James Patterson starts this video with this:

“I don’t think I ever had aspirations in terms of, One begin writer or Secondly- what would happen with it. It just seemed to me, to be- overstepping to do that. I came from a background, that was- people just didn’t make it out of my hometown. I was never a stylist as a writer and I am still not. So I don’t I don’t think I ever expected that things would happen, and I still don’t, I mean, I don’t think about it. I don’t think about selling a lot of books or supposedly I am the best-selling author in the world, I love that. But I don’t think about it.”

Where it all started

James Patterson grew up in  Newberg, New York, a tough little river town, 60 miles north of New York City. A mix of City kids, farm kids, and kids from the air force base, that have been all around the world. “A nice mix of different kind of ways of looking at stuff.” ~James Patterson

His father was brought up in the Newberg poor house was called the Pogey.   His mother was a charwoman – she cleaned up the bathrooms for the poor people. His father went to Hamilton College, “a very good college.”  His mother was a schoolteacher for 50 years.

He went to catholic schools. In high school, if he didn’t have his homework done he got hit in his face. (And yes, that did happen) College and Advertising were nothing to how difficult high school was. James shrugged  and said,  “big deal, nobody is hitting you”

His grandmother was a very strong woman who would tell him what he couldn’t do and then add, “But there are a lot of things you can do… you could do a lot of things” She built up his confidence.

Why James Chose Writing

He started scribbling at nineteen- he loved writing stories. He liked fast past stories.

The Thomas Berryman Number first book: he said, that book doesn’t have a good pace.

The Thomas Berryman won: Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author, Edgar Award for Best First Mystery.

The height Of Success

One of the exciting things is seeing your books in a bookstore.

Family

James tells us that family comes first. Do the right thing as much as you can. The only time his father hugged him was on his deathbed. He hugs his own son every chance he can.

Balance

James, tells us he finds things he likes and does them. He loves to write. He loves his wife and son he likes to be with very good friends. He loves what he doing.

James Patterson said,  “he try’s not to do boring things.”

This classes contest is open now until March 1, 2017.  If you are interested- click on the link in the top left sidebar the one with James Patterson’s picture on it.