Sit Down with Jessica R. Patch

by Patricia Bradley

Today we're going to sit down with Jessica Patch and talk about writing. I met Jessica in 2013 when we rode together to Cincinnati to an American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. For some odd reason, I called her Robin...I guess like Batman and Robin? And I've called her that ever since. Here's a short bio:

Jessica R. Patch is a New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than thirty novels. Known for her pulse-pounding plots, emotionally charged characters, and signature twists, Jessica’s stories explore themes of justice, resilience, and the unshakable power of hope.

Whether weaving inspirational stories of danger edged with romance or crafting chilling thrillers that probe the shadows of the human heart, Jessica delivers fiction that thrills while shining light in the darkest places.

She makes her home in Northwest Mississippi, where she enjoys life with her family, a good cup of tea, and dreaming up her next edge-of-your-seat story usually over tacos and queso.

Leave a comment with your email address, and Jessica will randomly pick a winner to receive a copy of The Other Sister!

Patricia: When did you start writing?

Jessica: I started writing for publication in 2008.

Patricia Bradley: Oh, wow! That's when I returned to writing after working in the abstinence program in our state for 8 years! Okay, why romantic suspense novels? 

Jessica: I’ve always loved suspense and mystery and romance, so it made sense.

Patricia: Same here! What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense? 

Jessica: The words. LOL 

Patricia: Oh, my goodness, yes! So how long does it generally take you to write a novel? 

Jessica: I’ve written an LIS in 8 days but I don’t recommend it. Usually I like to write one in 30 days and revise in 10. For a trade? I write the first draft in 3 months and take a month or so to revise.

Patricia: I may want to put you in a book and...it takes me months to write a book! Are you a panster or plotter or somewhere in between? 

Jessica: I’m an outliner and a meticulous brainstormer. I know I need ABC but how I get from A to B to C, I’m not sure. I do know my cast and their GMC and the twists and villain.

Patricia: Oh, how I wish I could do that! I do have to know my cast and their goals, motivation and conflict, but I don't always know who the villain is... What would you fear the most if Homeland Security went through your computer? 

Jessica: Fear? Nothing. But I’d squirm. ;-)

Patricia: Yeah, me, too. What is the most rewarding or frustrating thing about writing? 

Jessica: Rewarding: Reader letters when the story has moved them in some way. Frustrating? Having to do it on days I don’t want to. LOL

Patricia: Absolutely about reader letters! And I've been there, have the headaches to prove it about writing when I don't want to! What are you working on now? 

Jessica: I’m working on revising my 2027 thriller: Long After We Left Her. 

Patricia: I can't wait! Tell us about your current book. It is amazing!

Jessica: The Girl Upstairs is a story about a former homicide detective who’s going through a rough patch in her marriage as they move into an idyllic small town in Maine, right into a fixer-upper. But the moment Gwen arrives, weird things happen and a bone is found by a hunter’s dog on her property. So naturally, she investigates to uncover a house with a dark history and secrets buried in her backyard.

Patricia: The Girl Upstairs completely captured me! Talk about twists that I didn't see coming! You can read my Suspense Sisters review of it here. Anything you want to add?

Jessica: I’d love for you to join me through my monthly newsletter and get Patched In. You’ll receive a free short thriller. https://jessicarpatch.com/subscribe/ And come hang out at my unhinged corner of the world: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jessicarpatch/

Here's the back cover copy of The Girl Upstairs. You can purchase it here.

“Jessica R. Patch weaves a dark, twisty tapestry that’s both unsettling and unexpectedly hopeful. Masterful.” –New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan

She bought this house to save her marriage. Unearthing its secrets might just claim her life.

Gwen McDaniel’s life is broken. But she knows the perfect place to fix it. Cold Harbor, Maine is where she used to vacation with her parents as a child, an idyllic small town with views of Acadia National Park. Here, she and Steven can start over, renovating their cliff-side fixer-upper while patching up their marriage. Soon, everything will be better.

Except from the moment they arrive, Gwen sees and hears things, and it’s more than just the drafts and shadows that are part of any old house. Steven downplays her fears, warning her not to fixate on problems as she has in the past. But Gwen spent years as a homicide detective, and her instincts don’t lie. Something happened here. Proof comes when she rips up the attic’s old carpet to discover a chilling message carved into the wood.

As Gwen delves into the history of the house and Cold Harbor community, she begins to piece the fragments together. And gradually, a terrifying picture emerges: A missing girl. A house of horrors. And a dark, decades-old nightmare that is more haunting than Gwen ever imagined…

Here's a little more about Jessica:

You’re invited to join the Patched In community at her website: www.jessicarpatch.com and receive a FREE short thriller, Nobody Has to Know.

Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.

BUY LINK: Purchase from your favorite retailer https://jessicarpatch.com/book/the-girl-upstairs/

Leave a comment with your contact info for a chance to win an ebook copy of The Other Sister, "A twisty tale packed with juicy surprises.” –Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of The Paris Widow

She thought she was the only one lying about her identity. Until she stepped into her sister’s life.

