When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

It hit me when I was very young.  As early as second grade, I was killing the English lessons, probably due to my mother getting me into reading before I’d even started school. There were times during grade school where I’d end up in my own reading group, which needless to say, made me REAL unpopular with the other kids. But in the end, reading and writing were always something I felt a natural affinity to, so it was easy to gravitate that way.

How long does it take you to write a book?

It has varied.  My first book took nearly ten years, not just because I was a stage manager on TRL at the time but also because the book itself (Brookwater’s Curse Volume I) starts in 1860s Georgia and climaxes in 2001 Senegal, with stops in modern day England and an island filled with vampire samurais.  A staggering amount of research needed to pull this off without making some sort of ridiculous mistake, (like referencing something before it was invented or made available to the general public), was staggering.  

The other books took less time because much of the character building had been done in the first book, and the rest of the overall story is set in modern time.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

Being the nocturnal sort, most of my writing happens at night and I try to stick to the page a day rule, even if it’s just journaling. However, my time and energy can be hampered by my day job.  Being a TV stage manager means that on certain days I’m on on my feet interfacing with an entire crew and celebrity talent for ten hours straight. It depends on the show. Sometimes I won’t have anything to do all morning and other days I don’t have time to like a Facebook status I’m tagged in.  Needless to say, the tougher days can exhaust me to the point where all I want is a drink and bed and writing is the last thing on my mind. Despite the rumors, I am only human.

What's your latest release, and what's up next?

Now that I’m three deep in the Brookwater’s Curse series, I decided to take a break from the vampires and write a serial killer story.  It’s set in the near future, and like most of my stuff, comes with subtle socio-political messages.  It’s also unique in that my killer is a black woman who has issues with both racist conservatives and the ‘rachet’.  Expect ‘The Genius’ late this year.  After a little break, I’ll finish up the fourth installment of Brookwater’s Curse.  Might be a couple of years, but it will be worth the wait.

Steven Van Patten is a Brooklyn native, raised in Fort Greene. After graduating from Long Island University on a full tuition scholarship, he pursued a career in television production. After paying his dues as a production assistant and later as an assistant lighting director for QVC, Steven went on to stage manage a plethora of TV shows, including MTV's Total Request Live and BET Tonight w/ Ed Gordon. However, there was an idea haunting Steven. A storyline born from watching horror movies as a child and noticing a lack of diversity, and character development when people of color were employed. So after pouring over historical research night after night, and traveling alone to various locales, including West Africa and Osaka, Japan, he wrote the first two installments of the Brookwater's Curse vampire novel series.

After receiving much praise, several glowing reviews from various book club heavy hitters, and literary awards for each book, Steven now sets forth on the path of marketing his tomes, while still stage managing TV shows during the day. If he were not busy enough, he's also taken to comedy, making appearances in video projects produced by his friends in the entertainment industry. He's also written a host of social commentary blogs on his Facebook, BlackPlanet and MySpace pages, as well as his own

Steven also took on the additional challenge of producing, directing and starring in a series of short films about a retired assassin who is forced to resume work after his gambling addict brother falls in debt to a crime boss. The fourth and final installment is due sometime in late 2010. Brookwater's Curse Volume III is expected in late 2011. A novel based on the Reluctant Hitman series and an additional serial killer novel are all to follow.

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