The Lake Club with Lina Patton

In this episode of Read the Damn Book, host Michelle Glogovac welcomes debut author Lina Patton to discuss her novel The Lake Club. Lina shares the inspiration behind her first book, how living abroad shaped her perspective as a writer, and the role that travel and personal experiences played in crafting the novel's setting and characters.The conversation explores Lina's creative process, from developing compelling, emotionally resonant characters to balancing authentic settings with fictional storytelling. She also offers an honest look at the publishing journey as a debut author, the challenges of bringing a first novel to life, and the lessons she learned along the way.What We're Talking About...Lina Patton's journey to writing her debut novel, The Lake ClubHow living in Kosovo inspired her storytelling and creative perspectiveChoosing authentic character names and crafting immersive fictional settingsThe six-year journey of writing, revising, and publishing a debut novelExploring themes of home, belonging, friendship, and social dynamics in contemporary fictionWeaving personal experiences and real-life inspiration into fictional storiesBehind the scenes of the novel writing, editing, and publishing processHow publishing trends and market timing influence book deals and releasesLina Patton's creative hobbies, including doodling, stationery, and artistic inspirationChapters00:00 Introduction to Lina Patton and The Lake Club04:02 Making up characters based on real life08:55 The Kosovo connection and personal experiences10:25 Incorporating hockey into the story12:37 Cover design and visual details16:23 Sponsorship message and agency26:17 Surprise plot twist and reader reactions30:37 Where to find Lina and her bookLinks MentionedLina Patton's website: www.linapatton.com