ℚ The Church of the Holy Child: Britt Callahan / Griff Cole PI [1] - Patricia Hale

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Patricia Hale to talk about The Church of the Holy Child (15 August 2017, Intrigue Publishing LLC, 259 pages), a Mystery, book one of the Britt Callahan / Griff Cole PI series.

|| Synopsis || Teaser: Excerpt || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

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A very warm welcome to Patricia Hale; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

What was the inspiration for The Church of the Holy Child?

"I saw a television show once where a psychiatrist was killing his patients. I began to think how awful it would be if someone in a position of trust was not at all who they pretended to be. That led to the writing of The Church of the Holy Child in which women escaping abusive marriages are being killed."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"The story is written in first person with the character, Britt Callahan as the narrator. Some of me is reflected in Britt’s banter with her partner, Griff Cole, and in her tendency to speak now, think later. But for the most part Britt is her own person with her own unique history."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for The Church of the Holy Child - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"The cover art was done by Ryan Anderson and was chosen by my publisher, Intrigue Publishing. I didn’t have anything to do with it, but I’m very pleased with their choice. The sub-plot in the book involves a Catholic priest and his conversations with the killer inside the confessional. The priest must wrestle with telling the police what he knows and obeying his holy orders. This explains the bloody cross and the lines taken from The Lord’s Prayer. I think it’s a great cover."

Why should we read The Church of the Holy Child and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"The Church of the Holy Child is the first book in the Britt Callahan / Griff Cole PI series. Britt and Griff have a personal relationship as well as being business partners. So while each story in the series is mystery/suspense, they also delve into relationship issues and the ups and downs of being a couple. I’ve also incorporated a moral dilemma in each of the books that underlies the primary mystery/suspense storyline. For example, in The Church of the Holy Child the killer repeatedly visits the confessional of a Catholic priest. The priest must wrestle with keeping his vows to the church or going to the police. In the second book, Durable Goods, Britt goes undercover to find a missing girl and gets caught up in a prostitution ring. She has to decide how far she’ll go to maintain her cover after she loses contact with Griff and is left completely on her own. In the third book, Scar Tissue, the team investigates a young woman’s suicide. While searching for the reason why, they uncover the lines parents will cross to insure success as well as revenge."

Can you tell us something quirky about The Church of the Holy Child, its story and characters?

"Britt’s quirk is that she smokes honeyberry cigars. (Much to Griff’s chagrin.) It’s a trait one of my co-workers tries to keep undercover. When she told me, I thought it was great and had to use it."

Who would you recommend The Church of the Holy Child to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"Anyone who likes suspense will like this book as well as those who like a moral dilemma to chew on while hunting for a serial killer. The story does have references to domestic violence, in that the victims are women in the process of leaving abusive marriages. There is no graphic violence, but there are descriptions of the victims by police and the medical examiner."

If you could / wished to turn The Church of the Holy Child and the Britt Callahan / Griff Cole PI series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"This question made me laugh because when I was thinking about what Britt and Griff looked like, I went on line and looked at actors to get different characteristics in my head. Now… dead center on my desk, above my computer I have two pictures. One is of Hugh Jackman (Griff Cole) and the other is Natalie Portman (Britt Callahan). In the picture, Natalie has a very short, black, pixie style hair cut. My dream team!"

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"I like mystery, suspense, relationships and ethical dilemmas and try to incorporate each of these within my stories. The primary plot is always suspense with the other issues added in as sub-plots. For the most part, these are the types of books I enjoy reading, though I also like books that explore family relationships, sibling’s secrets and skeletons in the closet. I come from a large family and like to know there are other families out there as crazy as we are."

What is your writing process?

"I work full time at a holistic veterinary practice so my writing time is limited to three and a half days a week. On my days off I’m disciplined. Up at 6 a.m. a half hour of yoga, feed the dogs, put the coffee on and I’m at my desk until about 2 o’clock. I try not to waiver from this, though sometimes life gets in the way."

What is in store next?

"After The Church of the Holy Child the next two books in the series will be coming, Durable Goods and Scar Tissue. I don’t have release dates for them yet. After that, I have two books in my desk drawer that are calling to me for revision. These are not mysteries. They are more in the line of family drama/ethical dilemma. I’m looking forward to rewriting both of these."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"The picture is of me with my dogs, Enya and Muddy. They are my constant companions. They keep me from getting too serious and force me away from my desk for walks in the woods. I couldn’t live without them."

Gorgeous picture, thank you so much for sharing it with us; and of course lots of cuddle to Enya and Muddy!

"Thanks so much for the opportunity to talk with you about my work. I’d love to hear from your followers with any questions or comments."

The Church of the Holy Child
OUT 15 Aug 2017! Pre-order Now!

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