Q&A: Lo Patrick, Author of ‘Fast Boys and Pretty Girls’

We chat with author Lo Patrick about Fast Boys and Pretty Girls, which is a gritty, coming-of-age, slow-burn Southern mystery with devastating characters and a twist that will leave you aching, exposing the all-consuming, obsessive power of first love and what it can do to a person.

Hi, Lo! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

A native Georgian, I lived all over the U.S. during my twenties-working in the music and modeling industries-before returning home to raise my family. I’m an attorney by trade but have been writing full time for the past fifteen years. We live in a leafy suburb of Atlanta where I live to write, jam to all kinds of music, go for long walks, hang with my husband and kids, and sit on the porch with a cocktail.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I started writing while in law school. I took a job with my International Criminal Law professor. He was preparing a paper on white-collar crime and needed a research assistant. Although I had/have zero interest in academic writing, I enjoyed the process so much I thought I would give writing fiction a try, and the rest is history. Music is my first love, so listening to hours and hours of various genres of music helped me create worlds in my head that I put down on paper. I’m not as efficient a storyteller as a songwriter, because it takes me about ninety thousand words to get my point across, but I love the immersive experience of a very moody book. I think it’s the only thing that competes with a truly great recording. I now consider myself a professional daydreamer-luckiest girl in the world as daydreaming is by far my greatest skill.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. I read Sweet Valley Twins and Babysitters Club and all the Judy Blumes well before that of course, but Charlotte Doyle was the first book I remember not being able to put down.
• The one that made you want to become an author: The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood and A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley

Your latest novel, Fast Boys and Pretty Girls, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

One thing leads to another-unfortunately. *I know that’s six words, but the unfortunately is pretty important.

What can readers expect?

It’s Danielle’s story. She’s a young girl ripped from her rather underwhelming life and small world in north Georgia and thrust into the New York modeling scene. She’s not prepared for the personal assault that experience will be. This instability causes her to make a series of questionable decisions including starting a relationship with a kid from back home who unwittingly destroys what self esteem she has left-and then is suddenly, violently dead. The complexities of what really happened come to light when Danielle’s daughters find bones behind their home. Every story has at least two hundred other stories woven in its fabric. Readers should expect a slow, nuanced, unraveling of a wicked knot of regret, secrets, and family loyalty.

Where did the inspiration for Fast Boys and Pretty Girls come from?

I worked in the modeling business but for a brief time but was totally taken with it, mostly for the stories of the young women who came through our doors. They were from all walks of life and typically profoundly unprepared for the fashion industry. Their careers wreaked havoc on their personalities, and I do believe, altered their futures-not because they were models, but because of the effect being a ‘pretty girl’ had on their view of themselves. I created Dani out of thin air, but she’s not too far off from dozens upon dozens of girls I met.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I loved writing Danielle’s mother and her agent. I love women with a lot of personality.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

Oh, I always face challenges when writing. I can stay fixated on certain aspects of the story and write them into the ground. I have to push myself to push myself forward. Obsession is a theme in this book, and I definitely relate to over-focusing on one person or thing.

What’s next for you?

I have a book coming next summer!

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?

I read mostly old books-I’m a total throwback, luddite, a wannabe anachronism, so I mostly read books that were published years ago. That said, Friend of My Youth by Alice Munro takes the cake so far this year, but I am in love with every word she has ever written, so it is no surprise.

Will you be picking up Fast Boys and Pretty Girls? Tell us in the comments below!