Member Spotlight: Pat Henshaw

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? The written word is our passport to explore the today’s world, the people, places, sights, and sounds, as well as those in the past and the future. Written words demand our mental participation, unlike many other mediums that can skim our periphery. The ability to read and the love of reading turn us from cookie cutter facades into individuals with compassion and understanding of others. As a result, the world leans closer to peace and harmony.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? Show up every day. Sit down at the keyboard. Write. Write anything. While you’re writing anything, something will usually emerge. Turn your something into everything. It’s not easy. The first step is to show up and start.

What is your favorite time to write? When I was working, I usually wrote from 5 to 7 a.m. when the children were asleep and the worries of the day hadn’t caught up with me yet. Now that I’m retired, every time I sit in front of the keyboard is a favorite time to write.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? Don’t worry about being perfect. (Also, figure out what “success” means to you and be happy when you reach it.)

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? I write contemporary gay romance. For a while, gay rights seemed to be taking huge steps toward equality. Then suddenly we seem to be moving backward. I’m excited to sway public perception of LGBTQ+ people back to forward thinking through my cozy gay romances. To me, “gay” isn’t about sex but about how people view the world and people around them. I write about love, not sex, and am excited to share the difference with readers.

Pat Henshaw’s A Safe Space is out now with JMS Books.