corona was living in working as a farm labor contractor in the Yuba/Sutter County areas in 1955. Nor would they know that the Feather River at that time was a wild river.
What’s the best review/compliment that you’ve received about your book?
Each of the people from whom I’ve gotten reviews have told me it was well written and that they couldn’t stop reading it.
What famous books can you compare to your own?
Farm Tough is a combination of Jack Reacher and Huckleberry Finn
What is a fun or strange source of inspiration that ended up in your book?
The boys in Yuba City with whom I grew up spoke with rough language, smoked and did not have much fear of injury. Most people also don’t know that years later 27 bodies were found in an orchard at Shanghai Bend where Troy- key and I released their raft each fall before the winter floods.
How long did it take to write your book from the day you got the idea to write it to the day you published it?
Farm Tough took about a year-and-a-half to write.
How long have you considered yourself a writer? Did you have any formal training, or is it something you learned as you went?
This was my first attempt at writing a novel.
If you don’t make a living exclusively writing, what is your day job? How, in any way, does it relate to your life as a writer?
I’ve always been a storyteller, and after 35 years of practicing law, I decided to put some stories into a novel.
“What If” Scenarios
If you could have one person that you admire, living or dead, read your book, who would it be?
George Lucas
If you could be in a writer’s group with up to four famous writers, who would they be?
Clavell, Michener, Steinbeck and Mark Twain
Your favorite character that you’ve written comes to life for one day. What do you do together for 24 hours?
I would want to spend 24 hours with Sean Roberts while he and I kayaked the Tuolumne River for one day.
You are transported into your book for one day. What role do you play? How do you alter the events of the story?
I would play the character of Sean Roberts in stop Juan Corona before he committed his heinous crime.
Your book becomes a best seller. What do you do next?
I would look for my next story line for my next novel.
What is one thing you would give up writing to have (or to have back)?
I’d give up writing to regain my ability to walk, bicycle ride, kayak and make love to my wife.
What famous artist or photographer would you want to create or capture your book cover image?
Wayne Tebo or Renoir
Just for Fun
Your trademark feature.
My warm smile and white hair
What legacy do you want to leave behind?
That I was a Renaissance man and a good father and husband.
One year of your life you’d like to relive or do over.
I would like to relive 2011 up until August 11 of that year.
One bucket list item you’ve completed and one that’s still on your list.
The bucket list item I completed was kayaking 225 miles down the Colorado River and cycling the perimeter of France alone.
Favorite place you’ve visited/place you want to visit.
I would love to see Paris again.
Food you’d like to win a lifetime supply of.
I would like to win a lifetime supply of selected high-end island single malt scotches.
Celebrity you’d want to be friends with.
Anthony Hopkins
Favorite Halloween costume ever.
Being Capt. Blood when I led the neighborhood kids on treasure hunts.
When time travel is achieved, do you go forward or backward?
I would move backwards at least 10 years.
Pin it!
I enjoyed this book. Reading about the adventures of these boys,
Reminds you of a simpler life and how innocent can be taken in an instance.
I look forward to his next book.