 

 

SIT DOWN WITH JESSICA R PATCH

Thanks for joining me today while I talk with Jessica R. Patch. First a bit about her. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling and award-winning author of more than 27 novels and is known for her dry wit, signature twists, and complex characters. She loves reading true crime books, discussing cold cases over chips and salsa with her girlfriends, and hunting down sinister killers in her romantic suspense novels and dark, twisty thrillers.

Patricia: Jessica, I've known you for over ten years now, but I never asked when you started writing.

Jessica: Like most writers, I suppose I’ve always written stories of some kind for fun, but I began pursuing publication in 2008 when I wrote my first romantic suspense novel. No, it hasn’t seen the light of day. 

Patricia: I have at least two that won't ever see the light of day because I shredded them! So, why romantic suspense novels?

Jessica: I have always loved mysteries, suspense, and thrillers from an early age watching Scooby Doo (I was pretty good at knowing who the villain was before the meddling kids) to reading Nancy Drew and then moving on to authors like Tami Hoag, Jonathan Kellerman and Faye Kellerman, Kathy Reichs, and even John Saul in the late 80s. Anything my mom had on hand, I read it, and she loved them too. I enjoy solving the crimes as an armchair detective, puzzling out the clues. Naturally, this made sense to write. I also love romance, though it takes backseat to not even in the car with my trade novels, but I enjoy writing them in my Love Inspired Suspense books. I do love a good love story!

Patricia: Writing romance is hard for me...What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense for you?

Jessica: The words. LOL The hardest part of writing a suspense is hiding the villain, dispensing the clues and questions at just the right time as to not give too much away and yet revealing breadcrumbs so when the twists hit, the reader realizes it’s been there the whole time!

Patricia: And you do it very well! How long does it generally take you to write a novel?

Jessica: I wrote my last Love Inspired Suspense novel in 8 days. I do not recommend it. But on a more normal, sane basis I write a LIS in about 30 days and spent 2 weeks revising before sending it off to my editor. For a trade thriller which is far more complex, I spend about 3-4 months in writing and revising because I do the hard part on the front end which may take me 3 or more months to really create the complex characters, many twists, and all the rich layers we love in a good book—metaphor, symbolism, deeper truths that are slowly revealed and something to ponder on after closing the pages.

Patricia: Eight days? Are you kidding me??? So, are you a panster or plotter or somewhere in between?

Jessica: I’m somewhere in between. I know the plot, the villain/s, red herrings, backstory, all the things but when I begin creating scenes there are quite a few unexpected surprises I never plotted. 

Patricia: I've read all your books, so what would you fear the most if Homeland Security went through your computer?

Jessica: That I’m a danger to myself and others! LOL 

Patricia: I hear you! What’s the most rewarding or frustrating thing about writing?

Jessica: The most rewarding thing is to satisfy readers and blow their minds with fun twists, but to also receive emails that parts or the whole of a story have deeply touched them and made them think about their own lives and struggles. The most frustrating thing is reviewers that cross the line from not enjoying your book (which is totally fair) to assuming they know what you, the author, must have been thinking or not thinking or if I have faith at all due to the darker themes. You can’t presume to know a person and shouldn’t try. 

Patricia: I agree. The Bible is full of dark themes, but always offers hope, and that's what I find in your stories. What are you working on now?

Jessica: I am working on my 2026 dark, twisty thriller The Girl Upstairs which is due April 30th. I’m also working on a LIS in the afternoons which isn’t due for many months but I’m working ahead because my first grandbaby is on the way and he will be here in July, so I want all my contracted manuscripts off my plate!

Patricia: Congratulations on that grandbaby!! I know you'll want to have plenty of free time! Tell us about your current book.

Jessica: My current book, The Other Sister, is a dark, twisty thriller that releases April 22nd. This story explores how far a woman desperate for love, hope and family will go to possess it. It’s a look inside our hearts—are we content with who we are and what we have or so discontent we’re willing to cross lines to gain what we think we want most. Charlotte Kane is about to find out that the other side really isn’t greener at all. It’s quite deadly in fact.

Patricia: It is an awesome book! The ending...I won't say anything other than that I didn't see what happened at the end coming even though you left plenty of clues! Readers can read my review of it here.

Anything you want to add?

Jessica: You can preorder The Other Sister and be automatically in for the VIP party on Zoom with me June 3rd. We’ll be discussing the book, author friends will be there with giveaways, I’ll be giving away backlist books and $100 Amazon card to 1 winner. Just preorder your favorite format and upload your proof of purchase along with your email address and join the party!

Patricia: Find out more here.

Jessica resides in the Memphis area with her husband and her spoiled tri-color Shetland Sheepdog since becoming empty-nesters. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.

You’re invited to join the Patched In community at her website: www.jessicarpatch.com and receive a FREE short thriller, Nobody Has to Know.